Colonisation of Introduced Timber by Algae and Invertebrates, and its Potential Role in Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration |
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Authors: | Nicholas R Bond Sergi Sabater Alena Glaister Simon Roberts Kellie Vanderkruk |
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Institution: | (1) School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 3800 Victoria, Australia;(2) Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Monash University, 3800 Victoria, Australia;(3) Department of Environmental Sciences and Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Universitat de Girona, 17071 Girona, Spain;(4) School of Chemistry and Water Studies Centre, Monash University, 3800 Victoria, Australia |
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Abstract: | As part of a habitat restoration experiment wood substrates (red gum) were introduced to two lowland streams of SE Australia
in which habitat has been severely degraded by deposition of sand eroded from higher in the catchment. We monitored net primary
production (NPP) and community respiration (CR), nutrient concentrations and the succession of algae and invertebrates (abundance
and species richness), sampling at 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks. Colonisation by algae was rapid, and there were distinct
changes in the assemblages over the first 4 weeks. Thereafter, changes were much less marked. There were also differences
in nutrient concentrations and some measures of algal abundance between the two creeks. As with the algae, invertebrates colonised
these substrates extremely rapidly, peaking in abundance and richness in week 8. Invertebrate abundances closely tracked changes
in the abundance of algae. By the end of the study both algal and invertebrate communities were in apparent decline, with
sharp decreases in invertebrate and algal abundance and invertebrate species richness. Rates of GPP also declined toward the
end of the experiment, and this coincided with the detachment of large mats of filamentous algae and the recession of flows
over the summer months. However, in both streams the added timber quickly created habitat with high levels of primary production
in an otherwise strongly heterotrophic stream system. These hotspots of autotrophic production were quickly colonised by high
numbers of macroinvertebrates indicating timber addition may provide an effective means of augmenting habitat for algae and
invertebrates in sanded streams. |
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Keywords: | habitat restoration sand wood primary production lowland streams |
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