Positioning changes of mayfly nymphs due to behavioral regulation of oxygen consumption

Abstract

Experimental investigations in a small artificial stream showed that the positioning of mayfly nymphs (Ephemeroptera) on stones varied with dissolved oxygen concentration (DO). At low DO levels nymphs moved to current-exposed positions, presumably to increase the renewal rate of oxygen at respiratory exchange surfaces. The expected magnitude of positioning changes under field conditions was determined and suggests that behavioral regulation of oxygen consumption may commonly influence both habitat distribution and diel behavioral patterns. The implications of these results to drift studies are also discussed.