New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

---

Are New Zealand stream ecosystems really different?

M. J. WINTERBOURN

J. S. ROUNICK

B. COWIE

Department of Zoology University of Canterbury Christchurch 1, New Zealand

Abstract New Zealand stream ecosystems differ from many of their North American counterparts, on which general stream ecosystem models are based, in several ways. In New Zealand, large particle detritivores (shredders) are poorly represented, and the dominant invertebrates are browsers which feed on fine particulate organic matter and stone-surface organic layers. In contrast with the river continuum concept of Vannote et al. (Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 37: 130-137, 1980), representation of functional feeding groups shows little change downstream and a temporal continuum of synchronous species replacements is not found. Many common benthic invertebrates are ecologically flexible species with poorly synchronised life histories. These differences appear to be associated with the non-retentive, climatically unpredictable nature of the stream environment. The idea that stream communities are highly structured entities is questioned, as is the generality of the river continuum concept.

Keywords stream ecosystems; river continuum concept; ecology; functional feeding groups; organic layers.

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1981, Vol. 15 : 321-328 Received 20 March 1981

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (768K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

---

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