1. Wetland Ecology and Management

2.  Definition (PA Code, Chapter 93): ◦ Spend a “living portion of their life cycle” in an aquatic environment ◦ Can be seen without the aid of a microscope ◦ Animals without a backbone  Examples: crayfish, snails, insect larvae http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/35772.html

3.  Like plants, macroinvertebrates can serve as indicators of water quality.  Sensitive to a variety of chemical and physical stressors: ◦ Nutrient loading ◦ Unstable hydrology ◦ Habitat destruction Minnesota Pollution Control Agency staff evaluating invertebrate samples http://www.pca.state.mn.us/

4.  Macroinvertebrate community data can be used to: ◦ Monitor the condition of a wetland ◦ Determine the effectiveness of wetland mitigation ◦ Make decisions regarding permit issuance

5.  Aquatic macroinvertebrates fall mainly into 3 different phyla: ◦ Phylum Mollusca ◦ Phylum Annelida ◦ Phylum Arthropoda Scientific Classification: Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

6.  Clams and snails Helisoma sp. http://spinner.cofc.edu Physa sp. Stagnicola elodes L R

7.  Aquatic earthworms and leeches ◦ Aquatic earthworms are very similar to terrestrial earthworms – eat mud and small bits of organic bottom as they move through substrate.

8.  Class Malacostraca: Crayfish and Amphipods  Characteristics: ◦ Large diversity in this class ◦ 20-segmented body ◦ Two pairs of antennae ◦ Two pairs of maxillae http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/35772.html; http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/

9.  Class: Insecta  3 distinct body regions ◦ Head ◦ Thorax ◦ Abdomen  2 pairs of wings  3 pairs of jointed legs http://www.snh.org.uk/

10.  1 pair of antennae  Compound eyes  Mouthparts consisting of: ◦ 1 pair of mandibles ◦ 1 pair of maxillae ◦ 1 labrum ◦ 1 labium http://bugs.bio.usyd.edu.au/

11. Merritt and Cummins 1996

12. Aquatic Insect Orders OrderExample CollembolaSpringtails EphemeropteraMayflies OdonataDragonflies and Damselflies PlecopteraStoneflies HemipteraTrue bugs MegalopteraAlderflies TrichopteraCaddisflies LepidopteraButterflies and Moths ColeopteraBeetles DipteraMosquitoes, Blackflies, Chironomids

13.  Common name: Mayflies  Nymph characteristics: ◦ Possess 2-3 tails at end of abdomen ◦ Gills arise from side of abdomen http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7470.html

14.  Adult characteristics: ◦ VERY short-lived  Do not feed – just reproduce, then die ◦ Occur in large swarms  Swarms are so large that they can be detected on radar! Swarms are so large that they can be detected on radar!

15.  Common name: Stoneflies  Larval characteristics: ◦ Each leg ends in 2 claws ◦ Possess 2 cerci at the end of abdomen ◦ Antennae typically 4-6 times the width of the head http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7450.html

16.  Common name: Caddisflies  Larval characteristics: ◦ Often possess 2 prolegs with hooks at tip of abdomen ◦ Can free-living or build complex casings ◦ Often have thread-like gills on abdomen http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/35772.html

17. Tube Case makers

18.  Common name: Dragonflies, Damselflies  Larval characteristics: ◦ Damselflies:  Delicate looking  3 caudal leaf or paddle-shaped gills at tip of abdomen ◦ Dragon flies:  Stout body, gills located inside abdomen tip http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/35772.html

19.  Larvae have a HUGE, hinged lower jaw that can be extended to capture prey as large as fish! Larvae have a HUGE, hinged lower jaw that can be extended to capture prey as large as fish!

20.  Adult characteristics: ◦ Dragonflies:  Wings are held out to the side when at rest  Rear wings have a broader base than front pair ◦ Damselflies:  Wings are held above the body when at rest  Wing pairs of similar shape and size http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/uniramia/odonatoida.html

21.  Common name: True bugs  Characteristics: ◦ Mouthparts are modified into a beak called a rostrum ◦ May be found with air bubble in the water ◦ 1 st pair of wings are modified into leathery coverings for hindwings (hemelytra) http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/35772.html

22. Interesting facts:  Watch out in the water! Also known as toe-biters, these bugs will take a stab at unsuspecting humans swimming in ponds or lakes.  Rostrum operates by piercing the prey, ejecting digestive enzymes into the prey, and then sucking out the digested remains. ◦ Allows the bugs to feed on large prey, including snakes and small turtles.

23.  Common names: Mosquitoes, Blackflies, Craneflies, Chironomids  Larval characteristics: ◦ HUGE diversity, difficult to id any farther than family ◦ Lack jointed legs on the thorax ◦ Often have tubercules – small, fleshy appendages http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/35772.html

24.  Many different “metrics” are used to describe macroinvertebrate communities.  Most common metric: ◦ Taxa richness: # of taxa in a community ◦ Prediction: As water quality ↓, taxa richness ↓  Related metric: ◦ EPT richness: # of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa in a community ◦ Thought to be more pollution sensitive

25.  Functional feeding groups ◦ Measures functioning rather than structure of the community ◦ Types of groups:  Scrapers - remove attached algae  Shredders – utilize large pieces of organic matter  Collectors – utilize small particles of organic matter, either by filtering or gathering them.  Predators – capture prey

26. Metric Predicted response to increasing perturbation % scrapersDecrease % collectorsVariable % predatorsVariable % shreddersDecrease % omnivores/scavengersIncrease http://www.epa.gov

27.  Habitat and Behavior measures  Tolerance/Intolerance measures

28.  “Crawdad Dance”  Sweeping