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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 61(1)

Patterns of periphyton are determined by cascading trophic relationships in two neotropical streams

Timothy P. Moulton A H , Marcelo L. Souza A B , Roberto M. L. Silveira A C , Felipe A. M. Krsulović A D , M. P. Silveira E , Juliana C. F. de Assis F and César N. Francischetti G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Departmento de Ecologia, IBRAG, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550-013, Brazil.

B INCRA, Superintendência Regional do Maranhão – SR 12, Av. Santos Dumont 18, Bairro Anil, São Luís, MA 65046-660, Brazil.

C Instituto de Biociências, Av. Fernando Correia s/n, Coxipó, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil.

D ECIM, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontifícia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, Chile.

E Laboratório de Ecossistemas Aquáticos, Embrapa Meio Ambiente, Rodovia SP 340 km 127,5, Jaguariúna, SP 13820-000, Brazil.

F Transpetro, Estrada Fabor Orbel S/N, Campos Elíseos, Duque de Caxias, RJ 25225-030, Brazil.

G Superintendência de Vigilância da Saúde, Secretaria de Saúde e Defesa Civil do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Pedro Corrêa 273, Bairro Centenário, Duque de Caxias, RJ 25020-160, Brazil.

H Corresponding author. Email: moulton@uerj.br

Marine and Freshwater Research 61(1) 57-64 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF08326
Submitted: 29 November 2008  Accepted: 8 June 2009   Published: 29 January 2010

Abstract

Indirect foodweb interactions often determine the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Predators may reduce the activity of herbivores, which, in turn, may cause basal resources to increase. We studied the patterns of distribution of periphyton (organic and inorganic mass and chlorophyll) on rocks in pools in two Atlantic rainforest coastal streams that varied with respect to the presence or absence of fish. A steep waterfall apparently prevented most fish species from colonising the upper parts of one stream; the other stream was apparently naturally without most species of fish. When fish were present, atyid shrimps and baetid mayflies were less abundant compared with parts of the streams without fish. Concomitant with this, the quantity of periphyton organic and inorganic masses was much greater in the presence of fish. Previous experiments showed that atyid shrimps (Potimirim glabra) and baetid mayflies could reduce the quantity of periphyton by grazing and bioturbation. We deduce that fish inhibit the grazing and bioturbing activities of Potimirim and baetid mayflies, which resulted in larger quantities of inorganic and organic mass of periphyton in parts of streams with fish. Cascading interactions may be common in Atlantic coastal forest streams.

Additional keywords: atyid shrimp, baetid ephemeropteran, bioturbation, epilithon, freshwater fish, grazing, Macrobrachium, predator avoidance.


Acknowledgements

Much of the field work was carried out by students of field courses at Centro de Estudos Ambientais e Desenvolvimento Sustentável, CEADS, at Ilha Grande; we thank them for their efforts and enthusiasm. We thank the field and administrative staff of CEADS for their help and patience. Specimens of macroinvertebrates were identified at Laboratório de Entomologia, UFRJ. The manuscript was considerably improved by the suggestions of two anonymous referees. M.L.S. received a doctoral scholarship from FAPERJ; R.M.L.S. received a doctoral scholarship from CNPq; F.A.M.K. received a Masters scholarship from FAPERJ. The research was assisted by a grant to TPM from CNPq (476951/2004–6).


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