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Patterns of litter inputs, hyphomycetes and invertebrates in a Brazilian savanna stream: a process of degradative succession

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2019

Renan de Souza Rezende*
Affiliation:
Program of Postgraduate in Environmental Sciences, Universidade Comunitária Regional de Chapecó, Avenida Senador Attílio Fontana, 591-E – Egapi. CEP 89809-000, Chapecó – SC, Brazil
Adriana Oliveira Medeiros
Affiliation:
Department of Botany Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, CEP 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
José Francisco Gonçalves Júnior
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, CEP 70910-900 Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
Maria João Feio
Affiliation:
MARE (Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre) & Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, CEP 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
Elves Pereira Gusmão
Affiliation:
Department of Botany Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, CEP 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, CEP 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Victor Ângelo de Andrade Gomes
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, CEP 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Adolfo Calor
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, CEP 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Juliana dos Santos Dahora Almeida
Affiliation:
Department of Botany Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, CEP 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
*
*Author for correspondence: Renan de Souza Rezende, Email: renanrezende30@gmail.com

Abstract

Litter breakdown is an important ecological process at the bottom of food webs in streams. Previous studies have been based only on a temporal interval of a single season, thus ignoring seasonal variation in litter input and community structure. We investigated organic matter input in a Brazilian savanna stream and the influence of its associated hyphomycetes on the invertebrate community. Organic matter input was sampled monthly and the leaves submitted to decomposition experiments. There were lower breakdown rates and higher invertebrate species richness and abundance during the dry season, which reached their maximum in July due to low stream discharge. Invertebrate composition was best explained by hyphomycetes (mainly by Flagellospora curvula and Anguillospora filiformis). Hyphomycetes have the capacity to degrade complex compounds of litter and to rapidly absorb nutrients by growing branched filaments, thus making the leaves more favourable for consumption by invertebrates. Shredder abundance was negatively related to litter richness, indicating possible species-specific relationships. We observed a sequential process with increased leaf litter input promoting an increase in hyphomycetes biomass, which in turn favoured invertebrate density.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2019 

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