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Macroinvertebrate assemblages of an Andean high-altitude tropical stream: The importance of season and flow

Abstract:

We studied the Piburja stream, a high-altitude tropical stream in Ecuador. Our main goals were to determine whether the macroinvertebrate community composition and abundance differed between seasons, reaches and velocity patches. Likewise, we aimed to examine the importance of the hydrological regime in determining these differences. Flow was significantly higher in the wet season, but the stability of flow was higher in the dry season. There was a strong increase in macroinvertebrate community metrics (richness, density and diversity) in the dry season. Seasons and velocity patches better explained the community composition. Reaches did not show differences at the community level, but some taxa showed significant differences among reaches. Our findings differed from those published in previous studies that have suggested that mountain tropical streams are non-seasonal. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.