Consumption of terrestrial invertebrates by limnephilid caddisflies (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) indicate an overlooked link in stream-riparian food webs

Lepori, Fabio (2023) Consumption of terrestrial invertebrates by limnephilid caddisflies (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) indicate an overlooked link in stream-riparian food webs. Food Webs, 34. e00266. ISSN 23522496

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Abstract

Stream and riparian food webs are linked by cross-boundary resource fluxes, including the consumption of terrestrial invertebrates by fish and the consumption of aquatic insects by riparian spiders. Here, I report observations of scavenging of terrestrial invertebrates by stream-living insects (larvae of the limnephilid caddisfly Melampophylax melampus), which indicate a previously unknown stream-riparian trophic linkage. Based on visual-survey and pitfall-trap data, I also suggest that, in small streams, inputs of terrestrial invertebrates can help omnivorous aquatic insects bridge shortages of other resources (e.g., leaf detritus) and mitigate population bottlenecks.

Item Type:	Scientific journal article, Newspaper article or Magazine article
Subjects:	Biological Sciences > Biology > Marine/Freshwater biology > Freshwater biology Biological Sciences > Biology > Ecology Biological Sciences > Biology > Ecology > Population ecology Biological Sciences > Zoology > Entomology
Department/unit:	Dipartimento ambiente costruzioni e design > Istituto scienze della Terra
Depositing User:	Fabio Lepori
Date Deposited:	05 Sep 2023 10:20
Last Modified:	05 Sep 2023 10:22
URI:	http://repository.supsi.ch/id/eprint/14596

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