The San Luis river continuum: a look at the chemical and biological changes along a longitudinal pristine river gradient, May 2009

Alternative Title

La continuidad del río San Luis: Una mirada a los cambios químicos y biológicos a lo largo de un gradiente longitudinal del río

Creator

Kit Hamley

Files

Publication Date

May 2009

Abstract

From start to finish, physical changes along a river continuum create a natural longitudinal gradient to which biotic communities respond. This biotic response to natural physical change is a fundamental pattern of river ecology and is generally called The River Continuum Concept. The purpose of this study was to look at changes in water quality and aquatic insect communities along a pristine river continuum. Data was collected along a 1-kilometer series of 11 sites along the San Luis River in San Luis, Costa Rica. As expected, water quality did not change along the 1-kilometer reach. Overall percent abundances of insect Orders were different for each site. Three regions were created within the 1-kilometer continuum based on similarities in Shannon-Weiner values. Comparisons of these regions showed that percent composition of insect Orders fluctuate between the three regions. Water quality values were consistent over the entire continuum, therefore changes in biotic assemblages due to water degradation can be ruled out. This means that the changes observed in biotic assemblages were due to changes created by a natural longitudinal gradient.

Resumen

De principio a fin, cambios físicos a lo largo de un rio continuo crea un gradiente longitudinal al cual las comunidades abióticas responden. Estos cambios bióticos son respuestas naturales a los cambios físicos y fundamentales para la ecología del rio y que generalmente se llama Concepto de Continuidad Riparia. El propósito de este estudio fue observar los cambios en la calidad del agua y las comunidades de insectos acuáticos a lo largo de un rio.

Keywords

River continuum concept, Aquatic insects, CIEE Spring 2009

Palabras claves

Concepto del rio continuo, Insectos acuáticos, CIEE Primavera 2009

Extent

8 pages

Geographic Location

San Luis (Puntarenas, Costa Rica)

Holding Location

Monteverde Institute

Language

English; Spanish

Media Type

Articles

Format

Digital Only

Identifier

M39-00507

Type

Book

Recommended Citation

Hamley, Kit, "The San Luis river continuum: a look at the chemical and biological changes along a longitudinal pristine river gradient, May 2009" (2009). Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]. 540.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/540