The Ecology of Invertebrate Drift and Feeding Chronology of the
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Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 1979 The cologE y of Invertebrate Drift nda Feeding Chronology of the Striped Shiner, Notropis chrysocephalus (Rafinesque) in Polecat Creek, Illinois Dennis L. Newman Eastern Illinois University This research is a product of the graduate program in Zoology at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Newman, Dennis L., "The cE ology of Invertebrate Drift nda Feeding Chronology of the Striped Shiner, Notropis chrysocephalus (Rafinesque) in Polecat Creek, Illinois" (1979). Masters Theses. 3186. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/3186 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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Date Author I respectfully request Booth Library of Eastern Illinois University not allow my thesis be reproduced because -�� Date Author m The Ecology of Invertebrate Drift and Feeding Chronology of the - Striped Shiner, Notropis chrysocephalus (Rafinesque) in Polecat Creek, Illinois (TITLE) BY Dennis L. Newman ... _ THESIS SUBMITIED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Master of Science in Zoology IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CHARLESTON, ILLINOIS 1979 YEAR I HEREBY RECOMMEND THIS THESIS BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE GRADUATE DEGREE CITED ABOVE JS- 151'1 ADVISER IS��4 DATE DEPARTMENT HEAD The Undersigned , Appointed by the Ch airman of the Department of Zoology, Have Examined A Thesis Entitled The Ecology of Invertebrate Drift and Feeding Chronology of the Striped Shiner, Notropis chrysocephalus (Rafinesque) in Polecat Creek, Illinois Presented by Dennis L. Newman A Candidate for the Degree of Master of Science And Hereby Certify That, In Their Opinion, It Is Acceptable ABS TRACT The downstrea m drift of macroinvertebrates and the daily feed ing cycle of the striped shiner, Notropis chrysocephalus (Rafinesque), were studied during the spring and summer of 1978 in Polecat Creek, Illinois. The purpose of the study was to: investigate the drift phenomenon of an entire lotic community, determine the pattern of diel periodicity for several impor tant benthic populations, make qualitative and quantita tive assessments of the relation of drift to benthos, and examine drift in relation to the daily feeding ecology of a cyprinid carnivore. Polecat Cr eek at the sampling site was a relatively fast-flowing third-order stream, with frequent riffles. Drift sampling was conducted at the downstream end of a single riffle ov er four 24-hour periods; April 28-29, May 19-20, August 10-11, and September 1-2. Current velocity was measured at the mouth of the net and the number or weight of aquatic invertebrates collected was standardized according to volume of water, defined as drift density. Th e standing crop of invertebrates in the riffle benthos was estimated from four s�rber foot square samples taken in the riffle area upstream of the rjr if t net after drift sampling was concluded. Fish were collected , by seining, at six-hour intervals on May 19-20 and four-hour intervals on August 10-11. The fish were measured and weighed, stomach contents were removed from the digestive tract beginning at the esophagus and extending to the first 180 degree turn, the contents were identified, counted and wet weighed. Invertebrates other than insects comprised only 0.3 per cent of the total numbers of aquatic drift. Ch ironomidae larvae and pupae dominated drift collections in April and May. The mayflies, Baetis and Caenis, the adult elmid, Dubiraphia vittata and the caddisfly, Cheu matopsyche, were the predominant taxa in the August and September drift samples. Several insects collected during this study had not previously been reported as part of the drift or as drifting within a pattern of diel periodicity in warm water streams these included: Isonychia, Pseudocloeon dubium, Stenacron interpunctatum, Dubiraphia vittata, Macronychus glabratus , Stenelmis crenata, and Simulium. Benthic samples contained fewer taxa than drift samples and some invertebrates which were common in the drift were not present in bottom samples. Terrestrial invertebrates conSributed nearly one-third of the drifting biomass over the �n tire study period and adult chironomids were the predominant taxonomic group. Adults from aquatic immature stages (Chironomidae,Hydropsychidae, Ephemeroptera) drifted within a pattern of diel periodicity, ho wever adults from terrestria l origins exhibited no consistent patterns of drift. Peaks in feeding activity of the striped shiner occurred prior to sunset and after sunrise, therefore, it was not feeding most actively when drift densities were highest. Chironomid larvae were the principal food item of the striped shiner, even though other aquatic insects were co nnnon in the drift. Diurnal drift densities of chironomid larvae were higher than other prey or ganisms and therefore they were more availab le as a food item when fish were feeding most active ly. I TABLE OF CONTENTS page INTRODUCTI ON 1 LITERATURE REVIEW 3 THE STUDY AREA 22 METHODS AND MATERIALS 25 RESULTS 28 Compo sition of the Aquatic Drift 28 Diel Patterns of the Total Invertebrate Drift 41 Diel Drift Patterns of Individual Taxa 46 Relation of Drift to Benthos 51 Larval Fish 62 Terrestrial Drift 62 The Daily Feeding Cycle of Notropis chrysocephalus 69 Food Compo sition During the 24-hour Period 73 DISCUSSION 81 LITERATURE CITED 90 II LIST OF TAB LES page Table 1. List of taxa, number s of individuals and per cent 30 of total drift for collections of organisms from Polecat Cr eek, Illinois on April 28-29, 1978. Table 2. List of taxa, numbers of individuals and per cent of 32 total drift for collections of organisms from Polecat Creek, Illinois on May 19-20, 1978. Table 3. List of taxa, numbers of individuals and per cent 35 of total drift for collections of organisms from Polecat Creek, Illinois on August 10-1 1, 1978. Table 4. List of taxa, number s of individuals and per cent 38 of total drift for collections of organisms from Polecat Creek, Illinois.pn September 1-2 , 1978. Table 5. Compari son of m�an weight per individual (mg wet 61 weight) in drift and benthos sa mples in Polecat Creek. Table 6. Percent compo sition of common taxa in the terres 64 trial drift during the four collection dates in Polecat Creek. Table 7. Size and diel change s in per cent fullness of the 74 striped shiner, Notropi s chrysoc ephalus in Polecat Creek. Table 8. Food composition of Notropis chrysocephalus in 75 Polecat Creek expre ssed as per cent by weight over the 24-hour period, May 19-20, 1978. Table 9. Proportion of . the benthos in the drift in Polecat 85 Creek, Illinois and Lusk Creek, Alberta (Radford and Harland-Rowe 1971. III LIST OF FIGURES page Figure 1. Diel pattern of total drift in Polecat Creek during 42 April 28-29 based on numbers and weight. Figure 2. Diel pattern of total drift in Polecat Creek during 43 May 19-20 based on numbers and weight. Figure 3. Diel pattern of total drift in Polecat Creek during 44 August 10-11 based on numbers and weight. Figure 4. Diel pattern of total drift in Polecat Creek during 45 September 1-2 based on numbers and weight. Figure 5. Diel pattern of Orthocladiinae and Chironominae in 47 Polecat Creek during April 28-29, Ma y 19-20, and September 1-2 , 1978. , Figure 6. Diel drift of Chironomidae pupae in Polecat Creek 49 during April 28�29, Ma y 19-20, and September 1-2, 1978. Figure 7. Diel drift of Simulium larvae in Polecat Creek during 50 April 28-29 , May 19-20, September 1-2, 1978. Figure 8. Diel drift of Dubiraph ia vittata and Ma cronychus 52 gl abratus adults in Polecat Creek during May 19-20, August 10-11, and September 1-2 , 1978. Figure 9. Diel drift of Cheumatopsyc he larvae in Polecat Creek 53 during August 10-11 and September 1-2, 1978. Figure 10. Diel drift of Baetis nymphs in Polecat Creek during 54 May 19-20, August 10-11, and September 1-2, 1978. Figure 11. Diel drift of Caenis nymphs in Polecat Creek during 55 May 19-20, August 10-11, and September 1-2, 1978. Figure 12. Diel drift of Pseudocloeon dubium nymphs in Polecat 56 Creek during April 28-29 and May 19-20, 1978 . Figure 13. Diel drift of Stenacron interpun ctatum nymphs in 57 Polecat Creek during August 10-11 and September 1-2,1978. Figure 14. Diel drift of Isonychia nymphs in Polecat Creek during 58 September 1-2, 1978. Figure 15. Relative abundance of taxa occurring in both the 59 benthos and drift in Polecat Creek. Figure 16. Diel drift and density of larval fish from Polecat 63 Creek during April 28-29 and May 19-20, 1978 . IV page Figure 17. Diel drift of Chironomidae adults in Polecat Creek 66 during April 28-29 , May 19-20, August 10-11 and September 1-2, 1978.