Benthic Macroinvertebrates of Temperate, Sub-Antarctic Streams: The Effects of Altitudinal Zoning and Temperature on the Phenology of Aquatic Insects Associated to the Robalo River, Navarino Island (55°S), Chile Page: 36
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Discussion
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Richness, Evenness, and Functional Feeding Groups
In general, richness increases towards the mouth of the R6balo River, with the highest
richness being reached at site III (380 m.a.s.1). This result is related to substrate heterogeneity, as
substrate diversity (as expressed by Shannon's H') is higher at this location (Fig.s 9 and 10).
From the zoogeographical point of view, the system studied belongs to the Sub-Antarctic
ecoregion, which has a strong dominance of Austral or Notogeic, and also Nearctic and Brasilic
elements (Miserendino and Pizzolon 2000), and as a result of this isolation, the area presents
high levels of endemism at the genus and species level. The macroinvertebrate fauna of the
R6balo river, resembles that of other Patagonian streams (Miserendino and Pizzolon 2000) as
well as some similar streams in the Northern hemisphere and New Zealand (Winterbourn 1978,
Miserendino and Pizzolon 2000) in which dipterans, plecopterans, ephemeropterans, and
trichopterans are the predominant groups (Ward 1986). The invertebrate faunas of many stony
streams in New Zealand and Australia are also dominated by these four orders of insects, with
many of the same families being prominent (Miserendino and Pizzolon 2003) and with New
Zealand and South America having the strongest affinities at the family level. For example,
many of the families (Leptophlebiidae, Austroperlidae, Gripopterygidae, Notonemouridae, and
Hydrobiosidae) present at the R6balo River, and other Patagonian streams (Miserendino and
Pizzolon 2000, 2003), are also present in New Zealand streams. However, several families of
freshwater invertebrates that are widespread or common in Patagonia and Sub-Antarctic streams,
are not found in New Zealand, and include Perlidae, Baetidae, Glossosomatidae, Limnephilidae,
and Hyallelidae (Miserendino and Pizzolon 2003). In this study, the order Diptera was the most
diverse and abundant through the altitudinal gradient (14 genera), followed by Trichoptera (836
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Contador Mejías, Tamara Andrea. Benthic Macroinvertebrates of Temperate, Sub-Antarctic Streams: The Effects of Altitudinal Zoning and Temperature on the Phenology of Aquatic Insects Associated to the Robalo River, Navarino Island (55°S), Chile, dissertation, December 2011; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc103303/m1/50/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .