New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

---

Distribution of macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Azul-Quemquemtreu river basin, Patagonia, Argentina

M. Laura Miserendino
Lino A. Pizzolon

Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática
Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia
Sarmiento 849
9200 Esquel
Chubut, Argentina
email: mlau@ar.inter.net

Abstract  Longitudinal and seasonal changes in physical and chemical variables, and macroinvertebrate community structure-function were examined in the Azul-Quemquemtreu river system in the subantarctic forest of Patagonia, Argentina. Patagonian mountain streams have a marked seasonal discharge pattern and may have high suspended sediment loads because of forestry and other land-use practices. The main physical differences among sites were in substrate size (boulder-pebble/sand), mean width (3-37 m), discharge (<1-80 m³ s^-1), total alkalinity (275-1210 meq litre^-1) and conductivity (31-137 µS cm^-1). Species richness and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera richness decreased from upstream sites to the mouth of the river system and were affected by land use. Macroinvertebrate assemblages were influenced by physical (substrate size, width, discharge, current velocity) and chemical (alkalinity and conductivity) variables, and mean density of macroinvertebrates was significantly higher at the Quemquemtreu sites than the Azul sites. Canonical Correspondence Analysis indicated that seasonal trends in macroinvertebrate community composition were related to changes in environmental characteristics of the river, especially water temperature and discharge. The composition of benthic communities in rivers of the Patagonian Andes largely reflect characteristics related to stream size, but factors at the reach scale best explain variation in abundance data. Collector-gatherers were the dominant functional feeding group at all sites. Faunas have similarities with those of New Zealand in taxonomic-functional composition, with a predominance of Chironomidae (Diptera), Leptophlebiidae (Ephemeroptera), and Gripopterygidae (Plecoptera).

Keywords  rivers; community; macroinvertebrates; environmental variables; discharge; Patagonia

M03005 Received 30 January 2003; accepted 22 April 2003; Published 5 August 2003
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2003, Vol. 37: 525-539
0028-8330/03/3703-0525 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2003

PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality (319K) | screen-quality (129K)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page