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Cited by 5Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecologyEcology and biodiversity studiesEcology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies

An Irrigation Canal as a Lotic Mesocosm: Examining the Relationship between Macroinvertebrate Benthos and Drift

Koetsier, Peter, McCauley, Luana M. M.·2015·Western North American Naturalist
DOI 10.3398/064.075.0303
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Abstract

We explored the notion that small canals could be good experimental proxies of streams by documenting physiochemical parameters and macroinvertebrate community development in an aridland irrigation canal. Further, we tested the production-compensation hypothesis between benthic invertebrates and invertebrates in the water column (drift). If the hypothesis held, invertebrates in the drift would be low until the benthic carrying capacity was reached; then organisms in the drift would increase as individuals avoided overcrowded conditions in the substrate. In a small, naturalized freshwater canal, we sampled macroinvertebrates in the substrate and those in the drift once every 2 weeks over 170 days (May–October). We placed macroinvertebrates into functional feeding groups (FFG) and examined these groups along with total density and taxa richness. We found no density-dependent relationship either in FFG or total density between the benthos and invertebrates in the drift. Our negative results might indicate that the stream benthos did not reach carrying capacity (partially affected by adult emergence in the autumn), the invertebrate dynamics in the canal did not adequately represent those occurring in a natural stream, or the duration of our study was too short. However, the invertebrate community in the canal did follow community buildup patterns for small streams reported in the literature, and it also resembled the community in a nearby natural stream. We suggest that naturalized canals could be used as “mesocosms,” mimicking small natural streams, in which highly manipulative experiments could be conducted. In addition, the effects of temporary and permanent canals across the arid western landscape have been understudied and represent a new area of ecological research.Exploramos la idea de que canales pequeños podrían ser buenas aproximaciones experimentales de los arroyos, documentando los parámetros fisicoquímicos y el desarrollo de la comunidad de macro-invertebrados en un canal de riego en tierra árida. Además, probamos la hipótesis de producción-compensación entre los invertebrados bentónicos y aquellos que se encuentran en la columna de agua (a la deriva). Si la hipótesis es apoyada, el número de invertebrados a la deriva sería bajo hasta que se alcanzara la capacidad de carga bentónica. Entonces los organismos a la deriva podrían aumentar en número, ya que los individuos evitarían condiciones de hacinamiento en el sustrato. En un canal naturalizado de agua dulce pequeño, tomamos muestras de macro-invertebrados en el sustrato y de aquellos a la deriva una vez cada 2 semanas durante 170 días (de mayo a octubre). Colocamos macro-invertebrados en

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Crossref · 10.3398/064.075.0303

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  • Ditches have the potential to serve as models for experimentation, which can provide insights into how natural ecosystems may respond to global change.

    “In turn, they have the potential to serve as models for experimentation, which can provide insights into how natural ecosystems may respond to global change 18,19 .”

    From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [19]

  • We can gain more broadly applicable knowledge from ditches as distinctive but common socioecosystems.

    “At the same time, we can gain more broadly applicable knowledge from these distinctive, but common socioecosystems 19 .”

    From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [19]

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Authors
Koetsier, P., & McCauley, L. M. M.
Affiliations
Boise State University (US)
Venue
Western North American Naturalist
Publisher
Western North American Naturalist
Published
2015-10
Volume
75
Issue
3
Pages
259-270
ISSN
  • 1527-0904 (ISSN-L)
  • 1944-8341
DOI
10.3398/064.075.0303
OpenAlex
W2185924816
Cited by
5
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2018: 2
FWCI
0.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Western North American Naturalist (publishedVersion)
  • ScholarsArchive (Brigham Young University) (submittedVersion)
  • ScholarWorks (Boise State University) (submittedVersion)
  • BioOne Complete (BioOne) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Ecology and biodiversity studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
Keywords
irrigation canals, mesocosm experiment, drift, carrying capacity, density dependence, functional feeding groups, community assembly, physicochemical parameters, adult emergence, community richness

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