Chemistry compound dynamic of leaf-litter and fauna associated with breakdown process of arboreous species in a stream from North of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Authors

  • André Trevisan
  • Luiz Ubiratan Hepp

Abstract

The present study aimed at evaluating the concentrations of chemistry compounds in leaf-litter during the breakdown process, and the colonization of Sebastiania commersoniana (Baill.) Smith and Downs and Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden for aquatic invertebrates, as well as verifying the influence of breakdown process in native and exotic species of the aquatic fauna. There were incubated 28 litterbags in a first order stream in Erechim, RS, Brazil. After 1, 3, 7, 15, 30, 45 e 60 days of breakdown, we determined polyphenols contends, nitrogen e total phosphorous of the leaf-litter remanecent material. The colonizing fauna of the leaf-litter was quantified in the same periods. The results showed no significant difference in the leaf-litter compounds liberation. Breakdown of E. grandis was slower than S. commersoniana. The contents of polyphenols showed more importance for the colonization of the S. commersoniana. The more slowly liberation of compounds by E. grandis leaves is probably due to more difficulty in fragmenting the organic debris. The aquatic invertebrates that colonized the E. grandis debris showed that their presence or absence was more associated with the nitrogen concentrations.

Key words: leaf-litter, macroinvertebrates, Sebastiania commersoniana, Eucalyptus grandis.

Published

2021-06-15