Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Species and genus richness and assemblage composition of stream caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) vary with latitude in mountain rainforest of Argentina

Edgardo J. I. Pero https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6335-8654 A B , Paola A. Rueda Martín A and María C. Reynaga A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Horco Molle s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Yerba Buena, CP4107 Tucumán, Argentina.

B Corresponding author. Email: peroedgardo@gmail.com

Marine and Freshwater Research 70(5) 687-697 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF18209
Submitted: 30 May 2018  Accepted: 11 October 2018   Published: 7 December 2018

Abstract

Evidence found in results of studies of latitudinal gradients of benthic macroinvertebrate diversity is variable. This study analysed how species and genus richness and the composition of caddisfly assemblages (Insecta: Trichoptera) vary in Argentinean mountain forest through a latitudinal gradient from 22 to 28°S. Qualitative and quantitative data from 20 stream sites were compared. Assemblage richness and composition were analysed by comparing linear regressions, rank–abundance (RA) curves and non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS). Taxonomic richness increased from high to low latitude. RA curves showed changes in assemblage composition and structure across the latitudinal gradient. The nMDS revealed that the composition of the assemblages also changed along the latitudinal gradient. The patterns are similar to those observed in plants and vertebrates from the study region. The results are of particular note because a latitudinal gradient of aquatic insect diversity has rarely been observed in a narrow range.

Additional keywords: aquatic insects, protected areas, Yungas forest.


References

Al-Shami, S. A., Heino, J., Che Salmah, M. R., Ahmad, A. H., Hamid, S. A., and Madrus, M. R. (2013). Drivers of beta diversity of macroinvertebrate communities in tropical forest streams. Freshwater Biology 58, 1126–1137.
Drivers of beta diversity of macroinvertebrate communities in tropical forest streams.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Andresen, E. (2005). Effects of season and vegetation type on community organization of dung beetles in a tropical dry forest. Biotropica 37, 291–300.
Effects of season and vegetation type on community organization of dung beetles in a tropical dry forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Angrisano, E. B. (1984). Nuevas especies de Hydroptilidae Argentinos (Trichoptera). Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 43, 1–5.

Angrisano, E. B. (1995). Contribución para el conocimiento de las Oxyethira neotropicales (Trichoptera, Hydroptilidae). Physis, Seccion B 50, 27–35.

Arthington, A. H. (1990). Latitudinal gradients in insect species richness of Australian lotic systems: a selective review. Tropical Freshwater Biology 2, 179–196.

Bishop, J. E. (1973). ‘Limnology of a Small Malayan River Sungai Gombak’. (Dr W. Junk: The Hague, Netherlands.)

Boulton, J., Boyero, L., Covich, A., Dobson, M., Pearson, R., and Lake, S. (2008). Are tropical streams ecologically different from temperate streams? In ‘Tropical Stream Ecology’. (Ed. D. Dudgeon.) pp. 117–132. (Elsevier: Amsterdam, Netherlands.)

Boyero, L. (2002). Insect biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems: is there any latitudinal gradient? Marine and Freshwater Research 53, 753–755.
Insect biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems: is there any latitudinal gradient?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Boyero, L., Ramirez, A., Dudgeon, D., and Pearson, R. G. (2009). Are tropical streams really different? Journal of the North American Benthological Society 28, 397–403.
Are tropical streams really different?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Boyero, L., Pearson, R. G., Dudgeon, D., Graça, M. A. S., Gessner, M. O., Albariño, R. J., Ferreira, V., Yule, C. M., Boulton, A. J., Arunachalam, M., Callisto, M., Chauvet, E., Ramírez, A., Chará, J., Moretti, M. S., Gonçalves, J. F., Helson, J. E., Chará-Serna, A. M., Encalada, A. C., Davies, J. N., Lamothe, S., Cornejo, A., Li, A. O. Y., Buria, M. L., Villanueva, V. D., Zúñiga, M. C., and Pringle, C. P. (2011). Global distribution of a key trophic guild contrasts with common latitudinal diversity patterns. Ecology 92, 1839–1848.
Global distribution of a key trophic guild contrasts with common latitudinal diversity patterns.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Boyero, L., Pearson, R. G., Dudgeon, D., Ferreira, V., Graça, M. A. S., Gessner, M. O., Boulton, A. J., Chauvet, E., Yule, C. M., Albariño, R. J., Ramírez, A., Helson, J. E., Callisto, M., Arunachalam, M., Chará, J., Figueroa, R., Mathooko, J. M., Gonçalves, J. F., Moretti, M. S., Chará-Serna, A. M., Davies, J. N., Encalada, A., Lamothe, S., Buria, M. L., Castela, J., Cornejo, A., Li, A. O. Y., M’Erimba, C., Villanueva, V. D., Zúñiga, M. C., Swan, C. M., and Barmuta, L. A. (2012). Global patterns of stream detritivore distribution: implications for biodiversity loss in changing climates. Global Ecology and Biogeography 21, 134–141.
Global patterns of stream detritivore distribution: implications for biodiversity loss in changing climates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Boyero, L., Pearson, R. G., Swan, C. M., Hui, C., Albariño, R. J., Arunachalam, M., Callisto, M., Chará, J., Chará-Serna, A. M., Chauvet, E., Cornejo, A., Dudgeon, D., Encalada, A. C., Ferreira, V., Gessner, M. O., Gonçalves, J. F., Graça, M. A. S., Helson, J. E., Mathooko, J. M., McKie, B. G., Moretti, M. S., and Yule, C. M. (2015). Latitudinal gradient of nestedness and its potential drivers in stream detritivores. Ecography 38, 949–955.
Latitudinal gradient of nestedness and its potential drivers in stream detritivores.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Boyero, L., Graça, M. A. S., Tonin, A. M., Peréz, J., Swafford, A. J., Ferreira, V., Landeira-Dabarca, A., Alexandrou, M. A., Gessner, M. O., McKie, B. G., Albariño, R. J., Barmuta, L. A., Callisto, M., Chará, J., Chauvet, E., Colón-Gaud, C., Dudgeon, D., Encalada, A. C., Figueroa, R., Flecker, A. S., Fleituch, T., Frainer, A., Gonçalves, J. F., Helson, J. E., Iwata, T., Mathooko, J., M’Erimba, C., Pringle, C. M., Ramírez, A., Swan, C. M., Yule, C. M., and Pearson, R. G. (2017). Riparian plant litter quality increase with latitude. Nature Scientific Reports 7, 10562.
Riparian plant litter quality increase with latitude.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Brown, A. D., Grau, H. R., Malizia, L. R., and Grau, A. (2001). Bosques Nublados de Argentina. In ‘Bosques Nublados del Neotrópico’. (Eds M. Kappelle and A. D. Brown.) pp. 623–658. (Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad: Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica.)

Bush, A., Nipperess, D., Turak, E., and Hughes, L. (2012). Determining vulnerability of stream communities to climate change at the landscape scale. Freshwater Biology 57, 1689–1701.
Determining vulnerability of stream communities to climate change at the landscape scale.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cheshire, K., Boyero, L., and Pearson, R. G. (2005). Food webs in tropical Australian streams: shredders are not scarce. Freshwater Biology 50, 748–769.
Food webs in tropical Australian streams: shredders are not scarce.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cultid-Medina, C. A., and Escobar, F. (2016). Assessing the ecological response of Dung Beetles in an agricultural landscape using number of individuals and biomass in diversity measures. Environmental Entomology 45, 310–319.
Assessing the ecological response of Dung Beetles in an agricultural landscape using number of individuals and biomass in diversity measures.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Currie, D. J., and Paquin, V. (1987). Large-scale biogeographical patterns of species richness in trees. Nature 329, 326–327.
Large-scale biogeographical patterns of species richness in trees.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Dos Santos, D. A., Rueda Martín, P. A., and Reynaga, M. C. (2015). Spatial patterns of caddisflies from Austral South America. Systematics and Biodiversity 13, 419–433.
Spatial patterns of caddisflies from Austral South America.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Feinsinger, P. (2001). ‘Designing Field Studies for Biodiversity Conservation’. (Island Press: Washington, DC, USA.)

Fernández, H. R., Romero, F., Peralta, M., and Grosso, L. (2001). La diversidad del zoobentos en ríos de montaña del noroeste de Argentina: comparación entre seis ríos. Ecología Austral 11, 9–16.

Fernández, H. R., Romero, F., Vece, M. B., Manzo, V., Nieto, C., and Orce, M. (2002). Evaluación de tres índices bióticos en un río subtropical de montaña (Tucumán – Argentina). Limnetica 21, 1–13.

Fernández, H. R., Domínguez, E., Romero, F., and Cuezzo, M. G. (2006). La calidad del agua y la bioindicación en los ríos de montaña del Noroeste Argentino. Serie Conservación de la Naturaleza 16, Fundación Miguel Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.

Gaston, K. J., and Blackburn, T. M. (2000). ‘Pattern and Process in Macroecology.’ (Blackwell Science: Oxford, UK.)

Hawkins, B. A. (2001). Ecology’s oldest pattern? Trends in Ecology & Evolution 16, 470.
Ecology’s oldest pattern?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hawkins, B. A., and Compton, S. G. (1992). African fig wasp communities: undersaturation and latitudinal gradients in species richness. Journal of Animal Ecology 61, 361–372.
African fig wasp communities: undersaturation and latitudinal gradients in species richness.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hawkins, C. P., Norris, R. H., Gerritsen, J., Hughes, R. M., Jackson, S. K., Johnson, R. K., and Stevenson, R. J. (2000). Evaluation of the use of landscape classifications for the prediction of freshwater biota: synthesis and recommendations. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 19, 541–556.
Evaluation of the use of landscape classifications for the prediction of freshwater biota: synthesis and recommendations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Heino, J., Muotka, T., Paavola, R., Hämäläinen, H., and Koskenniemi, E. (2002). Correspondence between regional delineations and spatial patterns in macroinvertebrate assemblages of boreal headwater streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 21, 397–413.
Correspondence between regional delineations and spatial patterns in macroinvertebrate assemblages of boreal headwater streams.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Heino, J., Melo, A. S., Jyrkänkallio-Mikkola, J., Petsch, D. K., Saito, V. S., Tolonen, K. T., Bini, L. M., Landeiro, V. M., Freire Silva, T. S., Pajunen, V., Soininen, J., and Siqueira, T. (2018). Subtropical streams harbor higher genus richness and lower abundance of insects compared to boreal streams, but scale matters. Journal of Biogeography 2018, 1–11.

Hillebrand, H. (2004). On the generality of the latitudinal diversity gradient. American Naturalist 163, 192–211.
On the generality of the latitudinal diversity gradient.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jacobsen, D., Schultz, R., and Encalada, A. (1997). Structure and diversity of stream invertebrate assemblages: the influence of temperature with altitude and latitude. Freshwater Biology 38, 247–261.
Structure and diversity of stream invertebrate assemblages: the influence of temperature with altitude and latitude.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

James, G., Witten, D., Hastie, T., and Tibshirani, R. (2014). ‘An Introduction to Statistical Learning: With Applications in R.’ (Springer: New York, NY, USA.)

Kappelle, M., and Brown, A. D. (Eds) (2001). ‘Bosques Nublados del Neotrópico.’ (Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad: Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica.)

Kaufman, D. M., and Willig, M. R. (1998). Latitudinal patterns of mammal species richness in the New World: the effects of sampling method and faunal group. Journal of Biogeography 25, 795–805.
Latitudinal patterns of mammal species richness in the New World: the effects of sampling method and faunal group.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kay, W. R., Smith, M. J., Pinder, A. M., Macrae, J. M., Davis, J. A., and Halse, S. A. (1999). Patterns of distribution of macroinvertebrate families in rivers of north-western Australia. Freshwater Biology 41, 299–316.
Patterns of distribution of macroinvertebrate families in rivers of north-western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kouki, J., Niemelä, P., and Viitasaari, M. (1994). Reversed latitudinal gradient in species richness of sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta). Annales Zoologici Fennici 31, 83–88.

Lake, P. S., Schreiber, E. S. G., Milne, B. J., and Pearson, R. G. (1994). Species richness in streams: patterns over time, with stream size and with latitude. Proceedings of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology 25, 1822–1826.

Lavilla, E. O., and Manzano, A. S. (1995). La batracofauna de las selvas de montaña del noroeste argentino. In ‘Investigación, conservación y desarrollo en las selvas subtropicales de montaña’. (Eds A. D. Brown and H. R. Grau.) pp. 157–162. (Laboratorio de Investigaciones Ecológicas de las Yungas, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán: Yerba Buena, Argentina).

Myers, N., Mittermeier, R. A., Mittermeier, G. A. B., Fonseca, D. A., and Kent, J. (2000). Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403, 853–858.
Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Nieto, C., Dos Santos, D. A., Izquierdo, A., and Grau, H. R. (2017). Modelling beta diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates in High Andean wetlands. Journal of Limnology 76, 555–570.

Nollet, L. M. L., and De Gelder, L. S. P. (2014). ‘Handbook of Water Analysis’, 3rd edn. (CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, USA.)

Oberdorff, T., Guégan, J. F., and Hugueny, B. (1995). Global scale patterns of fish species diversity in rivers. Ecography 18, 345–352.
Global scale patterns of fish species diversity in rivers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ojeda, R. A., and Mares, M. A. (1989). A biogeographic analysis of the mammals of Salta province, Argentina. Patterns of species assemblage in the Neotropics. Special publication of the Museum number 27, Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock, TX, USA.

Patrick, R. (1964). A discussion of the results of the Catherwood expedition to the Peruvian headwaters of the Amazon. Proceedings of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology 15, 1084–1090.

Pearson, R. G., and Boyero, L. (2009). Gradients in regional diversity of freshwater taxa. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 28, 504–514.
Gradients in regional diversity of freshwater taxa.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Pearson, R. G., Benson, L. J., and Smith, R. E. W. (1986). Diversity and abundance of the fauna in Yuccabine Creek, a tropical rainforest stream. In ‘Limnology in Australia’. (Eds P. de Deckker and W. D. Williams.) pp. 329–342. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic., Australia.)

Pearson, R. G., Christidis, F., Connolly, N. M., Nolen, J. A., St Clair, R. M., Cairns, A. E., and Davis, L. (2017). Stream macroinvertebrate assemblage uniformity and drivers in a tropical bioregion. Freshwater Biology 62, 544–558.
Stream macroinvertebrate assemblage uniformity and drivers in a tropical bioregion.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Pero, E. J. I., Hankel, G. E., Molineri, C., and Domínguez, E. (in press). Correspondence between stream benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and ecoregions in northwestern Argentina. Freshwater Science , .

Rohde, K. (1999). Latitudinal gradients in species diversity and Rapport’s rule revisited: a review of recent work and what parasites teach us about the causes of the gradient? Ecography 22, 593–613.
Latitudinal gradients in species diversity and Rapport’s rule revisited: a review of recent work and what parasites teach us about the causes of the gradient?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rosenzweig, M. L. (1992). Species diversity gradients: we know more and less than we thought. Journal of Mammalogy 73, 715–730.
Species diversity gradients: we know more and less than we thought.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rueda Martín, P. A. (2006a). Associations and a new species of Atopsyche from Northwestern Argentina and Southern Bolivia (Trichoptera: Hydrobiosidae). Zootaxa 1367, 51–62.

Rueda Martín, P. A. (2006b). New record of Ithytrichia (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) for South America, with descriptions of male, larva and pupa of a new species from northwestern Argentina. Aquatic Insects 28, 251–256.
New record of Ithytrichia (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) for South America, with descriptions of male, larva and pupa of a new species from northwestern Argentina.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rueda Martín, P. A. (2008). Morfología y Biología de los estados inmaduros de Marilia cinerea, Navás (1931) y M. elongata, Martynov (1912), con redescripción del macho adulto de M. cinerea (Trichoptera: Odontoceridae). Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 67, 11–20.

Rueda Martín, P. A. (2011). New Hydroptilidae and new records from northwestern Argentina and Bolivia (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae). Aquatic Insects 33, 1–11.
New Hydroptilidae and new records from northwestern Argentina and Bolivia (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rueda Martín, P. A., and Sganga, J. V. (2011). Smicridea Mc Lachlan (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) from Northwestern Argentina and Bolivia: new species, redescription, association and new records Journal of Natural History 45, 2219–2234.

Stout, J., and Vandermeer, J. (1975). Comparison of species richness for stream-inhabiting insects in tropical and mid-latitude streams. American Naturalist 109, 263–280.
Comparison of species richness for stream-inhabiting insects in tropical and mid-latitude streams.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Valentin, J. L. (2012). ‘Ecologia numérica: uma introdução à análise multivariada de dados ecológicos.’ (Editora Interciência: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.)

Valverde, A. C., and Abelando, M. I. (2006). Caracterización de los estados preimaginales de Protoptila dubitans y Protoptila misionensis (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae) Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 65, 11–17.

Verdonschot, P. F. M., and Nijboer, R. C. (2004). Testing the European stream typology of the Water Framework Directive for macroinvertebrates. Hydrobiologia 516, 35–54.
Testing the European stream typology of the Water Framework Directive for macroinvertebrates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Vidaurre, M., Pacheco, L. F., and Roldán, A. I. (2006). Composition and abundance of birds of Andean alder (Alnus acuminata) patches with past and present harvest in Bolivia. Biological Conservation 132, 12–21.
Composition and abundance of birds of Andean alder (Alnus acuminata) patches with past and present harvest in Bolivia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Vinson, M. R., and Hawkins, C. P. (2003). Broad-scale geographical patterns in local stream insect genera richness. Ecography 26, 751–767.
Broad-scale geographical patterns in local stream insect genera richness.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Von Ellenrieder, N. (2007). Composition and structure of aquatic insect assemblages of Yungas mountain cloud forest streams in NW Argentina. Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 66, 57–76.

Wantzen, K. M., and Wagner, R. (2006). Detritus processing by invertebrate shredders: a Neotropical–temperate comparison. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 25, 216–232.
Detritus processing by invertebrate shredders: a Neotropical–temperate comparison.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ward, J. V. (1992). ‘Aquatic Insect Ecology. 1. Biology and Habitat.’ (Wiley: New York, NY, USA.)

Wiggins, G. R. (2004). ‘Caddisflies: the Underwater Architects.’ (University of Toronto Press: Toronto, ON, Canada.)

Willig, M. R., Kaufman, D. M., and Stevens, R. D. (2003). Latitudinal gradients of biodiversity: pattern, process, scale, and synthesis. Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics 34, 273–309.
Latitudinal gradients of biodiversity: pattern, process, scale, and synthesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Yule, C. M., Leong, M. Y., Liew, K. C., Ratnarajah, L., Schmidt, K., Wong, H. M., Pearson, R. G., and Boyero, L. (2009). Shredders in Malaysia: abundance and richness are higher in cool upland tropical streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 28, 404–415.
Shredders in Malaysia: abundance and richness are higher in cool upland tropical streams.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |