A suction pump sampler for invertebrate drift detects exceptionally high concentrations of small invertebrates that drift nets miss
Hydrobiologia
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Abstract
Invertebrate drift is a key process in riverine ecosystems controlling aquatic invertebrate movement, distribution, and availability to fish as prey. However, accurately sampling drift across a wide range of invertebrate sizes is difficult because small invertebrates slip through coarse-mesh drift nets, and fine mesh clogs more easily, which reduces filtration efficiency and measurement accuracy. To avoid this limiting tradeoff, we developed a gas-powered drift pump which pours 20 m3/hour of river water through nested 80- and 750-m nets suspended in the air, and we tested it against a conventional 250-m drift net during low and high flows in a clearwater Alaskan river. The drift pump detected a geometric mean drift concentration of 467 invertebrates m-3 and maximum of 5637 m-3, eleven times the mean concentration of 42 m-3 from the drift net. Invertebrates 3 mm length, primarily chironomids, comprised the entire difference. Studies in which the drift of 0.5 – 3 mm invertebrates might be relevant, such as foraging models investigating the growth of juvenile drift-feeding fishes, should consider using similar methods to quantify small invertebrate drift, lest they underestimate it by an order of magnitude.
Suggested Citation
Neuswanger, J., Schoen, E.R., Wipfli, M.S., Volk, C.J., Savereide, J.W., 2022, A suction pump sampler for invertebrate drift detects exceptionally high concentrations of small invertebrates that drift nets miss: Hydrobiologia, v. 849, p. 2077-2089, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-022-04849-1.
ISSN: 1573-5117 (online)
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | A suction pump sampler for invertebrate drift detects exceptionally high concentrations of small invertebrates that drift nets miss |
| Series title | Hydrobiologia |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10750-022-04849-1 |
| Volume | 849 |
| Publication Date | April 17, 2022 |
| Year Published | 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Seattle |
| Description | 13 p. |
| First page | 2077 |
| Last page | 2089 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Other Geospatial | Chena River |