Life history and distribution of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) in some acid streams in south central Ontario, Canada

Life histories and distribution of mayflies (Insecta:Ephemeroptera) were investigated in 11 streams in south central Ontario that ranged from highly acidic to circumneutral. At least 29 mayfly species were recorded from the streams, with 16 common enough for life history analysis. Mayfly distribution and diversity were correlated with pH regime and stream size. No mayflies were found in the smallest, most acid stream, and numbers of mayfly species and their relative abundances generally increased with both increasing stream size and stream pH. Incorporation of life cycle information with distributional data enabled us to determine the precise stream-water pH range encountered by different mayfly life stages in the study streams. Generally, during the period of greatest acid stress in the streams (pH depressions associated with spring snowmelt) the mayflies were present in large or dormant stages, which are believed to be more tolerant of lowered pH.PT: J; CR: ALLARD M, 1987, HYDROBIOLOGIA, V144, P37 BELL HL, 1971, WATER RES, V5, P313 BERRILL M, 1987, ANN SOC ROY ZOOL BEL, V117, P117 BUIKEMA AL, 1979, J FISH RES BOARD CAN, V36, P321 BURKS BD, 1953, NAT HIST SURV B, V26 CLIFFORD HF, 1969, AM MIDL NAT, V82, P578 CLIFFORD HF, 1979, CAN J ZOOL, V57, P1026 CLIFFORD HF, 1982, QUAEST ENTOMOL, V18, P15 COLEMAN MJ, 1970, CAN J ZOOL, V48, P1333 CORKUM LD, 1978, CAN J ZOOL, V56, P1842 DILLON PJ, 1978, J FISH RES BOARD CAN, V35, P809 FIANCE SB, 1978, OIKOS, V31, P332 FLOWERS RW, 1978, HYDROBIOLOGIA, V60, P159 GIBERSON DJ, 1988, CAN J FISH AQUAT SCI, V45, P1994 HALL RJ, 1980, ECOLOGY, V61, P976 HALL RJ, 1988, CAN J FISH AQUAT SCI, V45, P2123 HAMILTON DA, 1977, AM MIDL NAT, V98, P458 HARPER F, 1971, CAN J ZOOL, V49, P1209 HARPER F, 1983, AQUAT INSECT, V5, P21 HARPER PP, 1982, CAN J ZOOL, V60, P2828 HARRIMAN R, 1982, HYDROBIOLOGIA, V88, P251 JEFFRIES DS, 1979, J FISH RES BOARD CAN, V36, P640 JEFFRIES DS, 1983, 83S ONT MIN ENV DAT LAUZON M, 1986, CAN J ZOOL, V64, P2038 LAUZON M, 1988, HOLARCTIC ECOL, V11, P220 LEHMKUHL DM, 1979, J FISH RES BOARD CAN, V36, P329 MACKAY RJ, 1969, J FISH RES BOARD CAN, V26, P1157 MACKAY RJ, 1985, HYDROBIOLOGIA, V122, P3 MCCAFFERTY WP, 1978, GREAT LAKES ENTOMOL, V11, P209 MCDUNNOUGH J, 1931, CAN ENTOMOL, V63, P30 MCDUNNOUGH J, 1931, CAN ENTOMOL, V63, P61 MEEDHAM JG, 1935, BIOL MAYFLIED SYSTEM MORIHARA DK, 1979, T AM ENTOMOL SOC, V105, P139 NEAVE F, 1930, ECOLOGY, V11, P568 PETERSON RH, 1986, CAN FIELD NAT, V99, P490 ROWE L, 1988, BIOCH PHYSL A, V90, P405 ROWE L, 1988, CAN J FISH AQUAT SCI, V45, P1649 ROWE L, 1989, AQUAT INSECT, V11, P73 SCHEIDER WA, 1983, DR836 ONT MIN ENV DA SEIP HM, 1985, CAN J FISH AQUAT SCI, V42, P927 SIMPSON KW, 1985, FRESHWATER BIOL, V15, P671 SPRULES WM, 1947, U TORONTO STUD BIOL, V69 SUTCLIFFE DW, 1973, FRESHWATER BIOL, V3, P437 SWEENEY BW, 1987, HOLARCTIC ECOL, V10, P52 WALTZ RD, 1987, ANN ENTOMOL SOC AM, V80, P667 WALTZ RD, 1987, ANN ENTOMOL SOC AM, V8062, P6673; NR: 46; TC: 9; J9: CAN J ZOOL; PG: 12; GA: FP798Source type: Electronic(1