The effects of current velocity and volume on the net size, shape, and density of Ceratopsyche sparna (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae).

Abstract

Net-spinning caddisfly (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) build silk nets to filter suspended nutrients from the water column. As filter feeders, hydropsychids play an important role in the breakdown of fine particulate organic matter within a stream, as well as providing a food source for higher-level organisms. Hydropsychids have shown the ability to inhabit streams with a wide variety of physical characteristics, which was supported by this research. Previous work has also shown that net size and density vary with flow velocity, but this research failed to support this for Ceratopsyche sparna.