In:
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Canadian Science Publishing, Vol. 46, No. 8 ( 1989-08-01), p. 1375-1382
Abstract:
Recent research concerning benthic algae in streams suggests that the near-substrate hydrodynamic regime may affect the composition of benthic algal assemblages. Algae from local streams were allowed to colonize laboratory flumes containing substrates of different sizes under two velocity regimes to determine whether benthic algal assemblages were affected by substrate size or hydrodynamics. While all hydrodynamic parameters except for local velocity diverged among flumes with different substrate sizes, cell counts per unit area of substrate and the relative proportions of different forms of algae remained similar overall. Much of the similarity appears to be attributable to the dominant filamentous algae. "Blooms" of one or two species were detected on occasion, but did not affect overall similarity (though they may affect local recolonization). The results, if extrapolated, suggest that hydrodynamic conditions alone may not be responsible for the variation in algal assemblages seen in the field, and that the morphological form of the alga may be more important than the species of alga when determining its response to hydrodynamic conditions.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0706-652X
,
1205-7533
Language:
English
Publisher:
Canadian Science Publishing
Publication Date:
1989
detail.hit.zdb_id:
7966-2
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1473089-3
SSG:
21,3
SSG:
12
