Date of Graduation
Spring 2019
Degree
Master of Science in Biology
Department
Biology
Committee Chair
Debra Finn
Abstract
The hyporheic zone, a key component of stream vertical connectivity, supports stream function (e.g., nutrient regeneration) and provides habitat for aquatic biota. The Ozark Highlands ecoregion contains gravel-bed streams that have extensive hyporheic zones and that are subject to recurrent flash floods. I sampled Leuctra tenuis(Pictet) nymphs from the hyporheic habitat (30-45 cm below the streambed) in a gravel-bed reach and an intermittent tributary of an Ozark stream from early instar to adult emergence. Concurrently, I sampled benthic insects in two reaches of the same stream that differed primarily in amount of hyporheic habitat (bedrock vs. gravel) and monitored the hyporheic insect community in the gravel reach for an entire year (October 2017 to September 2018). I calculated secondary production and development of hyporheic L. tenuis. I also monitored the response of benthic and hyporheic insect communities after two floods and documented reductions in richness and densities of benthic insects, especially in the bedrock reach. Pre- and post-flood communities were significantly different between bedrock and gravel benthic habitats. However, differences in community composition were not significant across the entire year, indicating that floods mixed the communities. Insect richness in the hyporheic zone increased post-flood, which may have facilitated quicker recovery in the gravel reach. It is imperative that we understand the role of vertical connectivity to stream secondary production and how the hyporheic zone can contribute to supporting diverse and resilient aquatic communities in order to better protect stream ecosystems.
Keywords
interstitial, flow, gravel-bed, diversity, resilience, hyporheos, life-history, ephemeral
Subject Categories
Biodiversity | Entomology | Population Biology | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Copyright
© Nathan C. Dorff
Recommended Citation
Dorff, Nathan C., "Vertical Connectivity Influences Secondary Production, Community Diversity, and Resilience in an Ozark Stream" (2019). MSU Graduate Theses. 3339.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3339
Open Access
Included in
Biodiversity Commons, Entomology Commons, Population Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
