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Abstract |
Freshwater ecosystems are highly threatened by agricultural practices due to pesticide and herbicide runoff, which can have a strong effect on aquatic invertebrate communities due to them being sensitive to environmental changes and water quality. The influence of agriculture on aquatic ecosystems has been studied at length in temperate regions, but the consequences of this practice have not yet been explored in tropical regions. The purpose of this study is to compare the abundance and diversity of aquatic invertebrates between agricultural and non-agricultural (or naturally wooded) streams in Costa Rica to determine how agricultural practices influence aquatic invertebrate communities in the tropics. This experiment was conducted at the Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve in Costa Rica, which includes 7,800 Ha of unaltered forest, but the area surrounding the reserve has experienced an intense increase in agricultural practices. In August, 2016, samples were taken on 3 separate dates at 6 streams within the reserve and 3 within the agricultural land. Streams were scored using the Biological Monitoring Working Party Method developed in Costa Rica. Both indicator score (p=0.004) and indicator category (p=0.002) were significantly different between agricultural and non-agricultural streams. While the diversity of the non-agricultural streams was higher than the diversity of the agricultural streams (p=0.026), the abundance between treatments was not significant (p=0.321). While diversity was significantly different between treatments, abundance was not, indicating that it is not the amount of invertebrates but the type that indicates stream quality. |
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Publication Date |
2017-03-21
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Contributor(s) |
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Oscar Rocha Dr. Ferenc deSzalay
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Subject | |
Modified Abstract |
Freshwater ecosystems are highly threatened by agricultural practices, which can have an impact on aquatic invertebrate communities. This experiment, conducted at the Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve in Costa Rica, sampled streams within the reserve, as well as streams within agricultural fields outside of the reserve. Biodiversity and abundance, and indicator score were recorded. Both indicator score (p=0.004) and indicator category (p=0.002) were significantly different between agricultural and non-agricultural streams, indicating that agriculture has a negative impact on water quality. While the diversity was significantly higher in non-agricultural streams (p=0.026), the abundance between treatments was not significant (p=0.321). This suggests that agriculture does influence invertebrate communities by decreasing sensitive or rare taxa, but tolerant taxa that may perform the same function could increase from this. |
Comments | |
Permalink | https://oaks.kent.edu/ugresearch/2017/biology_ecology/22 |
Agricultural Impacts on Aquatic Invertebrate Diversity and Abundance in Costa Rica
Justus, S., Rocha, O., Szalay, F., & Given, E. (2017). Agricultural Impacts on Aquatic Invertebrate Diversity and Abundance in Costa Rica (1–). https://oaks.kent.edu/node/5436
Justus, Savannah, Oscar Rocha, Ferenc Szalay, and EmmaLeigh Given. 2017. “Agricultural Impacts on Aquatic Invertebrate Diversity and Abundance in Costa Rica”. https://oaks.kent.edu/node/5436.
Justus, Savannah, et al. Agricultural Impacts on Aquatic Invertebrate Diversity and Abundance in Costa Rica. 21 Mar. 2017, https://oaks.kent.edu/node/5436.
Poster