Use of Shields stress to reconstruct and forecast changes in river metabolism

1. Discharge patterns of streams and rivers may be substantially affected by changes in water management, land use, or climate. Such hydrological alterations are likely to influence biotic processes, including overall ecosystem metabolism (photosynthesis and respiration). One regulator of aquatic ecosystem metabolism directly tied to hydrology is movement of bed sediments. 2. We propose that ecosystem metabolism can be reconstructed or predicted for any suite of hydrological conditions through the use of quantitative relationships between discharge, bed movement and metabolism. We tested this concept on a plains reach of the South Platte River in Colorado. 3. Movement of bed sediments was predicted from river discharge and the Shields stress, a ratio of velocity‐induced stress to sediment grain size. Quantitative relationships were established empirically between metabolic response to bed movement and recovery from bed movement, thus linking metabolism to hydrology. 4. The linkage of metabolism to hydrology allowed us to reconstruct daily photosynthesis and respiration over the 70‐year period for which discharge is known at our study site on the South Platte River. The reconstruction shows major ecological change caused by hydrological manipulation: the river has lost two‐thirds of its photosynthetic potential, and the ratio of photosynthesis to respiration is now much lower than it was prior to 1960. 5. The same approach could be used to anticipate ecological responses to proposed hydrological manipulations, to quantify benefits of hydrological restoration, or to illustrate potential effects of change in climate or land use on flowing‐water ecosystems.     

Annotated Index to Genera, Subgenera and Suprageneric Taxa of the Ciliate Order Tintinnida

SYNOPSIS. Supraspecific taxa of the ciliate Order Tintinnida Corliss, 1955 are indexed by 304 entries; genetic type species are cited with reference to the original citation. The accompanying bibliography of 133 entries includes those publications cited in the index. Authors for several type citations are corrected, as is authorship of some genera, and a new type designation is made for Parundella to replace the previous erroneous designation. Genera present in the fossil record are so indicated.     

Osmoregulation in Larvae of the Land-Crab, Cardisoma guanhumi Latreille

Daily studies were made of the osmoregulatory abilities of Cardisomaguanhumi from hatching to the end of larval development. Theseresults were compared to those of similar research on osmoregulationby larvae and megalopa of four species of estuarine, littoral,and sub-littoral crabs. The comparison shows that larvae ofC. guanhumi possess the same kinds of adaptations for waterintake at the time of molt that were found in Rhithropanopeusharrisii. Land-crab larvae hyperregulated in 10 p.p.t. sea waterand hyporegulated in water of 40 p.p.t. for experimental periodsfor 2 hr during the first one-third of their development. Duringthe remainder of larval life, they hyporegulated against 15p.p.t. in intermolt periods and became isosmotic with, or hyporegulatedagainst, 10 p.p.t. at the time of molting. From the time ofhatching, the osmoregulatory pattern of developing C. guanhumifits them for deep penetration of estuaries and for crossingsteep saline gradients. This pattern is evidence for a strongerand more enduring control of water balance, especially at thetime of molting, than we have found in non-terrestrial species.     

The Effect of Environmental Factors on Development of the Land-Grab, Cardisoma guanhumi Latreille

Larvae of the land-crab, Cardisoma guanhumi, Latreille. weremaintained in 24 different combinations of salinity and temperaturefrom the time of hatching. Survival to the first crab occurredin salinities of 15–45 p.p.t., 25° and 30°C. Durationof the five zoeal and one megalops stages was similar in salinitiesof 20–40 p.p.t., but at 15 and 45 p.p.t. a greater periodof time was required for total development. Mortality of allthe larvae at 20°C suggests that temperature plays a moreimportant role in survival and distribution of the larvae ofC. guanhumi than salinity. Increments of size in crabs during the first seven post-larvalmolts were similar in salinities of 5–35 p.p.t., 25°C,but in fresh water increase in size at the time of molting wasreduced. Although there was no apparent relationship betweenfrequency of molting and salinities of 5–35 p.p.t., theduration of intermolt was reduced in crabs maintained in freshwater, and survival was also lower. From the present study there is no indication that the morphologicaland physiological processes that are associated with adaptationof the adult crab to the terrestrial environment are initiatedduring larval development. Although the adult crabs have successfullypenetrated the terrestrial environment, the pelagic larvae arestill subject to the numerous ecological variables of the estuarineand marine environments.