Biometry of neotropical invertebrates inhabiting floodplain rivers: unraveling bionomy

ABSTRACT Currently, it is widely recognized that invertebrates play key roles in neotropical floodplains and in many other environments worldwide. However, little information has been published concerning their biometry, in spite that it represents an essential tool for many different studies. Here, we provided length-mass and length-length relationships by fitting the linearized model (log10 Y = log10a + b log10 X) and several mean biomass ratios ± SE for bivalves, gastropods, quironomids, ephemeropterans, oligochaetes and hirudineans. We measured, weighed, oven dried and incinerated to ashes specimens collected from 2005 to 2014 in the Paraná River, Argentina. The lineal equations had fit levels higher than 75% in most of the significant regressions. Hence, when slopes were compared, differences raised from ontogeny and phylogeny of taxa. Additionally, slopes resulted different from constants of other regions, types of environments and climates. In addition, organic matter ratios resulted significantly different among invertebrates according to their feeding types. The equations and ratios that we provided will facilitate future research on life history, productivity and energy transference in the food webs of invertebrates inhabiting floodplain wetlands and can be used as tools for planning management strategies and in restoration projects of aquatic environments. RESUMEN Actualmente, es muy reconocido que los invertebrados tienen un rol clave en los ambientes de llanura aluvial neotropicales así como en otros ambientes alrededor del mundo. Sin embargo, se cuenta con muy poca información publicada en relación con su biometría, a pesar de ser una herramienta esencial para muchos tipos de estudios. En este trabajo se obtuvieron relaciones longitud-masa ajustadas por el modelo linearizado (log10 Y = log10a + b log10 X) y diferentes proporciones de materia orgánica promedio ± ES para bivalvos, gastrópodos, quironómidos, efemerópteros, oligoquetos e hirudíneos. Medimos, pesamos, secamos e incineramos hasta cenizas especímenes colectados entre 2005 y 2014 en el río Paraná, Argentina. Las ecuaciones lineales tuvieron valores de ajuste mayores al 75% en la mayoría de las regresiones significativas. Al comparar las pendientes, se encontraron diferencias relacionadas con la ontogenia y filogenia de las taxa. Asimismo, las pendientes resultaron diferentes de las constantes para otras regiones, tipos de ambientes y climas. Asimismo, las proporciones de materia orgá