Structure and changes of macroinvertebrate community colonizing decomposing rhizome litter of common reed at Lake Fertő/Neusiedler See (Hungary)

Author： Varga Ildikó

Publisher： Springer Publishing Company

ISSN： 0018-8158

Source： Hydrobiologia, Vol.506, Iss.1, 2003-11, pp. : 413-420

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Abstract

Rhizome litter of Phragmites australis were enclosed in litter bags of 1 mm mesh size and submerged in a die-back reed stand of Lake Fertő/Neusiedler See (Hungary). Species composition, individual number and the ratio of functional feeding groups of the colonizing macroinvertebrate community were recorded between July 1997 and May 2000. Forty-one taxa were present during the study period. Dominant taxa were Diptera, Isopoda and Gastropoda. Collectors, their ratio ranged from 25 to 85%, dominated the invertebrate community. Grazer-scrapers and shredders were also significant besides collectors. In the dominance of collectors-scrapers in first half of the experiment was replaced by collectors-shredders in the second half of the experiment. The Shannon diversity and taxa richness were highest in the first year of decomposition. These samples formed a separate group on the dendrogram of cluster analysis. The structure and chemical composition of the plant material and the actual environmental factors determined the macroinvertebrate community colonizing decomposing reed rhizome litter.