Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MF > MF05139
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 57(4)

Macroinvertebrate communities in willow (Salix spp.) and reed beds (Phragmites australis) in central Victorian streams in Australia

J. M. C. K. Jayawardana A D , Martin Westbrooke A , Michael Wilson A B and Cameron Hurst C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Science and Engineering, University of Ballarat, Vic. 3353, Australia.

B Murray Darling Basin Commission, GPO Box 409, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

C School of Information Technology & Mathematical Sciences, University of Ballarat, Vic. 3353, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: jayawardanack@yahoo.com

Marine and Freshwater Research 57(4) 429-439 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF05139
Submitted: 21 July 2005  Accepted: 21 March 2006   Published: 14 June 2006

Abstract

Exotic willows (Salix spp.) are widespread riparian tree species of rivers in temperate Australia and New Zealand. Despite being considered as a weed of national significance, little is known about the habitat value of willows and the impact on aquatic biota of vegetation change following willow management programmes. Macroinvertebrate fauna in root habitats of willows and Phragmites australis habitats were examined in three central Victorian rivers to understand the effect of such littoral habitat changes on macroinvertebrates. Data were analysed using Partially Nested Factorial ANOVA with season, river and habitat as main effects. Habitat structure had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on macroinvertebrate community assemblage. However, effect of habitat was not consistent among seasons. The greatest community differences among habitats were observed during winter and least separation during autumn. Taxa responsible for community differences among habitats were also identified. Species richness and abundance did not show consistent variation among habitats over different rivers or seasons. This study provided some indication of the macroinvertebrate community changes that would take place in situations where riparian vegetation changes takes place from willows to P. australis.

Extra keywords: biodiversity, conservation, invasive taxa, lotic systems, native reeds.


Acknowledgment

This study was financially supported by the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship and the University of Ballarat Postgraduate Research Scholarship.


References

Ailstock, M. S. , Norman, C. M. , and Bushman, P. J. (2001). Common reed Phragmites australis: Control and effect upon biodiversity in freshwater non tidal wetlands. Restoration Ecology 9(1), 49–59.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Anderson M. J. (2003). ‘CAP: A FORTRAN Computer Program for Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates.’ (Department of Statistics: University of Auckland, NZ.)

Anderson M. J. (2004). ‘Dros. Inf. Serv.TLM v.4: A FORTRAN Computer Program to Calculate a Distance-based Multivariate Analysis for a Linear Model.’ (Department of Statistics: University of Auckland, NZ.)

Anderson, M. J. , and ter Braak, C. J. F. (2003). Permutation tests for multi-factorial analysis of variance. Journal of Statistical and Computational Simulation 73, 85–113.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CALP (1997) ‘Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy.’ (Corangamite Catchment and Land Protection Board: Colac, Vic.)

Chambers, R. M. , Meyerson, L. A. , and Saltoonstal, K. (1999). Expansion of Phragmites australis into tidal wetlands of North America. Aquatic Botany 64, 261–273.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Cranston P. (1996). ‘Identification Guide to the Chironomidae of New South Wales. Australian Water Technologies Identification Guide No.1.’ (Australian Water Technologies: Sydney.)

CSIRO (1999). ‘Interactive Guide to Australian Aquatic Invertebrates.’ (CD ROM), 2nd edn. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)

Dawson, F. H. , and Kern-Hansen, U. (1978). Aquatic weed management in natural streams: the effect of shade by the marginal vegetation. Verhandlungen des Internationalen Vereins für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 20, 1451–1456.
Gooderham J., and Tsyrlin E. (2002). ‘The Waterbug Book: A Guide to the Freshwater Macroinvertebrates of Temperate Australia.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)

Gregg, W. W. , and Rose, F. L. (1982). The effects of aquatic macrophytes on the stream microenvironment. Aquatic Botany 14, 309–324.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Hawking J. H., and Theischinger G. (1999). ‘Dragonfly Larvae (Odonata): A Guide to the Identification of Larvae of Australian Families and to the Identification and Ecology of Larvae from New South Wales.’ Australian Water Technologies (AWT) Identification guide No.3 and Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology (CRCFE) Identification Guide No. 24. (CRCFE/AWT: Albury/Sydney.)

Horvath, T. G. (2004). Retention of particulate matter by macrophytes in a first order stream. Aquatic Botany 78, 27–36.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Latta I. K. (1974). Some effects of willow (Salix fragilis) on New Zealand streams and their faunas. MSc Thesis, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Ladson A., Gerrish G., Garr G., and Thexton E. (1997). ‘Willows along Victorian Waterways. Towards a Management Strategy.’ Waterways Unit. (Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria: Melbourne.)

Levin, P. S. , Toimieri, N. , Nicklin, M. , and Sale, P. F. (2000). Integrating individual behaviour and population ecology: the potential for habitat-dependant population regulation in a reef fish. Behavioral Ecology 11, 565–571.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Osgood D. T., Yozzo D. J., Chambers R. M., Pianka S., Lewis J., and Jacobson D. (2002). Factors controlling nekton habitat utilization patterns within Phragmites and non-Phragmites marshes. In ‘Phragmites australis: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing?’. A Special Technical Forum and Workshop. New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium Workshop 6–9 January 2002, Cumberland Country Collage, Vineland, NJ. p. 14. [Abstract]

Roberts, J. (2000). Changes in Phragmites australis in South-Eastern Australia: a habitat assessment. Folia Geobotanica et Phytotaxonomica 35(4), 353–362.
Robertson D. (1993). ‘Interactions between Riparian Vegetation and Macrobenthic Animals of the Murrumbidgee River.’ (Inland and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation Special Research and Development Project: Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga.)

Saltonstall K. (2003). Recent research on Phragmites australis in North America: implications for management. In ‘Proceedings of the Aquatic Invaders of the Delaware Estuary Symposium, Malvern, Pennsylvania, 20 May 2003’. pp. 12–15. (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science: College Park, MD.)

Sainty G. R., and Jacobs S. W. L. (1981). ‘Waterplants of New South Wales.’ (Water Resource Commission New South Wales: Sydney.)

Suter P. J. (1990). The effects of willows on river ecology. Paper prepared for the Murray-Darling Association. Office of the Environmental Protection Authority, Adelaide.

Townsend, C. R. , Doledec, S. , and Scarsbrook, M. R. (1997). Quantifying disturbance in streams: alternative measures of disturbance in relation to macroinvertebrate traits and species richness. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16(3), 531–544.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Wilson M. E. (2001). Organic matter dynamics in willow and eucalypt lined Central Victoria streams. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Ballarat, Victoria.

Yeates, L. V. , and Barmuta, L. (1999). The effects of willow and eucalypt leaves on feeding preference and growth of some Australian aquatic macroinvertebrates. Australian Journal of Ecology 24, 593–598.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Young, K. (1980). Soil conservation protects the trout. Soil and Water June, 7–8.