EFFECTS of INTRODUCED FISH on AQUATIC INSECT ABUNDANCE: a CASE STUDY of HAMAKUA MARSH. OAHU HAWAI'i a THESIS SUBMI'ned to the GR
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UNIVERSiTY OF H.~,\V,ll,1'1 LIBRARY EFFECTS OF INTRODUCED FISH ON AQUATIC INSECT ABUNDANCE: A CASE STUDY OF HAMAKUA MARSH. OAHU HAWAI'I A THESIS SUBMI'nED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BOTANY DECEMBER 2006 By: Christina McGuire Thesis Committee: David Duffy. Chairperson Donald Drake Joan Canfield Richard Mackenzie We certify that we have read this thesis and that, in our opinion, it is satisfactory in scope and quality as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science in Botany. THESIS COMMITfEE ii Acknowledgements I would like to give my utmost thanks to Dr. David Duffy for all of his support and guidance, and who made this arduous process easier. I am indebted to Dr. Joan Canfield for all her encouragement and editorial assistance, and who kept me on-track during the toughest times. I wish to thank Dr. Richard Mackenzie, who spent many hours helping me to create the solid foundation of this project and helping me along every step. Much gratitude is extended to Dr. Don Drake for all of his advice and time. lowe sincere thanks to Micah Ryder, who spent many Saturdays in Hamakua Marsh, and without his love and support none of this would have been possible. iii Abstract The African blackchin tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron) was introduced to Hawaii in 1951 for use as a baitflsh and to control aquatic weeds; poeciliid mosquitoflsh (Gambusia affinis, Poecilia latipinna) were introduced in 1905 for biocontrol. Since their introductions, these fish have rapidly colonized the Hawaiian Islands, maintaining abundant populations along low-energy coastlines as well as in streams and drainage channels. No study to date has documented the ecological impacts of these invasive fish on aquatic invertebrate assemblages within Hawaii's aquatic ecosystems. To examine the effects of fish predation on aquatic insect populations, insect emergence was measured within Hamakua Marsh, a brackish wetland on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Fish access to invertebrate communities was manipulated through the use of exclosures, creating areas of fish free habitat. Emergence was sampled every week over a six month period, encompassing both wet and dry seasons. Results revealed that abundance and biomass of emergent insects were indirectly affected by fish presence. 1n addition, many environmental and temporal factors affected aquatic insect populations at Hamakua Marsh. The presence of widgeon grass, Ruppia maritima positively correlated with increased aquatic insects. Decreased water levels and dry season conditions also promoted increased aquatic insect populations. My results suggest that the presence of invasive fish can change the aquatic environment by decreasing populations of aquatic insects, in tum decreasing forage for the endangered waterbirds that inhabit wetland areas throughout the Hawaiian Islands. iv Table of Contents Page Sl~ature· Pa~e •.••.•.•...............................•...........................................11 .. Acknowledgements ........................................................•••.•.••...•.•...... iii Abstract ....................................•..........•......•..........•.................•......iv Table of Contents ..•...........•.•...•.•..•.•.•..•••.•.•.•..•.•...............................•..v List of Tables •.•........................•..........•........•........•........................•..viii List of Figures .....................................................•........•........•......•....ix Chapter 1. Research Rationale .................................................................. 1 Section 1.1 Thesis Outline ..•....•...•...................•.............................1 Section 1.2 Research Rationale ................................•.•.•...•..•............ 1 Chapter 2. Research Objectives and Hypotheses ...............................................3 Section 2.1 Rationale for Methods ........................•........•......•.•.•..•....3 Section 2.2 Objectives and Hypotheses .••••••••.•..••..•.................•......•.....7 Chapter 3. Literature Review .•..............................................................•••.•9 Section 3.1 Overview .............................................................•........9 Section 3.2 Introduction ............................................•........•.............9 Section 3.3 Aquatic Insects •.•......•.•••.•....•.•........•........•.•..................•12 Section 3.4 Factors Affects Aquatic Insect Populations ............•..........•..•••••.•• 13 Section 3.4.1 Anthropo~enic Disturbance ...............•.................•••.. 14 Section 3.4.2 Hydroperiodl Water Level ........•............................. 14 Section 3.4.3 Substarte ..•................................................••.••••.• 16 Section 3.4.4 Water Chemistry ......................•........•................... 18 v Section 3.4.4a Dissolved Oxygen .•......•.•........................19 Section 3.4.4b Salinity ...............................................20 Section 3.4.4c Temperature •.•.......•....................•.•.....•••21 Section 3.4.4d Nutrients ....................•.....•.....•••••.•.....22 Section 3.4.5 Vegetation .......................•.......••.••••.•.•.•.•....•.23 Section 3.4.6 Fish ...........•.•...............•.•............................•..24 Section 3.5 Invasive Species .......•...•....................•...•••.•.•.•....•......• 27 Section 3.5.1 Blackchin Tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron •..•........ 27 Section 3.5.2 Mosquitoflsh, Gambusia affinis ...•........•.................29 Section 3.6 Importance of Aquatic Insects as a Food Source for Waterbirds ... 31 Section 3.7 Ruppia maritima •••. ...........................................................34 Section 3.8 Future Research ................................................................................................. 36 Chapter 4. Materials and Methods •...................•...............•.•........•.•.•..•.•..•....37 Section 4.1 Study Site...........•.........•......•..........•..........•.................. 37 Section 4.2 Experimental Design .........................••..•..........................40 Section 4.3 Aquatic Insect Emergence Sampling .....•........•........•........•...•• .43 Section 4.4 Water Quality Parameters ..............•......•...••.•......•...••..........46 Section 4.5 Fish Density Sampling ....................•.....••.•........................47 Section 4.6 Vegetation Experiment Sampling .....•....................................47 Section 4.7 Statistical Analysis ..........•......•.......•................................49 Chapter 5. Results ..••..•••.•.......................................•........•.•.••.•••.••...•........51 Section 5.1 Introduction .....•........•.....................•.•.............................51 Section 5.2 Rainfall ............. o .............................................................................. 51 vi Section 5.3 Water Deptll ........................................................................53 Section 5.4 Water Quality .................................................................54 Section 5.5 Aquatic Insect Occurrence and Frequency .................................55 Section 5.6 Aquatic Insect Abundance ...................................................59 Section 5.7 Aquatic Insect Biomass ...................................................... 61 Section 5.8 Seasonality .....................................................................62 Section 5.9 Vegetation .....................................................................63 Section 5.10 Fish Community ............................................................65 Chapter 6. Discussion ...............................................................................67 Section 6.1 Introduction ...................................................................67 Section 6.2 Environmental Conditions ......................................................67 Section 6.2.1. Rainfall .............................................................68 Section 6.2.2. Water Depth .......................................................69 Section 6.2.3 Water Quality ...................................................... 71 Section 6.3 Aquatic Insect Populations and Treatment Regime ......................73 Section 6.3.1. Aquatic Insect Abundance ......................................74 Section 6.3.2 Aquatic Insect Biomass .......................................... 75 Section 6.4 Vegetation ...................................................................... 75 Section 6.5 Fish Community ..............................................................76 Section 6.6 Aquatic Insect as a Food Source for Waterbirds ........................ 78 Chapter 7. Conclusions ..............................................................................80 Chapter 8. Recommendations and Future Research .............................................83 Section 8.1 Management Recommendations .............................................83 vii Chapter 1. Research Rationale Section 1.1 Thesis Outline This thesis is composed of eight chapters and their associated sections. The first chapter introduces the subject and the research rationale used. The second chapter reviews the objectives and hypotheses that guided the study design and data analysis. The third chapter is an overview of the literature related to this work. The literature review provides an understanding of the importance of aquatic insects in wetland systems and