Habitat exploitation by larvae of Amphipsyche meridiana (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) in a Javanese lake outlet

SUMMARY. 1. Trichopteran populations below a dam on the River Tuntang (Central Java) and on intake screens above the dam consisted almost exclusively of Amphipsyche meridiana. Larvae on dam screens were in tightly packed aggregations, with greater densities in deeper water, and were predominantly fourth or fifth instars during the period of observation. Below the dam, 40% of larvae were in the first three instars. Larvae at the dam screens were heavier and yielded larger emerging adults which contained more eggs per female.
2. Mean net mesh sizes of fifth instar larvae varied greatly from 34×26 μm to 125×106 μm with larger meshes having progressively thicker strands. It is suggested that larger mesh size may be positively correlated with faster flow rates. The dinoflagellate Peridinium , commonly found in the guts of larvae below the dam, was virtually absent in dam screen larvae, possibly due to mesh size differences.
3. The behaviour of larvae in aggregations was observed in a laboratory flow channel. After experimental destruction of feeding nets, larvae immediately ingested silk prior to the construction of a new net. Nets were spun in a'figure 8'fashion, and took between 11 and 30 min to complete. Stridulation between larvae occurred frequently and may be related to the defence of silk reserves within territories.     

Effects of essential fatty acids and N and P-limited algae on the growth rate of tropical cladocerans

SUMMARY 1. In this study, the effects of nutrient (N and P) deficiency and the importance of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] to tropical cladocerans, growth and reproduction were determined in a growth bioassay.
2. The animals were fed N/P-sufficient, N-deficient and P-deficient algae, and also N and P-deficient algae supplemented with fish oil emulsions rich in EPA and DHA.
3. Cladocerans showed different responses to nutrient-deficient algae and also to supplements of fish oil emulsions. Moina micrura was most sensitive to P-deficient alga and, surprisingly, grew better and produced more eggs in N-deficient alga than in N/P sufficient alga. Ceriodaphnia cornuta was less sensitive, growing well in both N and P-deficient algae. This species, however, had a lower clutch size in N-deficient alga. On the other hand, Daphnia gessneri was the most sensitive to mineral limitation, showing decreased growth and clutch size in both nutrient-deficient algae.
4. The PUFA supplements to nutrient-deficient algae increased growth rates only for M. micrura and C. cornuta , suggesting that these fatty acids are important food requirements for these species.     

Food selectivity and diel vertical distribution of Chaoborus edulis (Diptera, Chaoboridae) in Lake Malawi

1. Diel diet and vertical distribution patterns of the larval instars of Chaoborus edulis were studied in deep water near the central part of Lake Malawi, Africa.
2. First instar larvae contained very little food in their crops and probably depended on reserves from the egg. Second, third and fourth instars fed on zooplankton and were size-selective in their feeding. The mean size of prey eaten by the three instars was significantly different from each other, with larger instars feeding on larger prey. Smallest available prey was selected against and the upper size of prey was probably constrained by larval gape. Nauplii were not found in any of several thousand larvae examined. Phytoplankton did not form a significant part of the diet.
3. There was a progressive and related increase in diel periodicity in feeding and vertical migrations of successive instar stages. Fourth instars migrated particularly large distances. Such migrations removed them from their zooplankton food supply but avoided predators. A refuge from predators is probably found in or near the permanent zero oxygen boundary, at depths greater than 200 m.     

Influence of food density on the effects of a Chaoborus-released chemical on Daphnia ambigua

SUMMARY 1. Daphnia ambigua was reared individually at four different food levels in water conditioned by a predator, Chaoborus flavicans. Daphnia ambigua developed spike-like helmets during the first four instars in each treatment with the Chaoborus-conditioned water, but only during the first instar in untreated water. The helmet development at instars 2–4 was probably induced by a chemical released from the Chaoborus .
2. The helmets decreased in size with decreasing food levels, but never ceased to form, even at a very low food concentration.
3. Daphnids cultured in the Chaoboras -conditioned water exhibited reduced growth, reproduction and survival rates at low food levels. These results might be induced by the energy loss associated with producing the helmets.
4. It is suggested that the predator releases a chemical, which reduces the tolerance of the cyclomorphic Daphnia to food deficiency, thus accentuating the summer decline in the Daphnia population caused by food shortage.     

Cladocerans (Branchiopoda) of a tropical estuary in Brazil.

The study was conducted in the Capibaribe river estuary in Recife (Brazil) to assess the role played by cladocerans in a eutrophic environment. Samplings were carried out monthly at 4 fixed stations along the estuary from July 1987 to June 1988. Collections were made with a plankton net of 65 micrometers mesh size. Six cladocerans species were registered: Penilia avirostris, Diaphanosoma spinulosum, Chlydorus barroisi, Ceriodaphnia rigaudi, Ilyocryptus spinifer, and Moina micrura. The most frequent species was Moina micrura with 49%. The only true marine species was Penilia avirostris, which was registered at station 1 (close to the river mouth), during high and low tide and in the dry season. The Cladocera average density decreased from 329 ind.m'3 (August 1987, high tide) to 2 ind.m(-3) (March 1988, high tide) due to the high load of organic and chemical pollution received by the estuary. At all stations, D. spinulosum, M. micrura, and C. barroisi occurred with a wide distribution, mainly during the rainy season. C. rigaudi and I. spinifer were rare, occurring only during the rainy season. Cladocerans played an important role in the food webs of the plankton community of the Capibaribe tropical estuary and the dominance of a few small species indicated a hypereutrophic environment. A high level of disturbance was indicated by the decline in diversity of specialized species and the increase in abundance of opportunistic species like M. micrura.     

Where to stay by night and day: Size-specific and seasonal differences in horizontal and vertical distribution of Chaoborus flavicans larvae

1. Data on the distributions of pelagic and benthic Chaoborus flavicans larvae were gathered in 1994 and tested for their agreement with the predator avoidance hypotheses. The development of all Chaoborus life stages, as well as the horizontal and vertical distribution in the four larval instars, was followed from May until October. We expected the largest larvae to dwell deeper by day, thus avoiding predation by visually foraging fish.
2. In agreement with this prediction body size increased with daytime depth, and this was true both between and within instars. The migration amplitude consequently increased with larval instar.
3. There was also evidence for horizontal migration, mainly in the third but also in the fourth instar.
4. Along a horizontal transect with increasing depth, locations with many benthic larvae had fewer pelagic larvae. Oxygen concentration was a good predictor of maximum benthic larval depth for most of the season but failed to predict their distribution in autumn.     

The benthos of a natural West African lake, with emphasis on the diel migrations and lunar and seasonal periodicities of the Chaoborus populations (Diptera, Chaoboridae)

SUMMARY. 1. Three Chaoborus species dominated in abundance and biomass the mid-lake benthic fauna of a small, natural Nigerian lake. Each population showed distinct seasonal varialitions. C. anomalus being most abundant during the early rainy season, while ( ceratopogones and C edults were most abundant during the dry season. A fourth species. C. fuscinervis (not reported previously from West Africa), was collected only in the adult stage. Also abundant at mid-lake were the Chironomidae. Chironomus seydeli, Prodadius brevipetiolatus and Tanypus brevipalpis. all of which showed a seasonal pattern most resembling that of C. anomalus .
2. Second. third and fourth instar larvae and pupae of the Clutoborus species underwent a diel vertical migration between the lake sediments (diurnal) and the water column (nocturnal) which was strongly related to prevailing light conditions.
3. Lunar periodicities of Chaoborus emergence determined from emergence trap collections are described for the first time. Corresponding lunar periodicities of larval abundance were observed in two of the species. The statistical techniques employed in describing the lunar periodicities permit the estimahon of generation times.
4. C. anomalus is believed to be parthenogenetie in the study lake (no males collected). while the other Chaoborus species are bisexual (1:1 sex ratios). The biology of this species is discussed in relation to the parthenogenetie condition.     

Predation by chaoborids on typical and spined Daphnia pulex

SUMMARY. 1. In laboratory predation experiments, predation rates were determined for fourth-instar larvae of the chaoborids (Insecta: Diptera) Mochlonyx sp. and Chaoborus americanus preying on four juvenile instars and adult Daphnia pulex (clone SBL). In the case of Mochlonyx , predation was most intense on second-instar juvenile Daphnia while Chaoborus preyed equally on second and third instars.
2. Mochlonyx and Chaoborus induced an antipredator defence (neck-teeth) which was most frequently expressed in second-instar juvenile Daphnia . Expression of this antipredator phenotype was correlated with a reduced rate of Mochlonyx predation.     

Effects of predation by Chaoborus flavicans on crustacean zooplankton of Lake Lenore, Washington

1. After Chaoborus flavicans became established in 1974, the species composition of zooplankton in Lake Lenore changed. Diaptomus nevadensis disappeared and densities of Diaptomus sicilis were reduced.
2. A transplant experiment showed the D. nevadensis could survive in Lake Lenore water in the absence of Chaoborus . The disappearance of D. nevadensis was probably a consequence of Chaoborus predation.
3. Although densities of Daphnia pulicaria † were similar before and after the colonization of C. flavicans , juvenile D. pulicaria began producing neck-teeth during the first summer Chaoborus was present.
4. The seasonal pattern of neck-teeth production by juvenile D. pilicaria did not correlate with density of Chaoborus but rather with a combination of water temperature and Chaoborus density, suggesting that metabolic processes are a component of induction of neck-teeth in this species.     

Achieving high sexual size dimorphism in insects: females add instars

Abstract.  1. In arthropods, the evolution of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) may be constrained by a physiological limit on growth within each particular larval instar. A high SSD could, however, be attained if the larvae of the larger sex pass through a higher number of larval instars.
2. Based on a survey of published case studies, the present review shows that sex-related difference in the number of instars is a widespread phenomenon among insects. In the great majority of species with a sexually dimorphic instar number, females develop through a higher number of instars than males.
3. Female-biased sexual dimorphism in final sizes in species with sexually dimorphic instar number was found to considerably exceed a previously estimated median value of SSD for insects in general. This suggests a causal connection between high female-biased SSD, and additional instars in females. Adding an extra instar to larval development allows an insect to increase its adult size at the expense of prolonged larval development.
4. As in the case of additional instars, SSD is fully formed late in ontogeny, larval growth schedules and imaginal sizes can be optimised independently. No conflict between selective pressures operating in juvenile and adult stages is therefore expected.
5. In most species considered, the number of instars also varied within the sexes. Phenotypic plasticity in instar number may thus be a precondition for a sexual difference in instar number to evolve.     

浙江两类饮用水源地浮游动物种类组成及其类群相关性分析

于2009年7月至2010年4月,在浙江省选取了10个水库和10个河网饮用水源地,进行4个季节的浮游动物采样调查。记录浮游动物101种(轮虫60,枝角类24和桡足类17种)。水库和河网轮虫的优势种分别为角突臂尾轮虫(Brachionus angularis)和针簇多肢轮虫(Polyarthratrigla),枝角类分别为颈沟基合溞(Bosminopsis deitersi)和长额象鼻溞(Bosmina longirostris),桡足类均为温剑水蚤(Thermocyclops)。水库中有一些能指示良好生态或水质的指示性种类。水库枝角类与桡足类群落之间周年在丰度和生物量上均有极显著的正相关关系(P<0.01),轮虫与桡足类类群之间的相关性最弱;河网枝角类与桡足类在夏、秋、冬季有显著的正相关性(P<0.05)。浮游动物类群之间的相关性程度,以水库的秋季与河网的夏季为最高。轮虫与浮游甲壳动物的种类丰富度随着饮用水源水体透明度的变化呈现相反的变化趋势。     

Influence of seston quantity and quality on growth of tropical cladocerans.

The seston of the small, shallow, and tropical lake Monte Alegre was tested for quantity and quality for cladocerans by growth bioassays, which were carried out in spring (Daphnia gessneri and Moina micrura), summer (D. gessneri, M. micrura, Ceriodaphnia cornuta, and Simocephalus mixtus), and winter (D. gessneri and D. ambigua). Cohorts of newborns originating from ovigerous females collected in the lake or from laboratory cultures were submitted, at a room temperature of 23 degrees C to the following treatments: (1) the chlorophytes Ankistrodesmus falcatus and/or Scenedesmus spinosus; (2) lake seston; and (3) lake seston + chlorophytes. Growth rate, clutch size, and fecundity were evaluated. Seston alone was not the best food for promoting cladoceran growth. There were seasonal differences in food quantity and quality with spring and summer seston being better for growth than that of the winter. Adding chlorophytes to the seston increased clutch size and fecundity for most species in summer and winter, but not in spring. Energy limitation seems to be the most important factor influencing cladoceran growth in summer and especially in winter.     

Phenotypic plasticity of Daphnia life history traits: the roles of predation, food level and toxic cyanobacteria

1. We studied the life history responses of Daphnia pulex under different biotic conditions. In a factorially designed experiment, we tested the impacts of water conditioned by the invertebrate predator Chaoborus, low and high food level (10 000 and 100 000 Scenedesmus cells ml^–1), and exposure to toxic Microcystis (5000 cells ml^–1) on twelve D. pulex clones originating from different habitats. Our aim was to compare the phenotypic plasticity of different clones, and to study the interactions among biotic factors.
2. Individuals cultured in Chaoborus -conditioned water started to reproduce at a larger size than individuals cultured in water not conditioned by the predators. We found interactions between food level and Chaoborus -conditioned water on age at first reproduction and total offspring number. In addition, the impact of the Chaoborus treatment on the size at first reproduction was reduced by Microcystis exposure.
3. Clonal differences were found in the degree of phenotypic plasticity of different life history traits. However, there was no obvious connection between the original habitat of the clone and the degree of plasticity.     

Observations on the Cladocera of Lake George, Uganda

Seven species of Cladocera were recorded from the shallow, equatorial Lake George in Uganda, during the period 1967–72. Of these only three, Moina micrura Kurz, Ceriodaphnia cornuta Sars and Daphnia barbata Weltner, are found in the open water and they form a small proportion of the total zooplankton biomass, which is dominated by a cyclopoid copepod. All three species are found throughout the year and carry parthenogenetic eggs at all times. They are smaller species than those predominating in some other East African lakes and some comparisons are also made between C. cornuta and four other species of that genus studied in Great Britain. The mean body lengths and clutch sizes of ovigerous females of C. cornuta vary little through the year. This is, presumably, a reflection of the relatively constant environment in Lake George. Alona poppei is only found in the open water intermittently and is thought to be swept from the peripheral swamps during heavy rains.
The general scarcity of Cladocera in Lake George is thought to be due, either to a shortage of food particles of suitably small size in the phytoplankton, which is dominated by large blue-green algae, or to predation. Although Cladocera are certainly eaten by fish, quantitative data, with which to substantiate either of these hypotheses, is lacking.     

Phenotypic plasticity and constancy of life-history traits in laboratory clones of Daphnia magna Straus: effects of neonatal length

1. The phenotypic constancy of four laboratory Daphnia magna clones in fitness-related life-history traits, such as age and clutch size at maturity, was studied among consecutive experimental runs in differing food environments.
2. A significant part of the observed clonal and genetic-by-environmental variation in age and clutch size at maturity was explained by experimentally uncontrollable variations in neonatal body length.
3. Despite food availability, neonatal length determined the number of instars invested to maturity and thus maturation age. Clonal differences in neonatal length and thus in maturation instar occurrence across environments explained most of the clonal variability observed in maturation age.
4. Although interclonal differences in clutch size existed, most of the phenotypic plasticity observed for clutch size was mediated by clonal differences in neonatal length.
5. Clonal differences in neonatal length and in the occurrence of maturation instars across environments dramatically affected the body length of instar IM-2 where provisioning of eggs take place. Since clutch size is determined from clutch mass and clutch mass was strongly related to the body length of instar IM-2, clonal differences across environments in body length of instar IM-2 mirrored clonal differences across environments in clutch size.
6. The results reported in the present study show that maternally mediated traits such as neonatal length affect how genotypes respond to different environmental selection regimes (genetic-by-environmental interaction). Future research needs to focus on the effects of neonatal length on the heritability or genetic variation of the reaction norms, since prediction of the response to selection is a key research objective in quantitative genetic studies.     

PERIDINIUM GREGARIUM,A NEW SPECIES OF DINOFLAGELLATE1,2

A dinoflagellate has been found in tidepools on the coast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southern California. It is described as a new species, Peridinium gregarium. In the tidepool habitat, great numbers of the organism form cloud-like masses held together by a mucous matrix. The gregarious cloud formation seems to be shared by only one other species of dinoflagellate, Peridinium sociale (Henneguy ex Labbé) Biecheler, 1935.     

Abundance,Species Composition and Spatial Distribution of Planktonic Rotifers and Crustaceans in Lake Ziway (Rift Valley,Ethiopia)

Species composition, abundance, and spatial distribution of rotifer and crustacean zooplankton were studied in Lake Ziway from late April to early July 2004. A total of 49 rotifer species was recorded, with Anuraeopsis fissa, Brachionus angularis, Filinia novaezealandiae, and Trichocerca ruttneri being numerically dominant. Variation in abundance was extremely high, ranging from 2 to 1000+ individuals per litre. There was no significant difference in the distribution of rotifer species between inshore and offshore regions. Crustacean species richness was low, with only five cladoceran and three copepod species occurring in the open water. Moina micrura and Diaphanosoma excisum dominated the cladoceran community, whereas Thermocyclops decipiens was the dominant copepod. Although numerically dominant (75%), rotifers accounted for less than 30% of mean total zooplankton biomass. Peak abundance of crustaceans was observed in May and June, following the onset of the rainy season and increased phytoplankton production. Variation in the spatial distribution of crustacean species was neither observed horizontally between inshore and offshore areas nor vertically in the highly turbid and wind exposed deeper part of the lake. On the other hand, Moina micrura varied significantly in size between inshore and offshore areas. Adult M. micrura dominated offshore, whereas juveniles were more abundant inshore, suggesting a predominantly littoral selective predation on large and adult crustaceans by fish. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

重污染河道治理中的浮游动物群落结构变化研究

利用氧化塘-河道原位生物修复的方法对广州市古廖涌黑臭水体进行治理,并对治理前、氧化塘处理、原位生物修复河段上游和下游四个不同治理阶段的水体进行水质和浮游动物的监测,试图通过对监测结果的对比分析,确定反应河道黑臭水体不同治理程度的浮游动物群落结构特征和指示种。研究结果表明,在不同的修复阶段,水体COD_cr、BOD₅、氮和磷等污染物逐步得到去除,透明度大大提高;浮游动物群落结构发生显著变化,浮游动物群落生物多样性和均匀度提高,浮游动物种类和数量明显增加,尤其是轮虫的种类和数量的变化。水体修复完成后,浮游动物的优势种轮虫由花箧臂尾轮虫(Brachionus capsuliflorus)转变为角突臂尾轮虫(Brachionus angularis)和Brachionus rubens,枝角类优势种为微型裸腹溞(Moina micrura),桡足类在数量上以无节幼体(Naupii)占绝对优势;可作为重污染河道水体修复的指示浮游动物主要有轮虫的花箧臂尾轮虫、角突臂尾轮虫、Brachionus rubens、螺形龟甲轮虫(Keratella cochlearis)、奇异六腕轮虫(Pedalia mira)、胶鞘轮虫(Collothecasp.),桡足类的无节幼体,枝角类的微型裸腹溞。     

The predatory Chironomidae of an iron-rich stream: feeding ecology and food web structure

Abstract. 1. Three species of Tanypodinae (Chironomidae) were found in an acid and iron-rich stream in southern England. Maximum abundance was achieved in summer and they were sparse at other times. Individuals were aggregated on the stream bed and were overrepresented in accumulations of leaf litter.
2. The diets of all three species consisted of a mixture of prey (prominently detritivorous chironomid larvae) and detritus. More detritus and fewer prey were taken in winter than in summer.
3. When comparing large tanypod species with small and, intraspecifically, late instars with early, the proportion of guts containing prey increased with increasing body size.
4. Stonefly larvae were more prominent in the diet of Zavrelimyia barbatipes (Kieffer) in summer than in winter but for the other two species the reverse was true. A bigger proportion of Trissopelopia longimana (Staeger) guts contained prey in early summer than in August whereas more Macropelopia goetghebueri (Kieffer) guts contained prey in August. This was apparently a consequence of seasonal differences in the distribution of body size among the populations of these two species.
5. The stream contains two further common predators, Plectrocnemia conspersa (Curtis) and Sialis fuliginosa Pict. These are important predators of tanypod larvae but might also compete with them since they severely deplete populations of prey taken in common.
6. Analysis of the food-web in Broadstone Stream reveals remarkably high values of connectance (C and C_max) and of species richness times connectance (SC_max). Such characteristics are theoretically associated with fragile and dynamically unstable food webs, and may be found in 'constant' environments. There is also an apparently unusual prevalence of omnivory in the community.