Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 7-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Atyid shrimps (Decapoda: Atyidae) influence the spatial heterogeneity of algal communities over different scales in tropical montane streams, Puerto Rico

Atyid shrimps (Decapoda: Atyidae) influence the spatial heterogeneity of algal communities over... 1. Atyid (Decapoda: Atyidae) shrimps influence the distribution of algal communities over different scales in tropical montane streams of Puerto Rico. Within pools of an atyid‐dominated stream, atyid shrimps enhanced patchiness in algal communities along the depth gradient. Algal bands occurred in shallow pool margins where atyids did not forage (< 3 cm below water surface), with significantly greater standing crop, taxon richness, and structural complexity than deeper areas. In deeper water, atyids reduced small‐scale patchiness in algal community composition and maintained a low‐growing understorey turf dominated by sessile diatoms (Bacillariophyta) and, sometimes, closely cropped, filamentous blue‐greens (Cyanophyta). 2. Among pools of the atyid‐dominated stream, atyids interacted with light to determine algal patchiness between stream margins and deeper areas. In sunny pools, algal standing crop was 140‐fold greater in pool margins than in deeper areas where atyids foraged. In shaded pools, however, standing crop in pool margins was only 5‐fold greater than in deeper areas. Effects of light on algal standing crop were greater outside atyid foraging areas than within, indicating that shrimp grazing overrides the positive effects of light. 3. In contrast to the atyid‐dominated stream, algal communities in an atyid‐poor stream were characterized by a high biomass of loosely attached epipelic diatoms and no depth zonation. Interstream rock and shrimp transplant experiments indicated that atyids significantly reduced algal standing crop and altered community composition on rocks from atyid‐poor streams within 24 h. Results support the hypothesis that atyid shrimps play a major role in determining observed interstream differences in algal communities. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Freshwater Biology Wiley

Atyid shrimps (Decapoda: Atyidae) influence the spatial heterogeneity of algal communities over different scales in tropical montane streams, Puerto Rico

PRINGLE, CATHERINE
Freshwater Biology , Volume 35 (1) – Feb 1, 1996
Download PDF
16 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/wiley/atyid-shrimps-decapoda-atyidae-influence-the-spatial-heterogeneity-of-0dxW7GuSSV

References (50)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Blackwell Science Ltd, Oxford
ISSN
0046-5070
eISSN
1365-2427
DOI
10.1046/j.1365-2427.1996.00487.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

1. Atyid (Decapoda: Atyidae) shrimps influence the distribution of algal communities over different scales in tropical montane streams of Puerto Rico. Within pools of an atyid‐dominated stream, atyid shrimps enhanced patchiness in algal communities along the depth gradient. Algal bands occurred in shallow pool margins where atyids did not forage (< 3 cm below water surface), with significantly greater standing crop, taxon richness, and structural complexity than deeper areas. In deeper water, atyids reduced small‐scale patchiness in algal community composition and maintained a low‐growing understorey turf dominated by sessile diatoms (Bacillariophyta) and, sometimes, closely cropped, filamentous blue‐greens (Cyanophyta). 2. Among pools of the atyid‐dominated stream, atyids interacted with light to determine algal patchiness between stream margins and deeper areas. In sunny pools, algal standing crop was 140‐fold greater in pool margins than in deeper areas where atyids foraged. In shaded pools, however, standing crop in pool margins was only 5‐fold greater than in deeper areas. Effects of light on algal standing crop were greater outside atyid foraging areas than within, indicating that shrimp grazing overrides the positive effects of light. 3. In contrast to the atyid‐dominated stream, algal communities in an atyid‐poor stream were characterized by a high biomass of loosely attached epipelic diatoms and no depth zonation. Interstream rock and shrimp transplant experiments indicated that atyids significantly reduced algal standing crop and altered community composition on rocks from atyid‐poor streams within 24 h. Results support the hypothesis that atyid shrimps play a major role in determining observed interstream differences in algal communities.

Journal

Freshwater Biology – Wiley

Published: Feb 1, 1996

There are no references for this article.