Starvation metabolism is one of the important parts of respiration for normal activities of chironomids. During April 1996 to March 1997, the relationships of starvation metabolism and tempera-ture, body weight of two common chironomids in Biandantang Lake were carefully investigated. The re-sults showed relationship between starvation metabolism (R, mgO2/ind.d) and body weight (Ww, mg wet wt) was: Chironomus plumosus, lgR=-2.573+1.021lgWw (5℃), lgR=-2.710+1.354lgWw (10℃), lgR= -1.824+0.823lgWw (15℃), lgR=-1.364+0.442lgWw (20℃), lgR=-2.763+1.517lgWw (25℃); and Tokuna-gayusurika akamusi, lgR=-2.390+0.752lgWw (5 ℃ ), lgR=-1.978+0.710lgWw (10 ℃ ), lgR=-1.676+ 0.648lgWw (15℃), lgR=-1.517+0.650lgWw (20℃), lgR=-2.434+1.290lgWw (25℃). Relationship of starvation metabolism and temperature (T, ℃) was: C. plumosus, R = -0.051 + 0.021T -0.0006T2 ; T. akamusi, R= -0.051 + 0.021T -0.0006T2. The complex relationship of the three parameters was: C. plu-mosus, R=0.0098Ww0.3882e0.1068T; T. akamusi, R=0.0012Ww1.1936e0.0711T. With the above regressions, the estimated annual starvation metabolisms of the two chironomid species in Biandantang Lake were: C. plumosus, 24.2791 kJ/m2.a; T. akamusi, 8.7864 kJ/m2.a, respectively. This provides a firm foundation for the comparative study of bioenergetics of the chironomids.
An April 1996 to March 1997 comparative study on the abundance and secondary production of Branchiura sowerbyi Beddard, 1892 in two typical shallow lakes showed that in Houhu, an algae dominated lake, the worm density (68 ind·m -2 ) peaked in July, biomass (1.930 g·m -2 ) peaked in June, while in Biandantang, a macrophyte dominated lake, standing stock (density:60 ind·m - 2 ; biomass:1.019 g·m -2 in wet weight) peaked in December. Secondary production of the animal in Houhu Lake was 3.413 g wet wt m -2 a -1 , a little more than that (2.675 g wet wt m -2 a -1 ) in Biandantang Lake. Their turnover rates (P/B ratios) were 4.0 and 5.0, respectively.
Energy flow of the macrozoobenthic community in an algal lake, Houhu Lake (Wuhan, China) was investigated from April, 1996 to March, 1997. The estimated consumption of the community was 2522.7 kJ/(m 2·a); defecation was 2049.1 kJ/(m 2·a); metabolism 371.2 kJ/(m 2·a); excretion 34.7 kJ/(m 2·a) and production 67.7 kJ/(m 2·a). The assimilation rate of the community was 19%; and 81% of its ingestion was defecated. The computed net growth efficiency was 14%, much lower than most reported values, which meant that the macrozoobenthic community in Houhu Lake utilized food less effectively.
