Larval abundance of Chironomus circumdatus in relation to biotic and abiotic factors

Abstract

Larval abundance of Chironomus circumdatus in sewage canal and pond systems was studied during 1988-1990. Monthly changes in the morphometric features of the pond revealed that both total and littoral areas progressively decreased from 1063 and 107 m² in December 1988 to 151 and 43 m² in May '89; the decrease during the year 1989-1990 was from 1116 and 92 m² in October to 109 and 31 m² in May. A significant negative correlation (r= -0.52) was obtained for the relation between littoral area and larval density in the pond. Larval density and biomass depended generally on the nature of the substrate and quantity of organic matter. Larval density of Ch. circumdatus was positively correlated with O₂, bacterial count and organic matter content, but negatively correlated with CO₂ level. Daily removal of organic matter by the larvae ranged from 20 to 31% of the available organic matter in the sewage canal and from 3 to 11% in the pond.