Scales of macroinvertebrate-habitat relationships in fluvial systems : a case study of the River Frome
Scales of macroinvertebrate-habitat relationships in fluvial systems : a case study of the River Frome
The aim of this thesis is to investigate scales of invertebrate habitat relationships in rivers. Specifically, it is to examine whether river systems have different faunal characteristics and controls at different scales, and the extent to which the sampling scale employed affects the observed patterns of faunal composition and relationships with environmental variables.
Longitudinal patterns of faunal composition and links to environmental variables have been examined using each set of data individually, and the results compared. The results show (i) that the fluvial system itself has different characteristics and controls at different scales, and (ii) that observed patterns in invertebrate communities, and links to the physical habitat conditions, can depend on the spatial and temporal scale adopted by the sampling regime. The importance of recognising different scales of heterogeneity within catchment systems is shown, and it is clear that both positions in the river and mesohabitat conditions are important in structuring the invertebrate communities. At both levels the faunal communities are seen to be part of a continuum. By extending the study through the seasons, a pattern of seasonal change in the faunal assemblages is seen which is fairly consistent along the length of the river in both spatial data sets. The two summers show a certain degree of similarity despite changes in the relative proportions of habitats. By examining the two scales simultaneously the results, in particular, show the significance of small scale variation relative to variation at larger spatial scales, and also allow us to draw the conclusion that the reach level patterns are a consequence of all the mesohabitats within the site. Top down control on mesohabitats from the reach level are, however, less clear. All analyses undertaken indicate that there is a lot of 'noise' in the benthos and the patterns are not clear-cut, suggesting that invertebrate assemblages are complex and difficult to simplify.
University of Southampton
Cannan, Caroline Elizabeth
1999
Cannan, Caroline Elizabeth
Cannan, Caroline Elizabeth
(1999)
Scales of macroinvertebrate-habitat relationships in fluvial systems : a case study of the River Frome.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to investigate scales of invertebrate habitat relationships in rivers. Specifically, it is to examine whether river systems have different faunal characteristics and controls at different scales, and the extent to which the sampling scale employed affects the observed patterns of faunal composition and relationships with environmental variables.
Longitudinal patterns of faunal composition and links to environmental variables have been examined using each set of data individually, and the results compared. The results show (i) that the fluvial system itself has different characteristics and controls at different scales, and (ii) that observed patterns in invertebrate communities, and links to the physical habitat conditions, can depend on the spatial and temporal scale adopted by the sampling regime. The importance of recognising different scales of heterogeneity within catchment systems is shown, and it is clear that both positions in the river and mesohabitat conditions are important in structuring the invertebrate communities. At both levels the faunal communities are seen to be part of a continuum. By extending the study through the seasons, a pattern of seasonal change in the faunal assemblages is seen which is fairly consistent along the length of the river in both spatial data sets. The two summers show a certain degree of similarity despite changes in the relative proportions of habitats. By examining the two scales simultaneously the results, in particular, show the significance of small scale variation relative to variation at larger spatial scales, and also allow us to draw the conclusion that the reach level patterns are a consequence of all the mesohabitats within the site. Top down control on mesohabitats from the reach level are, however, less clear. All analyses undertaken indicate that there is a lot of 'noise' in the benthos and the patterns are not clear-cut, suggesting that invertebrate assemblages are complex and difficult to simplify.
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Published date: 1999
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Local EPrints ID: 463604
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/463604
PURE UUID: dd05af45-f5ee-4cc3-943e-badf6aa09363
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 20:54
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 20:54
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Author:
Caroline Elizabeth Cannan
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