Research Article

Distribution of amphipods (Gammarus nipponensis Ueno) among mountain headwater streams with different legacies of debris flow occurrence

  1. Sohei Kobayashi1,*,
  2. Takashi Gomi2,
  3. Roy C. Sidle3,
  4. Junjiro N. Negishi4

Article first published online: 17 JAN 2012

DOI: 10.1002/eco.1249

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kobayashi, S., Gomi, T., Sidle, R. C. and Negishi, J. N. (2012), Distribution of amphipods (Gammarus nipponensis Ueno) among mountain headwater streams with different legacies of debris flow occurrence. Ecohydrol.. doi: 10.1002/eco.1249

Author Information

  1. 1

    Water Resources Research Center, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

  2. 2

    International Environmental and Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan

  3. 3

    Ecosystems Research Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA, USA

  4. 4

    Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, N10W5, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

*Sohei Kobayashi, Water Resources Research Center, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611–0011 Japan.
E-mail: kobayashi.sohei.8u@kyoto-u.ac.jp

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 17 JAN 2012
  2. Manuscript Accepted: 28 DEC 2011
  3. Manuscript Revised: 14 DEC 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 19 JUL 2011

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Keywords:

  • headwater streams;
  • stream network;
  • forest clear-cutting;
  • debris flows;
  • population extinction;
  • amphipod;
  • dispersal

ABSTRACT

To understand the impacts of debris flows on the distribution of an amphipod with limited dispersal ability in the context of stream networks, we surveyed the presence of Gammarus nipponensis in 87 headwater streams with different legacies of debris flow occurrence within an 8.5-km2 mountain catchment. The amphipod was present in only 7% of the streams impacted by debris flows after 1977; in contrast, it was present in 69% of the streams that had older or no debris flow occurrence. The absence of the amphipod in certain headwater streams did not appear to be related to water chemistry because pH and calcium concentrations differed little among streams within the catchment. In addition, survival rates of individuals incubated in streams with the amphipod present and absent did not differ significantly. Debris flows appeared to displace amphipod populations, and the absence of amphipods in streams for more than 30 years after debris flow occurrence suggests that considerable time is required for the recovery of populations. Because of geographic isolation from the source of colonists, headwater streams in the uppermost sections of the catchment and those indirectly connecting to the main stream via tributaries appear to be at greater disadvantage for receiving colonists from other areas and thus population recovery. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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