HR: 1330h
AN: NB33Q-14    [Abstracts]
TI: Organic Seston Dynamics in Upland Neotropical Streams: Implications for Amphibian Declines
AU: * Peterson, S D
EM: pete13@siu.edu
AF: Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, Carbondale, IL 62901-6501 United States
AU: Colon-Gaud, C
EM: checo@siu.edu
AF: Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, Carbondale, IL 62901-6501 United States
AU: Whiles, M R
EM: mwhiles@zoology.siu.edu
AF: Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, Carbondale, IL 62901-6501 United States
AU: Hunte-Brown, M
EM: meshagae@drexel.edu
AF: Drexel University, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Philadelphia, PA 19104 United States
AU: Connelly, S
EM: scottcon@uga.edu
AF: University of Georgia, Institute of Ecology, Athens, GA 30602-2202 United States
AU: Kilham, S
EM: kilhams@drexel.edu
AF: Drexel University, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Philadelphia, PA 19104 United States
AU: Pringle, C M
EM: cpringle@uga.edu
AF: University of Georgia, Institute of Ecology, Athens, GA 30602-2202 United States
AU: Lips, K R
EM: klips@zoology.siu.edu
AF: Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, Carbondale, IL 62901-6501 United States
AU: Brenes, R
EM: tadpole@siu.edu
AF: Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, Carbondale, IL 62901-6501 United States
AB: Organic seston represents food for filter feeders and a mechanism for downstream transport of energy and nutrients. As part of a study assessing the ecological impacts of stream-breeding anuran extirpations, we examined seston dynamics in 2 stream reaches with tadpoles (El Cope) and 2 without (Fortuna) in the Panamanian uplands. All reaches are high gradient with annual average discharge ranging from 46-102 L/s. Samples were collected multiple times per month at various discharges, sieved into fine (<754μm, >98μm) and very fine (<98μm, >1.6μm) fractions, and processed to estimate ash-free dry mass (AFDM), total C, and total N. Average annual concentrations ranged from 0.52- 2.51 mg/L (fine) and 2.04-3.14 mg/L (very fine), and total export ranged from 0.27-7,981 mg/s across all streams. On average, very fine particles comprised 78% of export from El Cope sites and 61% from Fortuna streams. Average total N export ranged from 5.32-30.53 mg/s in El Cope sites and 1.71-6.04 mg/s at Fortuna. Average particle quality (C/N) in El Cope streams was higher (7.6) than Fortuna streams (11.5). Lower export of very fine particles and lower seston quality in Fortuna streams suggests the loss of tadpoles may influence seston dynamics and quality in these systems.
DE: 1899 General or miscellaneous
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly