Biotic and Abiotic Controls in River and Stream Communities

• DOI: 10.2307/1467301
• Publication Date: 2006-05-08T02:24:52Z
• Authors: Mary E. Power; R. Jean Stout; Colbert E. Cushing; Peter P. Harper; F. Richard Hauer; William J. Matthews; Peter B. Moyle; Bernhard Statzner
• Keywords: River ecosystem; Biota; Temporal scales; Community

Lotic ecologists share a major goal of explaining the distribution and abundance biota in world's rivers streams, predicting how this will respond to change fluvial ecosystems. We discuss five areas research that would contribute our pursuit goal. For mechanistic understanding lotic community dynamics, we need more information on: 1. Physical conditions impinging on biota, measured temporal spatial scales relevant organisms. 2. Responses discharge fluctuations, including processes mediate recovery following resets caused by spates or droughts. 3. Movements organisms gene flow, resource tracking, multilevel species interactions. 4. Life history patterns, with special emphasis ontogenetic bottlenecks determine vulnerability populations confronting environmental perturbation. 5. Consequences interactions for community- ecosystem-level streams. Without attempting be comprehensive review, limits limitations knowledge these areas. also suggest types data technological development advance understanding. While appreciate value empirical comparative information, advocate search key mechanisms underlying as crucial step toward developing general predictions responses change. These are likely complex, elucidation interacting bilateral, multilateral, biotic abiotic controls progress only continuing synthesis approaches ecology.