Ecological analysis of macroinvertebrate communities based on functional feeding groups: a case study in southeastern Serbia

Ana Savić, Miodrag Đorđević, Marina Jušković, Vladimir Pešić

Abstract


To examine if the macroinvertebrate community corresponds to the RCC (River Continuum Concept), which describes longitudinal patterns in allochthonous and autochthonous energy input and the associated feeding categories of macroinvertebrates along the lotic continuum, it was necessary to determine the functional feeding groups – FFGs. The goals of the research were: to examine whether a macroinvertebrate community matches the RCC; to use the functional feeding groups to determine the attributes of the ecosystem; to test if the ITC index is appropriate for use in this part of the world and to determine water quality along the river course of the Nišava River. Macroinvertebrate samples and physicochemical data were analyzed for 10 localities along the 151 km long stretch of the Nišava River in southeastern Serbia, over a one-year period. Out of all the collected specimen (9837 individuals) 49.6% belong to shredders, 31.77% to scrapers, 12.25% to collectors and 6.4% to predators. On the annual level only locality nine belongs to autotrophic type; relation P/R=1.44. Locality four has the most heterotrophic character, the lowest channel stability and the most disturbed predator-prey relationships. The results of the research reveal that the trends found in relative functional group abundance do not correspond with the tendencies predicted by the RCC. The FFG ratios surrogate are consistent with the observations of the properties of the ecosystem at the sampling localities. According to the Index of Trophic Completeness, most of the localities included in the research belong to good water quality (seven out of ten), while other localities belong to moderate water quality (three out of ten).


Keywords


macroinvertebrates; functional feeding groups; Index of Trophic Completeness

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References


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