It’s Complicated: Does Food Web Structure Affect Detrital Processing in Streams?

Department Chair

Martha Skerrett, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair of Biology

Author

Stephen H. Tentinger, State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State CollegeFollow

Date of Award

12-2016

Access Control

Open Access

Degree Name

Biology, M.A.

Department

Biology Department

Advisor

Christopher M. Pennuto

Department Home page

http://biology.buffalostate.edu/

First Reader

Christopher M. Pennuto

Second Reader

Alicia Pérez-Fuentetaja

Third Reader

Randal J. Snyder

Abstract

Trophic cascades involve powerful feeding interactions that can alter the flow of energy and the abundance of species in an ecosystem. In western NY streams, the negative impacts of a new benthic invertivore, the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is altering benthic community structure and leaf litter decomposition. Streams with round gobies have a reduced abundance of shredders and slower leaf decay than streams without gobies. However, crayfish, as shredders of leaf litter, may be large or aggressive enough to avoid predation by round gobies. I used a 30-day full factorial field experiment with blocks to determine if round gobies affected the role of the crayfish (Orconectes propinquus) in the breakdown of detritus. I found no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the decay rates of red maple leaves (Acer rubrum) among treatments. However, I observed a difference in the number of prey consumed by predators among treatments (P

Recommended Citation

Tentinger, Stephen H., "It’s Complicated: Does Food Web Structure Affect Detrital Processing in Streams?" (2016). Biology Theses. 27.
https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/biology_theses/27