5/21/2015  |   10:30 - 10:45   |  102DE

PATTERNS OF LURE DISPLAY AND ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS IN LAMPSILIS CARDIUM A prominent aspect of unionid mussel life histories is their obligate parasitic phase, during which they attach to various fishes. Some mussels produce elaborate lures that presumably increase infestation success on hosts. We observed the behaviors associated with mantle lure display in a population of Lampsilis cardium near Mukwonago, WI. We made 764 observations of 40 mussels on 9 days during summer 2014. We created categorical descriptions of lure display, which ranged from 0 (no display, closed valves) to 5 (fully open valves with an active display). Overall mean lure rank was 2.11, with the highest lure display ranks in the morning (6 am) and evening (6 pm) with a longer display period in the evening. Preliminary analysis of burrowing data suggest that mussels do not necessarily move up in the substrate during display periods. Few data have been collected to describe diel lure display cycles, though this is likely to be an important in determining infestation success.

Erin Cox (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, eeryytty@uwm.edu;


Todd Levine (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Carroll University, tlevine@carrollu.edu;

5/21/2015  |   10:45 - 11:00   |  102DE

TURNING A SNAPSHOT INTO A MOTION PICTURE: PATTERNS IN AQUATIC INSECT PRODUCTION ALONG A GRADIENT OF ALKALINE MINE DRAINAGE Traditional aquatic bioassessment studies typically quantify the numbers of taxa lost along anthropogenic gradients without addressing whether observed changes in community composition correspond to changes in functional properties within the ecosystem. To bridge this gap, we have conducted a study of community level secondary production in Central Appalachian streams whose chemistry has been altered by surface coal mining. To do so, we took monthly macroinvertebrate samples across a gradient of mining land-cover in Mud River, WV during 2012-2013. In agreement with previous studies, we observe a 39% decline in macroinvertebrate richness and a 37% decline in Shannon diversity along the gradient with patterns in nearly every month reflecting the same trend. More importantly, we observe similar monthly patterns in EPT richness which declines by 52% on average. Because these sensitive taxa exhibit episodic emergence throughout the year, their absence from the most degraded site results in a 50% compression of the seasonal variation found at the site unaffected by mining. We plan to report these patterns in both the absolute amount and seasonal variation of secondary production across the year.

Kristofor Voss (Primary Presenter/Author), Regis University, kvoss@regis.edu;


Emily Bernhardt (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Duke University, ebernhar@duke.edu;

5/21/2015  |   11:00 - 11:15   |  102DE

TOP DOWN AND BOTTOM UP INTERACTIONS IN WATER-FILLED TREE HOLES: IMPLICATIONS FOR MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND MOSQUITO EMERGENCE Water-filled tree holes provide larval habitat for many mosquito species, including vectors for several human diseases. Detrital inputs to tree holes in beech-oak forests include a mix of fresh and well processed leaves. Therefore, larvae are exposed to detritus at various stages of conditioning. Similarly, detritus-associated microbial communities are exposed to larval feeding at different stages of community assembly. We investigated the effects of leaf condition and ration on mosquito production under different larval densities in laboratory mesocosms. We also compared the effect of larval feeding on the structure of early and late stage microbial communities using next generation sequencing techniques. Preliminary data suggest that leaf condition and ration influence mosquito mass, emergence, and development time with generally heavier adults with shorter development times emerging from mesocosms with heavier rations of leaves in early conditioning stages. However, we found more interactions between leaf condition and ration when the density of larvae was increased. Mosquito success was generally reduced in mesocosms with well-conditioned leaves regardless of leaf ration.

Beth Norman (Primary Presenter/Author), Lacawac Sanctuary and Biological Field Station, beth.norman@lacawac.org;


Alexander Ruhs (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Michigan State University, ruhsalex@msu.edu;


Andrew Van Alst (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Michigan State University, vanalsta@msu.edu;


Edward Walker (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Michigan State University, walker@msu.edu;

5/21/2015  |   11:15 - 11:30   |  102DE

IF YOU BUILD IT, WILL THEY COME? MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY COMPOSITION IN INDIANA TWO-STAGE DITCHES Intense agricultural practices have negatively affected water quality both near the farming sources and thousands of miles downstream. Nutrient-rich subsurface drainage enters streams and causes hypoxia, influencing aquatic communities in Midwestern agriculture ditches. These effects also contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Research has shown that two-stage ditches reduce nutrient transport to streams, however, little work has been published on the biological integrity of these ditches. The purpose of this research is to compare the aquatic invertebrate communities in two-stage ditches to conventional ditches in two Indiana counties where the major land use (>90%) is row crop agriculture. Sampling was performed at each two-stage ditch and paired with a nearby conventional drainage ditch. Composite samples were taken from the sediment and the aquatic vegetation. Artificial substrate samplers were also allowed to be colonized at each site for a period of six weeks. Results from this study will be used to further our understanding of the macroinvertebrate communities inhabiting drainage ditches as well as lead to the creation of a water quality index that can be used in monitoring.

Julie Speelman (Primary Presenter/Author), Purdue University, jspeelma@purdue.edu;


Jeffrey D. Holland (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Purdue University, jdhollan@purdue.edu;

5/21/2015  |   11:30 - 11:45   |  102DE

BUGS ON DRUGS: SSRIS (ANTIDEPRESSANTS) AFFECT STREAM ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are emerging as a potential important pollutant in aquatic environments. One suite of anti-depressant drugs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are now detected in surface waters worldwide; however, the ecological impacts of SSRIs are not well understood. We conducted replicated, artificial stream experiments by exposing stream rocks naturally pre-colonized with biofilm and invertebrate communities to concentrations (20 µg/L) of fluoxetine or citalopram or a mix of both (40 µg/L). Treatments suppressed gross primary production and community respiration by at least 43%, but did not affect chlorophyll a or total algal biomass. Chironomid emergence occurred significantly earlier in all SSRI treated streams compared to the controls. In addition, individual Hydropsychidae biomass was higher in the SSRI exposed streams, suggesting that fluoxetine and citalopram may enhance developmental processes in some macroinvertebrates. Chronic exposure to fluoxetine and citalopram appears to affect aquatic biota and stream ecosystem functions. Our observations indicate that ecosystem function and invertebrate population dynamics are sensitive to PPCPs and provide an indication that these compounds may threaten stream ecosystems.

Erinn Richmond (Primary Presenter/Author), Monash University , erinn.richmond@monash.edu;


Emma Rosi (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, rosie@caryinstitute.org;


Sylvia Lee (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, lee.sylvia@epa.gov;


Ross M. Thompson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Centre for Applied Water Science, University of Canberra, ross.thompson@canberra.edu.au;


Michael Grace (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Monash University , michael.grace@monash.edu;

5/21/2015  |   11:45 - 12:00   |  102DE

DIETARY AND TAXONOMIC VARIATION IN UTILIZATION OF MICROBIAL CARBON AND PHOSPHORUS BY DETRITIVOROUS CADDISFLIES Heterotrophic microbes are critical for nutrition of detritivorous animals, yet few studies have examined drivers of variation in utilization of microbial nutrients by detritivores. Here, we assessed the potential for diet leaf type and nutrient content as well as detritivore species identity to control detritivore utilization of microbial carbon (C) and phosphorus (P). We fed oak and maple litter conditioned under 50 or 500 µgP/L to the detritivorous caddisfly larvae Ironoquia spp., Lepidostoma spp., and Pycnopsyche lepida and used the radioisotopes 14-C and 33-P to trace dietary microbial C and P. Leaf type did not affect utilization efficiency of microbial C or P, however caddisflies had reduced P utilization efficiency on diets of greater P content, indicating alleviation of P-limited growth. Two caddisflies of lower body C:P exhibited higher utilization efficiencies of microbial C and P than the species of higher body C:P, possibly because the former two species required proportionally greater microbial C and P to support fast growth of P-rich tissues. Our findings support a link between stoichiometric constraints and utilization of microbial nutrients by detritivorous animals.

Halvor Halvorson (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Central Arkansas, hhalvorson@uca.edu;


Grant White (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Arkansas, ghwhite@email.uark.edu;


Thad Scott (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Baylor University, Thad_Scott@baylor.edu ;


Michelle Evans-White (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Arkansas, mevanswh@uark.edu;