Abstract
The bottom fauna and drift in the Kakanui River, New Zealand, were studied for
a period of one year. The fauna was dominated by Ephemeroptera and Chironomidae.
A diurnal drift rate was found with maximum rates just after sunset. A mechanism is
postulated to account for the observed correlation of decrease in light intensity at
sunset and increase in drift rate. There was a quantative change in the drift at night with
the occurrence of comparatively large numbers of mayfly nymphs and Rhyacophilidae
larvae. Lowest drift rates were recorded during the winter. There is a close interrelationship
between drift and bottom fauna: proportional occurrence in the bottom
fauna is similar to that in drift but is modified by differences in behaviour of the
animals, and the occurrence of pieces of algae, containing animals.
During the study a flood occurred which halved the density of the bottom fauna
but within three weeks the denslty returned to near its pre-flood value. Some species
had higher densities after the flood than before it. Recolonization of the substrate by
the animals could be followed by interdependent changes in bottom fauna and drift
samples. A large increase in drift rate was recorded at sunset immediately after the
flood had occurred.
Subject
Ecology,Aquatic Science,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics,Oceanography
Cited by
49 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献