Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1963 Bottom fauna of the Mississippi River near Keokuk, Iowa, with particular reference to possible control of Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera Clarence Albert Carlson Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Carlson, Clarence Albert, "Bottom fauna of the Mississippi River near Keokuk, Iowa, with particular reference to possible control of Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera " (1963). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 2956. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/2956 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BOTTOM FAUNA OF HIE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEAR KEOKUK, IOWA, VttlH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO POSSIBLE CONTROL OF EmEMEROPTBRA AND TRICHOPTBRA by Clarence Albert Carlson, Jr. A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF miLOSOHiY Major Subject: Zoology Approved: Signature was redacted for privacy. n Charge of Major Work Signature was redacted for privacy. Head of Major Department Signature was redacted for privacy. Dean, College Iowa State University Of Science and Technology Ames, Iowa 1963 ii TABLE OP CONTENTS' Page INTRODUCTION 1 MATERIALS AND METHODS 7 Procedure for Estimation of Hexagenia Population S Collection of Samples 11 Identification of Specimens 16 Bioassay 23 Selection of toxicants 23 Bioassay procedure 30 POPULATION ESTIMATES OF HEXAGENIA NAIADS IN POOL 19 41 BOTTOM FAUNA OF THE MUD FLATS ABOVE DAM 19 49 Qualitative Analysis 49 Turbellaria 49 Oligochaeta 49 Hirudinea 52 Insecta 54 Crustacea 64 Pelecypoda 65 Gastropoda 67 Quantitative Analysis 69 Comparisons with Other Studies 98 RESULTS: OF BIOASSAYS INVOLVING IMMATURE HEXAGENIA AND HYDROPSYCHE 109 DISCUSSION 141 SUMMARY 149 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page LITERATURE CITED 153 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 164 APPENDIX 167 iv LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Diagrammatic representation of the probable nutrient and energy flow in the biological community of mud flats along the eastern shore above Dam 19, Keokuk, Iowa • 72 Figure 2. Key to diagrams illustrating percentage composition of the bottom fauna SO Figure 3. Percentage composition of the benthos at areas A and AA during June, July, and August, in 1960 and 1961 82 Figure 4. Percentage composition of the benthos at areas C and CC during June, July, and August, in 1960 and 1961 84 Figure 5. Percentage composition of the benthos at areas E and EE during June, July, and August, in 1960 and 1961 86 Figure 6. Percentage composition of the benthos at areas G and GG during June, July, and August, in 1960 and 1961 88 Figure 7. Numbers of Hexagenia. Tendipes, and Coelotanypus collected during 1960 and 1961 at areas A and C .... 91 Figure 8. Numbers of Hexagenia and Coelotanypus collected during 1960 and 1961 at areas E and G 93 Figure 9. Numbers of mollusks other than Sohaerium transversum and Campeloma, leeches, and chironomids other than Tendipes and Coelotanypus collected during 1960 and 1961 at areas A, C, E, and G 96 Figure 10a. Determination of TLm of Hexagenia naiads to Co-ral technical in 24 hours at 22 to 24°C 127 Figure 10b. Determination of LC50 of Hexagenia naiads to Co-ral technical in 24 hours at 22 to 24°C 127 Figure 11a. Determination of TLm of Hexagenia naiads to Dylox technical in 24 hours at 16 to 25°C 129 V LIST OF FIGURES (continued) Page Figure lib. Determination of LC50 of Hexagenia naiads to Dylox technical in 24 hours at 16 to 25°C 129 Figure 12a. Determination of TLm of Hexagenia naiads to Malathion technical in 24 hours at 23 to 25°C 131 Figure 12b. Determination of LC50 of Hexagenia naiads to Malathion technical in 24 hours at 23 to 25°C 131 Figure 13a. Determination of TLm of Hydropsyche larvae to Co-ral technical in 24 hours at 22. to 24°C 133 Figure 13b. Determination of LC50 of Hydropsyche larvae to Co-ral technical in 24 hours at 22 to 24°C 133 Figure 14a. Determination of TLm of Hydropsyche larvae to Dylox technical in 24 hours at 21 to 22°C 135 Figure 14b. Determination of LC50 of Hydropsyche larvae to Dylox technical in 24 hours at 21 to 22% 135 Figure 15a. Determination of TLm of Hydropsyche larvae to Malathion technical in 24 hours at 22 to 25°C 137 Figure 15b. Determination of LC50 of Hydropsyche larvae to Malathion technical, in 24 hours at 22 to 25% 137 vi LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. A brief description of the transects established in June, 1959, in upper, middle, and lower Pool 19 9 Table 2. Numbers of organisms collected in 20- and 40-mesh screened pails at areas AA, CC, and D during 1960 .... 17 Table 3. Procedures required in the preparation of slides of chironomid larvae with various mounting media 21 Table 4. Summary of technical grade insecticides used in bioassays involving immature aquatic insects 30 Table 5. Numbers of naiads per sq. ft., section totals, and total number of naiads in a 1-foot strip across the river at Transect I, Burlington, Iowa 42 Table 6. Numbers of naiads per sq. ft., section totals, and total number of naiads in a 1-foot strip across the river at Transect II, Nauvoo, Illinois 43 Table 7. Numbers of naiads per sq. ft. and totals for sampled area, unsampled areas, and a 1-foot strip across the river at Transect IV, Keokuk, Iowa 44 Table 8. Estimates of numbers of Hexagenia naiads (in millions) in Pool 19, Upper Mississippi River 45 Table 9. A listing of the various invertebrates collected at sampling areas along the Illinois shore above Dam 19 . 50 Table 10. Summary of the probable food habits of invertebrate organisms collected from sampling areas along the eastern shore above Dam 19, Keokuk, Iowa 70 Table 11. Average numbers of organisms collected per square foot during June 75 Table 12. Average numbers of organisms collected per square foot during July 76 Table 13. Average numbers of organisms collected per square foot during August 77 Table 14. Average numbers of all organisms collected per square foot at all areas 99 vii LIST OF TABLES (continued) Page Table 15. Mortality of Hexagenia naiads after 24 hours in three experiments with technical Co-ral Ill Table 16. Mortality of Hexagenia naiads after 24 hours in three experiments with technical Dylox .; 112 Table 17. Mortality of Hexagenia naiads after 24 hours in three experiments with technical Malathion 113 Table IS. Mortality of Hydropsyche larvae after 24 hours in three experiments with technical Co-ral 114 Table 19. Mortality of Hydropsyche larvae after 24 hours in three experiments with technical Dylox 115 Table 20. Mortality of Hydropsyche larvae after 24 hours in three experiments with technical Malathion 116 Table 21. Computations for fitting of a probit regression equation 120 Table 22. Computations for fitting of a second probit regression equation .. 124 Table 23. Comparison of the toxicity of technical Co-ral, Dylox, and Malathion to bluegills, Hydropsyche, and Hexagenia 139 Table 24. Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area A 168 Table 25. Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area A 169 Table 26. Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area AA 170 Table 27. Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area AA 171 Table 28. Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area B 172 Table 29. Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area B 173 viii LIST OF TABLES (continued) Page Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area BB 174 Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area BB 175 Numbers of arthropods and oligochaetes collected per square foot at Area C 176 Numbers of leeches and mollusks collected per square foot at Area C 177 Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area CC 178 Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area CC 179 Numbers of arthropods and oligochaetes collected per square foot at Area D 130 Numbers of leeches and mollusks collected per square foot at Area D 181 Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area DD 182 Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area DD 183 Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area E 184 Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area E 185 Numbers of arthropods and oligochaetes collected per square foot at Area EE 186 Numbers of leeches and mollusks collected per square foot at Area EE 187 Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area F 188 ix LIST OF TABLES (continued) Page Table 45. Numbers of platyhelminths, annelids, and mollusks collected per square foot at Area F 189 Table 46. Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area FF 190 Table 47. Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area FF 191 Table 48. Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area G 192 Table 49. Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area G 193 Table 50. Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area GG 194 Table 51. Numbers of annelids and mollusks collected per square foot at Area GG 195 Table 52. Numbers of arthropods collected per square foot at Area II 196 Table 53.