Effects of Native and Non-native Predators on Aquatic Communities

Abstract

Predators impact the ecosystem in a top-down manner; however, we are not sure how non-native predators differ from native ones. In Colorado beaver ponds, non-native trout can change aquatic communities by preying on macroinvertebrates and excluding the native predator, tiger salamanders. Beaver ponds have high macroinvertebrate density, provide habitat for tiger salamanders, and support introduced trout populations thus providing a system to study macroinvertebrate communities based on the predator present. I sampled the macroinvertebrates in 18 beaver ponds; 6 containing fish, 6 containing salamanders, and 6 with no predators within the Gunnison Valley. My analysis revealed that there is no significant difference in the aquatic invertebrate communities between beaver ponds with trout, salamanders, or no predators, although there may be differences in diversity among pond types. The other analyses are currently ongoing, but so far it appears that trout and salamanders may be complementary predators in this system.

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