TY - JOUR
T1 - Elemental composition of littoral invertebrates from oligotrophic and eutrophic Canadian lakes
AU - Frost, Paul C.
AU - Tank, Suzanne E.
AU - Turner, Michael A.
AU - Elser, James J.
PY - 2003/3
Y1 - 2003/3
N2 - The P, N, and C content of littoral macroinvertebrates from 8 lakes located in 3 distinct geographical regions of Canada (central Alberta, northwestern Ontario, and Rocky Mountains near Jasper, Alberta) is described. A wide range of values was found in the body content (all values are % of dry mass) of P (0.4-1.6%), N (5.8-13.7%), and C (32.5-53.5%) in the data set containing invertebrates from all 8 lakes. C:P (63-324), N:P (9.6-60), and C:N (4.2-7.6) (all by atom) also varied widely. This variation was partly related to the different mean body content of P, N, and C among taxonomic groups. However, the mean P, N, and C content of macroinvertebrate assemblages varied little among lakes. The patterns of elemental composition in benthic invertebrates shown here are similar to zooplankton and terrestrial insects, and indicate that the strength of stoichiometric constraints acting in littoral food webs will depend on the taxa being considered.
AB - The P, N, and C content of littoral macroinvertebrates from 8 lakes located in 3 distinct geographical regions of Canada (central Alberta, northwestern Ontario, and Rocky Mountains near Jasper, Alberta) is described. A wide range of values was found in the body content (all values are % of dry mass) of P (0.4-1.6%), N (5.8-13.7%), and C (32.5-53.5%) in the data set containing invertebrates from all 8 lakes. C:P (63-324), N:P (9.6-60), and C:N (4.2-7.6) (all by atom) also varied widely. This variation was partly related to the different mean body content of P, N, and C among taxonomic groups. However, the mean P, N, and C content of macroinvertebrate assemblages varied little among lakes. The patterns of elemental composition in benthic invertebrates shown here are similar to zooplankton and terrestrial insects, and indicate that the strength of stoichiometric constraints acting in littoral food webs will depend on the taxa being considered.
KW - Aquatic insects
KW - Benthos
KW - Body stoichiometry
KW - C:N:P ratios
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037336856&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2307/1467977
DO - 10.2307/1467977
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0037336856
SN - 0887-3593
VL - 22
SP - 51
EP - 62
JO - Journal of the North American Benthological Society
JF - Journal of the North American Benthological Society
IS - 1
ER -