Palatability of Leaves Conditioned in Streams Affected by Mine Drainage: A Feeding Experiment with Gammarus Pulex (L.)

摘要: Both the absence of leaf shredding macroinvertebrates and low microbial activity are major importance in determining slow incomplete decay extremely acidic (pH<3.5) mining streams. These streams affected by a heavy ochre deposition causing formation massive iron plaques on surfaces that hinder exploitation. An investigation was carried out to determine whether conditioning status (acid conditioned with without plaques, neutral conditioned, unconditioned) affect feeding preference shredder Gammarus pulex (L.). Leaf respiration rates fungal biomass (ergosterol contents) were measured colonization. Neutral leaves had significantly higher colonization than acid plaques. Notwithstanding, both types consumed at high G. pulex. The no influence experiment. It is presumed adsorbed organic material caused palatability results indicate large deposits coated will be available stream food web when water quality restored as planed scenarios for future development