Migration and Metabolism in a Temperate Stream Ecosystem

作者：Charles A. S. Hall · 发表于：Ecology · 年份：1972 · DOI：10.2307/1934773 · 被引用次数：282 · 研究领域：Fish Ecology and Management Studies、Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics、Water Quality and Pollution Assessment

Fish migration, total stream metabolism, and phosphous were studies in New Hope Creek, North Carolina, from April 1968 to June 1970. Upstream and downstream movement of fish was monitored using weirs with traps. Most of the 27 species had a consistent pattern of larger fish moving upstream and smaller fish moving downstream. Both upstream and downstream movements were greatest in the spring. For example, in the spring of 1969, a daily average of seven fish weighing a total of 1,081 g were caught moving upstream, and 17 fish weighing a total of 472 g were caught moving downstream. Although more moved downstream than up, the larger average size of the fish moving upstream resulted in a large transfer of fish upstream. Diurnal oxygen series were run to measure the metabolism of the aquatic community. Gross photosynthesis at the principal sampling station ranged from 0.21 to almost 9 g O2 m—2 day—1, and community respiration from 0.4 to 13 g O2 m—2 day—1 (mean of 290 and 479 g O2 m—2 yr—1). Both were highest in the spring. Area values of metabolism were often similar for different parts of the stream, but both production per volume and respiration per volume were always much larger near the headwaters than farther downstream. Migration may allow populations to take advantage of such differences in productivity by maintaining young fish in areas of high productivity. Other effects of migration may include: prey control, recolonization of defaunated regions, genetic exchange, and m...