Kj. Bataille et Ga. Baldassarre, DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATES FOLLOWING DROUGHT IN 3 PRAIRIE POTHOLE WETLANDS, Wetlands, 13(4), 1993, pp. 260-269
We collected aquatic macroinvertebrates in a seasonal, semipermanent,
and permanent pothole wetland in southwestern Manitoba, Canada to dete
rmine their abundance and distribution following drought in relation t
o the prelaying, egg-laying and brood-rearing periods of canvasbacks (
Aythya valisineria). We collected 26 taxa of nektonic macroinvertebrat
es of which 6 major groups (Cladocera, Copepoda, Ostracoda, Culicidae,
Dytiscidae, Gastropoda) collectively comprised >98% of the total numb
er of individuals. The number of nektonic macroinvertebrates peaked du
ring the egg-laying period, and crustaceans were the most abundant tax
a in all 3 potholes during all 3 breeding periods. We collected 50 fam
ilies of emergent insects and several unknown families in the orders C
oleoptera and Diptera. Five major groups (Chironomidae, Culicidae, oth
er Diptera, Coleoptera, Leptoceridae) collectively comprised >97% of t
he total number. Insect emergence increased during the breeding season
to a peak during the brood-rearing period. Chironomids were the most
abundant emergent insect during all 3 breeding periods and were most a
bundant in the permanent pothole. Chironomids collected on artificial
substrates also were most abundant in the permanent pothole during all
3 breeding periods. The number of gastropods was greatest during the
laying and brood-rearing periods. Following drought, it appeared that
macroinvertebrates were abundant and widely distributed in the 3 potho
les.