Vertical Migration of Adult Stream Insects Above Forested Headwater Stream Environments

Start Date

26-10-2018 8:00 PM

End Date

26-10-2018 10:00 PM

Description

Aquatic insects have a life cycle that includes a larval aquatic stage and an adult terrestrial stage. Stream insects generally stay above the stream channel as adults, but dispersal through upland areas does connect populations in neighboring streams. Wings with high aspect ratio (i.e., long and thin wings) may be an adaptation for gliding that allows long distance dispersal. Similarly, little information exists about species- and sex-specific preferences for utilizing forest canopy habitats. We performed a study that examined the abundance of adult plecopteran that move into the forest canopy compared to individuals found close to the stream. During the summer (2017 and 2018) and autumn 2018, we set up malaise and canopy traps at four streams in the Mosquito Creek Watershed (Lycoming County, PA). We deployed traps for 2-week periods in Jun/Jul and Sep/Oct and identified all Trichoptera and Plectopera to family and Ephemeroptera to order. We also identified the sex of the plecopteran individuals. We found overall lower abundances in the canopy, and some differences in taxon composition between canopy and above-stream habitats.

Keywords

Mosquito Creek, adult stage, stream insect, Plecoptera, headwater stream

Type

Poster

Session

Poster session

Language

eng

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Oct 26th, 8:00 PM Oct 26th, 10:00 PM

Vertical Migration of Adult Stream Insects Above Forested Headwater Stream Environments

Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room

Aquatic insects have a life cycle that includes a larval aquatic stage and an adult terrestrial stage. Stream insects generally stay above the stream channel as adults, but dispersal through upland areas does connect populations in neighboring streams. Wings with high aspect ratio (i.e., long and thin wings) may be an adaptation for gliding that allows long distance dispersal. Similarly, little information exists about species- and sex-specific preferences for utilizing forest canopy habitats. We performed a study that examined the abundance of adult plecopteran that move into the forest canopy compared to individuals found close to the stream. During the summer (2017 and 2018) and autumn 2018, we set up malaise and canopy traps at four streams in the Mosquito Creek Watershed (Lycoming County, PA). We deployed traps for 2-week periods in Jun/Jul and Sep/Oct and identified all Trichoptera and Plectopera to family and Ephemeroptera to order. We also identified the sex of the plecopteran individuals. We found overall lower abundances in the canopy, and some differences in taxon composition between canopy and above-stream habitats.