Homogenization of Macroinvertebrate Assemblages and Asiatic Clam Corbicula fluminea Invasion in a River of the Arid Patagonian Plateau, Argentina

LABAUT, YENY; MACCHI, PABLO A.; ARCHUBY, FERNANDO M.; DARRIGRAN, GUSTAVO

Frontiers in Environmental Science

Frontiers in Environmental Sciences

Lugar: Lausanne; Año: 2021 vol. 9 p. 1 - 13

The invasion of the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea in SouthAmerica has already reached Patagonia. Despite the well-known direct andindirect impacts that this species exerts on freshwater ecosystems,particularly on benthic communities, few studies have been undertaken on itseffect on the composition and structure of aquatic macroinvertebrateassemblages. This study evaluated the effects of the invasion of the Asiaticclam C. fluminea on the aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages of the LimayRiver, one of the most important rivers of the arid plateau of ArgentinianPatagonia. As this river is currently in the process of being invaded, it waspossible to compare invaded and non-invaded sites. Invaded sites displayed acertain homogenization of their constituent species and functional composition.Non-metric multidimensional scaling, similarity analysis and similaritypercentages showed negative or positive influence of the presence of thisspecies on the abundance of some taxa, due to competition for resources in thislow productivity Patagonian ecosystem. The deposition of the faeces andpseudo-faeces of C. fluminea enriches the organic content of the sediments.However, its pedal feeding can function as a competitive strategy: by consumingits own deposited organic matter when food is scarce, the amount available toother macroinvertebrates is reduced. This paper is the first contribution onthe impact of this invasion on northern Patagonia?s aquatic macroinvertebrateassemblages.