Abstract
Species of the amphipod Gammarus are widespread and often abundant in the streams and rivers of the northern hemisphere. They can usually be sampled quantitatively, are well known as consumers of allochthonous organic detritus (a major source of food in running water), are eaten by a variety of riverine fish and are commonly found drifting or moving upstream. As a typical benthic invertebrate from flowing water, Gammarus appears more convenient than many for quantitative study in the field, because of its conspicuousness and general ease of handling. In this chapter I will review data, largely from field studies, on its life history, movements, density, population dynamics, growth, production and energy flow.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Anderson, N.H. and Sedell, J.R. 1979. Detritus processing by macroinvertebrates in stream ecosystems. Ann. Rev. Ent. 24: 351–377.
Bärlocher, F. and Kendrick, B. 1973. Fungi in the diet of Gammarus pseudolimnaeus (Amphipoda). Oikos 24: 295–300.
Bärlocher, F. and Kendrick, B. 1975. Assimilation efficiency of Gammarus pseudolimnaeus (Amphipoda) feeding of fungal mycelium or autumn-shed leaves. Oikos 26: 55–59.
Bärlocher, F. and Kendrick, B. 1976. Hyphomycetes as intermediaries of energy flow in streams. In: Recent Advances in Aquatic Mycology. E.B. Gareth Jones, ed. Elek, London.
Bousfield, E.D. 1958. Freshwater amphipod crustaceans of glaciated North America. Can. Field Nat. 72: 55–113.
Carle, F.L. 1977. The removal sample method for estimating benthic populations and diversity (abstract only). N. Amer. Benth. Soc. Twenty-Fifth Annual Meeting.
Elliott, J.M. 1969. Diel periodicity in invertebrate drift and the effect of different sampling periods. Oikos 20: 524–528.
Elliott, J.M. 1971a. Upstream movements of benthic invertebrates in a Lake District stream. J. Anim. Ecol. 40: 235–252.
Elliott, J.M. 1971b. The distances travelled by drifting invertebrates in a Lake District stream. Oecologia 6: 350–379.
Gledhill, T., Sutcliffe, D.W. and Williams, W.D. 1976. Key to British freshwater Crustacea: Malacostraca. Sci. Publ. Freshwat. Biol. Assoc. U.K., 32: (2nd edition) 1–72.
Haeckel, J.W., Meijering, M.P.D. and Rusetzki, H. 1973. Gammarus fossarum Koch als Fallaubzerseter in Waldbächen. Freshwat. Biol. 3: 241–249.
Hargrave, B.T. 1970. The utilization of benthic microflora by Hyalella azteea (Amphipoda). J. Anim. Ecol. 39: 427–437.
Hobrough, J.E. 1973. The effects of pollution on Gammarus pulex (L.) subspecies pulex (Schellenberg) in the inlet streams of Rostherne Mere, Cheshire. Hydrobiologia 41: 13–35.
Hughes, D.A. 1970. Some factors affecting drift and upstream movements of Gammarus pulex. Ecology 51: 301–305.
Hultin, L. 1971. Upstream movements of Gammarus pulex pulex (Amphipoda) in a south Swedish stream. Oikos 22: 329–347.
Hynes, H.B.N. 1954. The ecology of Gammarus duebeni Lilljeborg and its occurrence in freshwater in western Britain. J. Anim. Ecol. 23: 38–84.
Hynes, H.B.N. 1955. The reproductive cycle of some British freshwater Gammaridae. J. Anim. Ecol. 24: 352–387.
Hynes, H.B.N. 1970. The Ecology of Running Water. Liverpool University Press, Liverpool.
Hynes, H.B.N. and Harper, F. 1972. The life histories of Gammarus lacustris and Gammarus pseudolimnaeus in southern Ontario. Crustaceana Suppl. 3: 329–341.
Hynes, H.B.N. and Nicholas, W.L. 1963. The importance of the Acanthocephalan Polymorphus minutus as a parasite of domestic ducks in the United Kingdom. J. Helminth. 37: 185–198.
Iversen, T.M. and Jessen, J. 1977. Life cycle, drift and production of Gammarus pulex L. (Amphipoda) in a Danish spring. Freshwat. Biol. 7: 287–296.
Kaushik, N.K. and Hynes, H.B.N. 1971. The fate of dead leaves that fall into streams. Arch. Hydrobiol. 68: 465–515.
Koch-Kallnbach, M.E. and Meijering, M.P.D. 1977. Duration of instars and praecopulae in Gammarus pulex (Linnaeus, 1758) and Gammarus roeselii Gervais 1835 under semi-natural conditions. Crustaoeana Suppl. 4: 120–127.
Kostalos, M.S. 1979. Life history and ecology of Gammarus minus Say (Amphipoda, Gammaridae). Crustaoeana 37: 113–122.
Lautenschlager, K.P., Kaushik, N.K. and Robinson, J.B. 1978. The peritrophic membrane and faecal pellets of Gammarus laoustris limnaeus Smith. Freshwat. Biol. 8: 207–211.
Lehmann, U. 1967. Drift and Populationsdynamik von Gammarus pulex fossarum Koch. Z. Morph. Ökol. Tiere. 60: 227–274.
Macan, T.T. 1959. The temperature of a small stony stream. Hydrobiologia 12: 89–105.
Macan, T.T. and Mackereth, J.C. 1957. Notes on Gammarus pulex in the English Lake District. Hydrobiologia 9: 1–11.
Maitland, P.S. 1966. Notes on the biology of Gammarus pulex in the River Endrick. Hydrobiologia 28: 142–151.
Mann, K.H. 1971. Use of the Allen curve method for calculating benthic production. In: A Manual on Methods for the Assessment of Secondary Productivity in Fresh Waters. W.T. Edmondson and G.G. Winberg, eds. I.B.P. Handbook. 17: (1st edition) Blackwell, Oxford.
Marchant, R. and Hynes, H.B.N. 1981a. Field estimates of feeding rate for Gammarus pseudolimnaeus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) in the Credit River, Ontario. Freshwat. Biol. 11: (in press).
Marchant, R. and Hynes, H.B.N. 1981b. The distribution and production of Gammarus pseudolimnaeus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) along a reach of the Credit River, Ontario. Freshwat. Biol. 11: (in press).
McLay, C. 1970. A theory concerning the distance travelled by animals entering the drift of a stream. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada 27: 359–370.
Meijering, M.P.D. 1972a. Physiologische Beitrage zur Frage der Systematischen Stellung von Gammavus pulex (L.) und Gammarus fossarum Koch (Amphipoda). Crustaceana Suppl. 3: 313–325.
Meijering, M.P.D. 1972b. Experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Drift und Aufwanderung von Gammariden in Fliessgewässern. Arch. Hydrobiol. 70: 133–205.
Meijering, M.P.D. 1977. Quantitative relationships between drift and upstream migration of Gammarus fossarum Koch 1835. Crustaoeana Suppl. 4: 128–135.
Moore, J.W. 1975. The role of algae in the diet of Asellus aquaticus L. and Gammarus pulex L. J. Anim. Ecol. 44: 719–730.
Nilsson, L.M. 1974. Energy budget of a laboratory population of Gammarus pulex (Amphipoda). Oikos 25: 35–42.
Nilsson, L.M. 1977. Incubation time, growth and mortality of the amphipod Gammarus pulex under laboratory conditions. Oikos 29: 93–98.
Nilsson, L.M. and Sjöstrom, P. 1977. Colonisation of implanted substrates by differently sized Gammarus pulex (Amphipoda). Oikos 28: 43–48.
Pennak, R.W. 1978. Freshwater invertebrates of the United States. (2nd edition). John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Rees, C.P. 1972. The distribution of the amphipod Gammarus pseudolimnaeus Bousfield as influenced by oxygen concentration, substratum, and current velocity. Trans. Amer. Microscop. Soc. 91: 514–529.
Roux, A.L. 1975. Température stable et température fluctuante. II Etude comparative de leurs effets sur la durée d’intermue de Gammaridae femelles. Verh. int. Verein, theor. angew. Limnol. 19: 3014–3021.
Tilly, L.J. 1968. The structure and dynamics of Cone Spring. Ecol. Monogr. 38: 169–197.
Wallace, R.R., Hynes, H.B.N. and Kaushik, N.K. 1975. Laboratory experiments on factors affecting the activity of Gammarus pseudolimnaeus Bousfield. Freshwat. Biol. 5: 533–546.
Waters, T.F. 1962. Diurnal periodicity in the drift of stream invertebrates. Ecology 43: 316–320.
Waters, T.F. 1965. Interpretation of invertebrate drift in streams. Ecology 46: 327–334.
Waters, T.F. 1972. The drift of stream insects. Ann. Rev. Ent. 17: 253–272.
Waters, T.F. 1976. Annual production and drift of the amphipod Gammarus pseudolimnaeus in Valley Creek, Minnesota (abstract only). N. Amer. Benth. Soc. Twenty-Fourth Annual Meeting.
Waters, T.F. 1977. Secondary production in inland waters. Adv. Ecol. Res. 10: 91–164.
Waters, T.F. and Hokenstrom, J.C. 1980. Annual production and drift of the stream amphipod Gammarus pseudolimnaeus in Valley Creek, Minnesota. Limnol. Oceanogr. 25: 700–710.
Welton, J.S. 1979. Life-history and production of the amphipod Gammarus pulex in a Dorset chalk stream. Freshwat. Biol. 9: 263–275.
Welton, J.S. and Clarke, R.T. 1980. Laboratory studies on the reproduction and growth of the amphipod Gammarus pulex (L.). J. Anim. Ecol. 49: 581–592.
Williams, D.D. and Hynes, H.B.N. 1974. The occurrence of benthos deep in the substratum of a stream. Freshwat. Biol. 4: 233–256.
Willoughby, L.G. and Sutcliffe, D.W. 1976. Experiments on feeding and growth of the amphipod Gammarus pulex (L.) related to its distribution in the River Duddon. Freshwat. Biol. 6: 577–586.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1981 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Marchant, R. (1981). The Ecology of Gammarus in Running Water. In: Lock, M.A., Williams, D.D. (eds) Perspectives in Running Water Ecology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1122-5_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1122-5_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-1124-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-1122-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive