434 S. F. MacLean, Jr. 



TABLE 11-6 Bioenergetic Parameters of Various 

 Taxa of Soil Invertebrates 



P — production; R — respiration; B — biomass; A — assimilation; 

 C — consumption. 

 ' joule joule' or cal cal"'. 



^ mg mg"'; production may be changed from milligrams to joules 

 assuming 22 J mg'. 



60% of their mass in pupation, the emergence actually represents ap- 

 proximately 88 and 49 mg of larval production. The remainder repre- 

 sents mortality of larvae prior to the emergence of adult flies: 134 mg 

 m■^ or 60% of annual production, for Tipu/a carinifrons, and 120 mg 

 m'\ or 71% of production, for Pedicia hannai. 



In order to relate these calculations to ecosystem function, the ener- 

 getic estimates must be partitioned according to the trophic role of the 

 animals. Only the Nematode data were collected and reported according 

 to trophic-functional categories. The literature abounds with observa- 

 tions of gut contents or feeding preferences of particular invertebrate 

 species; however, generalizations are few and tenuous. Literature values 

 and our field data were used to partition the activity of taxonomic cate- 

 gories according to the scheme shown in Table 11-7. 



In view of the great importance of Enchytraeidae, it would be par- 

 ticularly valuable to know their feeding habitats. Unfortunately, direct 

 observations are lacking. Enchytraeid guts commonly contain plant de- 

 tritus in various stages of decomposition, microorganisms, and, where 



■:m 



