Effects of exported seston on aquatic insect faunal similarity and species richness in lake outlet streams in Montana,USA

The quantity of seston exported from a lake affected the qualitative composition and species richness of aquatic insects in 13 lake outlet streams in northwestern Montana. Mean values for chlorophyll and particulate organic carbon in lake effluent waters ranged from 0.5 to 2.7 and 80 to 601 mg m^-3, respectively. Correlations between a detrended correspondence analysis of faunal similarities in outlet streams and measures of organic export from the lake indicated that distributional patterns were primarily dependent upon the general trophic status of the lakes. A comparison of faunal assemblages at stream stations located at the outlet and 100 m downstream demonstrated that species composition at the two stations was more similar in productive systems.