Date of Award:
5-1998
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Watershed Sciences
Department name when degree awarded
Watershed Science
Committee Chair(s)
Todd A. Crowl
Committee
Todd A. Crowl
Committee
David W. Roberts
Committee
John C. Schmidt
Abstract
Over the past 100 years, riparian vegetation communities throughout the Southwest United States have been extensively invaded by Tamarix spp. (saltcedar). Saltcedar derives its common name from its physiological adaptation to excrete salts. The production of Tamarix detritus with associated secondary chemicals may affect the quality of aquatic invertebrate food and habitat resources. An alteration in food and habitat quality may affect the composition and structure of aquatic invertebrate assemblages.
A series of experiments was conducted contrasting aquatic invertebrate assemblage densities, colonization rates, and growth rates associated with Tamarix versus native vegetation, Populus fremontii (cottonwood) and Salix exigua (willow), to determine if aquatic invertebrate assemblages have been altered by the invasion of Tamarix. Results of invertebrate growth rates over 13 weeks indicate that Tamarix is minimally different in food quality to cottonwood and willow. I failed to find differences in invertebrate colonization rates or invertebrate assemblage densities associated with Tamarix compared to cottonwood and willow over two 6-week time periods.
Checksum
be1e5b7f925daaf38073bde710c3f00f
Recommended Citation
Lewis, Bert, "The Role of an Invasive Exotic Plant on the Structure of Aquatic Invertebrate Assemblages: Tamarix in the Southwest United States" (1998). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 236.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/236
Included in
Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .