| Title: |
Differences in patches of retention among leaves, woods and small litter particles in a headwater stream: the importance of particle morphology. |
| Authors: |
Takashi Kagaya1 |
| Source: |
Limnology. Apr2008, Vol. 9 Issue 1, p47-55. 9p. |
| Subject Terms: |
*ANIMAL morphology, *INVERTEBRATES, *ORGANIC compounds, *RIVERS |
| Abstract: |
Abstract  The location of retention in the channel can influence invertebrate assemblage and breakdown processes associated with a litter particle in heterogeneous streams. We previously identified four types of litter patches that formed on riffles or different locations in pools (middle, edge, alcove), and demonstrated that middle patches had higher litter processing rates than the other patches. In this study, we examined differences in retention on the four patch types among leaves, woody materials and small litter particles, and among leaves of different sizes, by sampling natural and manipulated litter particles that were newly retained. Proportionally more woody materials, leaf pieces (16â50 mm) and particulate organic matter (1â16 mm) than leaves (>50 mm) were retained on middle patches, while proportionally more leaves than the other litter particles were retained on riffle and edge patches. The retention pattern of leaf species with different leaf sizes and a released experiment of leaf particles revealed that proportionally more leaf particles with smaller sizes were retained on middle patches. The flexibility, shape and dryness of litter particles also seem to affect the location of retention in the channel. These results suggest that the morphology of litter particles have the potential to affect the biological use and breakdown of litter particles through determining the location of retention within the channel. The size of leaves and processes that alter leaf size may have important roles on the breakdown and utilisation by invertebrates in these heterogeneous streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: |
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