Aquatic Invertebrates of the Moose River Basin · an Initial Characterization of Aquatic Invertebrate Community :~Tructure in the Moose River Basin, Ontario
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AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES OF THE MOOSE RIVER BASIN · AN INITIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AQUATIC INVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY :~TRUCTURE IN THE MOOSE RIVER BASIN, ONTARIO by CATRIEN WILLEMINA BOUWMAN, B.A. A Thesis Submitted to the School ofGraduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment ofthe Requirements for the Degree Master ofScience McMaster University ©Copyright by Catrien Willemina Bouwman, Aprill996. MASTER OF SCIENCE (1996) McMaster University (Biology) Hamilton, Ontario TITLE: Aquatic Invertebrate Community Structure in the Moose ruver Basin. AUTHOR: Catrien W. Bouwman, B.A. (McMaster University) SUPERVISOR: Dr. Jurek Kolasa NUMBER OF PAGE~:: xi, 96 ii Abstract The Moose River Basin in northern Ontario is an important large river system, however very little is known about its aquatic invertebrate community. As macroinvertebrates are an integral part ofriver ecosystems, I conducted an initial assessment ofthe aquatic invertebrate community structure in the Moose River Basin, at both a fine, and a basin-wide, scale. The fine scale study used invertebrate data collected at five reaches within~. 30km stretch ofthe Groundhog River. The examination ofthe invertebrate community at a basin-wide scale was accomplished using meta-analysis techniques on twenty-two studies conducted on various rivers within the Basin. The effect ofthe following factors on community structure were examined: i) the use of different sampling devices, ii) water depth, iii) substrate type, iv) sampling in two consecutive years, and v) spatial scale. I found that the use ofvarious sampling devices resulted in significantly different estimates ofcommunity structure. This strongly suggests that consistent sampling protocols are necessary to effectively compare results within, and among, studies. The etfect ofwater depth on community structure was inconclusive, as too few samples were ,:ollected to overcome the confounding effects of substrate type. Substrate type had a significant effect on community structure, with greater invertebrate richness and diversity iound in fine substrate in the Groundhog River study, but with no consistent patterns at the basin-wide scale. Invertebrate richness and diversity did not differ significantly in tbe Groundhog River between two consecutive years. In both the iii fine-scale and the basin-wide studies, the distribution ofaquatic invertebrates varied among sites within a river reach, and among reaches within a river. To further examine the biological and phy~•ical processes affecting community structure at the fine-scale, consistent sampling protocols should be employed, which may also allow basin-wide trends to emerge. iv Acknowledgments Thank-you Juwk, for such a friendly work environment, for your insights and ideas, and for the many cups oftea and coffee. The following t:mployees ofthe Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources provided invaluable assistance in the field, and the occasional rescue when outboard motors became temperamental: Wayne Fiset, Charles Hendrie, Dean Phoenix, and John Sadowski. Many painstaki11g hours wer:e spent by Tracy Jolley and Danielle Dingle at the microscope, and by Wtmdy Sing Gen at the computer, never without good laughs, and always with unflagging friendship. My family is my mainstay; supporting me in hard times, sharing in my victories, I will never be able to thank you enough. Mark Conrad, my partner in the lab, now my partner in life, you never cease to motivate and inspire. The person to whom I am most indebted, for her prayers to the gods ofthe outboard motor, for ro:td-tripping and singing along with Indigo Girls, for swearing a blue streak with me, for being able to laugh, anytime, anyplace, in any situation, and for always, always being there, is Erin Fitzgerald. Erin, words can't express what we've been through together these last two years, and how much your friendship means to me. Thank you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page ........................................................................................................................ i .. N .. Descrtpttve ote.............................................................................................................. n Abstract. .......................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgtnents........................................................................................................... v Table ofContents............................................................................................................. vi List ofTables................................................................................................................... ix List ofFigures.................................................................................................................. x 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... I 1.1 General Introduction ............................................................................................. I 1.2 Clarification of Contribution............................................................................... 6 2.0 A FINE-SCALE :~TUDY OF AQUATIC INVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN THE GROUNDHOG RIVER ............................ 7 2.1 Abstract................................................................................................................ 8 2.2 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Methods and Materials........................................................................................ 13 2.3.1 Study Ar<::a.................................................................................................. 13 vi 2.3.2 Sampling..................................................................................................... 17 2.3.3 Taxonomic Groups ..................................................................................... 18 2.3.4 Analysis....................................................................................................... 19 2.4 Results.................................................................................................................. 21 2.4.1 Year............................................................................................................. 21 2.4.2 Method........................................................................................................ 21 2.4.3 Substratt:......................................................................................................27 2.4.4 Area anc. Site............................................................................................... 32 2.4.5 Depth.......................................................................................................... 35 2.5 Discussion............................................................................................................ 36 2.6 References...........................................................................................................41 3.0 A META-ANALYSIS OF AQUATIC INVERTEBRATE DIVERSITY IN THE MOOSE RIVER BASIN................................................................................. 46 3. 1 Abstract. ............................................................................................................... 4 7 3.2 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 48 3.3 Method................................................................................................................. 51 3.3.1 Omnibus Tests ............................................................................................ 56 3.3.2 Meta-Analyses............................................................................................ 58 3.4 Results.................................................................................................................. 61 3.4.1 Omnibus Tests ............................................................................................ 61 3.4.2 Meta-Analyses............................................................................................ 63 vii 3.5 Discussion........................................................................................................... 67 3.6 References ............................................................................................................71 4.0 CONCLUSION....................................................................................................... 78 5.0 GENERAL REFERENCES.................................................................................... 79 6.0 APPENDIX................................................................................................................ 82 Vlll substrate type:....................................................................................................... 28 Figure 10: The mean abundance for each ofthe ten most abundant genera, for each substrate type.........................................................................................29 Figure 11: Total invertebrate richness vs. sample number, for each substrate type, and for all samples combined...................................................... 30 Figure 12: Total invertebrate richness vs. sample number for each substrate type, with 95% confidence limits for each.......................................................... 31 Figure 13: Total invertebrate richness vs.