Metabolismo de productores de un arroyo pampeano

Abstract

Low current velocities, high nutrient levels, the lack of riparian forest vegetation, and the development of dense and rich macrophyte communities characterize many Pampean streams. The objective of this study was to describe the most important sources of production and respiration in different communities of a pampean stream, and to compare the energetic support of the trophic web in streams of other places. Production and respiration estimations were carried out using clear and opaque acrylic chambers in the same reach of the stream, in two opportunities in summer and one opportunity in winter. The results indicated that the macrophyte community is the most important one in capturing and transforming light energy, although the epiphyton and phytobenthos communities support many herbivorous and are the bottom of the trophic web at this stream. Therefore, the gross production is higher than many others are streams but no the food offer to grazers.