Jf. Murphy et Ps. Giller, Hazel leaf breakdown in two low-order streams differing in the functional efficiency of their detritivore assemblages, ARCH HYDROB, 150(2), 2001, pp. 249-267
Using a reciprocal exchange experimental design, the processing rate of haz
el leaf packs was measured in two low-order streams in south-west Ireland t
hat differed in their macroinvertebrate assemblages and in their susceptibi
lity to acid pulses during spates. One stream had a deciduous riparian zone
and the other flowed through a conifer plantation. The influence of the de
tritivore assemblage relative to the initial microbial conditioning was ass
essed. Hazel leaf packs and plastic 'habitat-only' packs were initially con
ditioned in each stream and were then either transferred to the other strea
m or replaced in the stream of conditioning. The rate of macroinvertebrate
colonisation and hazel leaf pack breakdown were subsequently measured in al
l four treatments. There was no significant difference between streams in l
eaf mass loss during the conditioning period. During the subsequent exposur
e period, there was a significant difference between streams in hazel leaf
breakdown rate, regardless of the stream in which the leaf pack was conditi
oned. Within each stream, detritivores (shredders and deposit feeders) did
not differentially colonise packs conditioned in the different streams, ind
icating that there was no consequential difference in initial conditioning
between streams. However, there were significant differences between the st
reams in their colonising detritivore assemblages, both in the abundance of
individual taxa and in the relative dominance of different functional feed
ing groups. From this study it would appear that the impact of detritivore
activity in the leaf packs outweighs any potential differences in microbial
processing between the two streams and also exceeds the effect of differen
tial conditioning on the attractiveness of the detritus. Factors influencin
g the structure of the detritivore assemblages are thus of primary importan
ce in the decomposition of leaf litter in these systems.