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 temperature, body weight of two common chironomids in Biandantang Lake were carefully investigated. The results showed relationship between starvation metabolism （R, mgO2/ind.d） and body weight （Ww, mg wet wt） was： Chironomus plumosus, 1gR=-2.573＋1.0211gWw （5℃）, 1gR=-2.710＋1.3541gWw （10℃）, 1gR= -1.824＋0.8231gWw （15℃）, 1gR=-1.364＋0.4421gWw （20℃）, 1gR=-2.763＋1.5171gWw （25℃）; and Tokunagayusurika akamusi, 1gR=-2.390＋0.7521gWw （5℃）, 1gR=-1.978＋0.7101gWw （10℃）, 1gR=-1.676＋ 0.6481gWw （15℃）, 1gR=-1.517＋0.6501gWw （20℃）, 1gR=-2.434＋1.2901gWw （25℃）. Relationship of starvation metabolism and temperature （T, ℃） was： C. plumosus, R = -0.051 ＋ 0.021T- 0.0006T^2 ; akamusi, R= -0.051 ＋ 0.021T- 0.0006T^2. The complex relationship of the three parameters was： C. plumosus, R=0.0098Ww^0.3882e^0.1068T; T. akamusi, R=0.0012Ww^1.1936e^0.0711r. With the above regressions, the estimated annual starvation metabolisms of the two chironomid species in Biandantang Lake were： C. plumosus, 24.2791 kJ/m^2.a; T. akamusi, 8.7864 kJ/m^2.a, respectively. This provides a firm foundation for the comparative study of bioenergetics of the chironomids.
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.
