Species richness, diversity, and ecology of Chironomidae (Diptera) in Fountain Creek: a Colorado Front Range sandy-bottom watershed

Western North American Naturalist Volume 76 Number 2 Article 5 7-19-2016 Species richness, diversity, and ecology of Chironomidae (Diptera) in Fountain Creek: a Colorado Front Range sandy-bottom watershed Scott J. Herrmann Department of Biology, Colorado State University–Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, James E. Sublette Lisa K. Helland Department of Biology, Colorado State University–Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, Del Wayne R. Nimmo Department of Biology, Colorado State University–Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, James S. Carsella Department of Biology, Colorado State University–Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan Part of the Anatomy Commons, Botany Commons, Physiology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Herrmann, Scott J.; Sublette, James E.; Helland, Lisa K.; Nimmo, Del Wayne R.; Carsella, James S.; Herrmann-Hoesing, Lynn M.; and Vanden Heuvel, Brian D. (2016) "Species richness, diversity, and ecology of Chironomidae (Diptera) in Fountain Creek: a Colorado Front Range sandy-bottom watershed," Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 76 : No. 2 , Article 5. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol76/iss2/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Western North American Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact , . Species richness, diversity, and ecology of Chironomidae (Diptera) in Fountain Creek: a Colorado Front Range sandy-bottom watershed Authors Scott J. Herrmann, James E. Sublette, Lisa K. Helland, Del Wayne R. Nimmo, James S. Carsella, Lynn M. Herrmann-Hoesing, and Brian D. Vanden Heuvel This article is available in Western North American Naturalist: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol76/iss2/5 Western North American Naturalist 76(2), © 2016, pp. 186–252 SPECIES RICHNESS, DIVERSITY, AND ECOLOGY OF CHIRONOMIDAE (DIPTERA) IN FOUNTAIN CREEK: A COLORADO FRONT RANGE SANDY-BOTTOM WATERSHED Scott J. Herrmann1,4, James E. Sublette2, Lisa K. Helland1, Del Wayne R. Nimmo1, James S. Carsella1, Lynn M. Herrmann-Hoesing3, and Brian D. Vanden Heuvel1 ABSTRACT.—The primary purpose of this study was to assess the chironomid species diversity of a high-gradient sandy-bottom watershed along the Colorado Front Range. Adult male Chironomidae were collected concurrently in 2007 and 2008 from 14 sites in the Fountain Creek Watershed (FCW), south central Colorado, USA, using ultraviolet night lights and sweep netting methods. Species-level identifications resulted in 151 species including 24 new species from 65 genera and 6 subfamilies. Forty species are reported here as new Colorado records, and many North American range extensions were recorded. Some species had geographical ranges that included the Neotropical, Afrotropical or Oriental regions. Species from high elevations and northern latitudes were common. Individual species accounts include annotated North American distributions, associated water quality and sediment (particle size) analyses for each site, and ecological notes. Species richness calculations using Jaccard and Sørensen similarity indices indicated, with some exceptions, that sites in closest proximity shared the most common species. Chironomus decorus was the most commonly collected species in the FCW, occurring at 13 of 14 sites; the orthoclad Cricotopus infuscatus was collected at 12 of the sites. In 2007–2008, the FCW had a very diverse chironomid species assemblage. How species composition changes in the watershed will be influenced by urbanization, global warming, and increased base flows from water diversions. RESUMEN.—El propósito principal de este estudio fue evaluar la diversidad de especies de quironómidos en un gradiente alto de fondo arenoso a lo largo del Colorado Front Range. Colectamos machos adultos de quironómidos, concurrentemente en 2007 y 2008, en 14 sitios de Fountain Creek Watershed (FCW), en el centro-sur de Colorado, Estados Unidos, utilizando luces ultravioleta nocturnas y con barrido de redes. La identificación a nivel de especies resultó en 151 especies, incluyendo 24 nuevas especies de 65 géneros y 6 subfamilias. Registramos cuarenta especies nuevas para Colorado y muchas extensiones de distribución en América del Norte. Algunas especies tuvieron rangos geográficos que incluyen la zona Neotropical, Afrotropical y regiones orientales. Las especies de altitudes elevadas y latitudes norteñas resultaron comunes. Realizamos descripciones individuales por especie, incluyendo distribuciones identificadas en América del Norte, calidad del agua asociada y análisis de sedimentos (tamaño de las partículas) para cada zona y notas ecológicas. Obtuvimos el cálculo de la riqueza de especies utilizando los índices de Jaccard y de Similitudes de Sørensen. Estos índices mostraron, con algunas excepciones, que las zonas más próximas compartían más especies. La especie más frecuentemente colectada en FCW fue Chironomus decorus la cual se encontró en 13 de las 14 zonas; el orthoclad Cricotopus infuscatus se colectó en 12 de los sitios. En 2007-2008 la FCW tenía un ensamble de especies de quironómidos muy diverso. El cambio en la composición de las especies en la cuenca se verá afectado por la urbanización, el calentamiento global y el aumento de los flujos base de las desviaciones de agua. ACRONYMNS.—AR – Arkansas River, ARC – aquatic research center, BDL – below detectable limits, CPOM – coarse particulate organic matter, CSU – Colorado State University, D – dissolved, DMT – daily maximum temperature, DO – dissolved oxygen, EC – specific conductivity, EF – East Fork–Arkansas River, FPOM – fine particulate organic matter, FWC – Fountain Creek Watershed, ICP-MS – inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, LAR – Lower Arkansas River, LFC – Lower Fountain Creek, MC – Monument Creek, MPN – most probable number, NCBI – National Center for Biotechnology Information, SDS – Southern Delivery System, SFPE – surface floating pupal exuviae, T – total, UAR – Upper Arkansas River, UFC – Upper Fountain Creek, UM – University of Minnesota, UV – ultraviolet, WWTP – wastewater treatment plant. NOTE.—The sites AR-1 through AR-20 and EF-1, 2 mentioned in this document are sites designated and surveyed in Ruse et al. 2000. See Appendix on page 252 for a map. Chironomids exist on every continent, including Antarctica, and species can be found in lentic and lotic habitats with wide ranges of temperature, pH, salinity, oxygen levels, current speeds, nutrients, depth, productivity, altitude, and latitude (Ferrington 2008). Voshell (2002) stated that chironomids may comprise at least half of the species in an aquatic community. 1Department of Biology, Colorado State University–Pueblo, Pueblo, CO 81001. 2Deceased. 3Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington S (...truncated)