Comparative ecology of three Zapada species of Mill Creek, Wasatch Mountains, Utah (Plecoptera: Nemouridae)

• Published in: The American midland naturalist 1976-04, Vol.95 (2), p.464-471
• Main Authors: Cather, M.R, Gaufin, A.R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult insects; Autumn; Ecological history; Ecological life histories; Ecology; Freshwater ecology; Notes and Discussion; Nymphs; Population ecology; Species; Streams
• ISSN: 0003-0031; 1938-4238
• DOI: 10.2307/2424412

Three species of Zapada (Plecoptera) were studied in Mill Creek, Wasatch Mountains, Utah, and their life histories, growth rates, distribution and emergence compared. All species, Z'. haysi (Ricker), Z. cinctipes (Banks) and Z. columbiana (Claassen) have a univoltine life history and a slow seasonal life cycle. Temporal and spatial distributions and staggered emergence periods serve to ecologically separate these species. All three grow most rapidly in autumn and early winter, with a seasonal succession in the maximum absolute growth rates. Maximum size overlap. between Zapada haysi and Z. cinctipes occurs in spring prior to and during emergence when growth is complete, whereas minimum overlap occurs in autumn when growth is fastest. Zapada haysi and Z. columbiana were found more at the upper cooler stations and Z. cinctipes at the lower stations. Zapada cinctipes was collected from late February to late .Tune (one 9 in mid-January), Z. columbiana mostly in March and Z. haysi from early April to mid-June. The mean size of the adults of Zapada dnctipes decreased as emergence progressed and may be related to increasing stream temperatures and photoperiod.