The influence of river flooding regime on food web and community structure of stream benthic invertebrates

Carolina de Deus Bueno Krawczyk, AnaMatozo, FrancielleCristine de Morais Calado Tullio, Suelen

Benthic invertebrates are a key link between primary producers and higher trophic levels in aquatic systems. Feeding interactions between species in food webs may provide information about biodiversity and the organization of aquatic ecosystems in different seasonal periods. We evaluated the influence of seasonal variation on the structure of food webs in the Rio Claro Mallet, Paraná, Southern Brazil. Two samplings were performed in the dry (October and November 2010) and wet (December 2010 and February 2011) seasons in three sites along the river. We conducted food web modeling and also calculated measures of benthic community structure regarding seasonal periods. Our results suggest that the invertebrate community changes depending on flooding. However, particular trophic groups may be more resilient after disturbances.Key words: Benthic macroinvertebrates. Food webs. Lotic ecosystems. Resilience.