HR: 09:15h
AN: NB31A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Local and Regional Environmental Variables Important in Structuring Caddisfly (Trichoptera) Communities
AU: * Galbraith, H S
EM: hgalbraith@ou.edu
AF: Oklahoma Biological Survey and Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 111 E. Chesapeake St., Norman, OK 73019 United States
AU: Vaughn, C C
EM: cvaughn@ou.edu
AF: Oklahoma Biological Survey and Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 111 E. Chesapeake St., Norman, OK 73019 United States
AB: Complex biotic and abiotic interactions coupled with the significance of scale have confounded the interpretation of community data. The use of multivariate statistical techniques has improved the way in which we are able to analyze this type of ecological data. We evaluated stream and riparian habitat features in southeastern Oklahoma at a range of spatial scales from local, in-stream variables to large-scale, regional characteristics to address the following questions: (1) How much variation in trichopteran community composition can be attributed to local, regional, and spatial variables? and (2) What environmental variables are most important in determining trichopteran community structure? Ten local and regional variables were identified as important to community structure using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). In addition, straight-line distance between sampling sites and interconnectedness of the rivers are important in regulating caddisfly assemblages. We explained 71% of the variation in community composition with local habitat characteristics explaining the most variation (27.0%) followed by regional (8.9%) and spatial variables (2.5%). There was, however, considerable overlap in variation explained by these three suites of variables. Conservation efforts should minimize changes to river depth, substrate, and riparian conditions to preserve caddisfly communities.
DE: 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings)
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly