滩涂富营养池塘中浮游生物种群结构及其生态调控研究

本文研究了种植芦苇和菖蒲,放养鲢,接种有益微生物对滩涂富营养水体藻类和浮游动物的群落结构、数量、生物量等。不同处理藻的种类有差异,对照和放养鲢水体无隐藻门和黄藻门,其他两处理都有7门。种植芦苇、菖蒲等水生植物以及接种有益微生物都可以使水体藻类多样化,减少蓝藻生物量比例。放养鲢水体藻类种数减少,提高了蓝藻生物量的比例,优势种群变为铜绿微囊藻、针状蓝纤维藻、线形棒条藻等。对照和放养鲢处理水体原生动物种类较多,其生物量比例较高;接种有益微生物水体浮游动物数量最多、生物量最大,以轮虫类和枝角类为主。接种有益微生物大幅度地降低生态系统中总氮、氨态氮、总磷的浓度,其含量分别是对照的57.1%、42.7%、57.9%;同时可以降低COD值,提高溶氧水平和透明度。总之,种植芦苇、唐菖蒲等水生植物或接种有益微生物可以改善水体微生态机构和生态结构。       

汉城湖浮游动物群落结构特征及与水质关系

为了探究陕西西安汉城湖浮游动物群落结构特征及与水体营养化水平关系, 于2015 年的3、6、9 和12 月份对汉城湖浮游动物进行了调查研究, 运用丰度、生物量、E/O 指数、Q_B/T 指数、E 指数、S 指数、多样性指数和综合营养状态指数(TSI)评价水体营养化程度, 应用典范对应分析法(CCA)分析了环境因子与浮游动物的相关性, 结果显示:共检测出浮游动物21 属28 种, 其中原生动物3 种, 轮虫21 种, 枝角类2 种, 桡足类2 种, 浮游动物丰度为17-48 个·L^-1,生物量为0.012-0.058 mg·L^-1, 优势种有20 种; 丰度和生物量显示水体处于贫营养状态, E/O 指数、Q_B/T 指数、肥度指数(E)和综合营养状态指数(TSI)均显示水体为富营养型, 污生指数(S)和多样性指数显示水体为中营养型, 综合结果表明, 汉城湖整体处于中-富营养水平; 水温、总氮、溶解氧、叶绿素a 和透明度是影响汉城湖浮游动物种群结构的主要环境因子。     

虾池拟柱胞藻爆发的生态因子调查

2002～2003年,在广东珠三角地区凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)低盐度养殖虾池水体生态的调查过程中发现部分虾池爆发拟柱胞藻(Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii).在调查的低盐度虾池中,共统计20个拟柱胞藻爆发的虾池,其种群密度平均高达7.74×10⁷ filaments·L^-1,平均优势度达47.0%.虾池水体平均水温为30.3℃,pH为8.9,盐度1.4,透明度19cm,化学耗氧量为24.3mg·L^-1.拟柱胞藻爆发的虾池水体环境表现为高水温、高pH、高有机质、低盐度且水体不断被搅动;通常爆发在对虾养殖的中后期富营养化水体.调查发现大量的拟柱胞藻对虾池其它藻类和微生物菌群表现一定的抑制作用,蓝纤维藻和小环藻等少数藻种可与拟柱胞藻形成共优势种.拟柱胞藻为广东珠三角凡纳滨对虾低盐度虾池重要优势藻种,且以螺旋型为主.     

2种小球藻在鱼糜加工废水处理过程中的生长和油脂积累规律

以小球藻Chlorella pyrenoidsa F-9和C.vulgaris HYS-2为材料,研究小球藻在鱼糜加工废水中的生长速率、脂类积累规律和对氮磷营养的消除效果。结果表明,2种小球藻在鱼糜加工废水中快速生长,最高生物量达到0.293 g/L和0.276 g/L,分别是f/2对照培养基的2.4和1.6倍。小球藻HYS-2在鱼糜加工废水中油脂百分含量最高达到36.22%,为对照培养基的1.27倍,小球藻F-9在鱼糜加工废水中的油脂含量达到17.89%,为f/2培养基中的0.89倍。培养15 d后,2种小球藻对鱼糜加工废水中氮磷去除率均达90%以上。以上研究表明,用未经任何化学处理的鱼糜加工废水养殖小球藻在生长速率上远远大于f/2培养基,说明其具有较好地发展潜力,可以实现微藻的低成本养殖。     

惠州西湖底泥疏浚对后生浮游动物群落的影响

结合在一个热带浅水湖泊--惠州西湖的一个子湖--湖所实施的底泥疏浚工程,对比分析了底泥疏浚前后部分水质指标和后生浮游动物群落的种类组成、丰度、生物量和物种多样性的变化,研究了底泥疏浚对平湖后生浮游动物群落的影响.结果表明:疏浚后平湖的部分水质指标较疏浚前有所恶化;后生浮游动物的丰度由疏浚前的186.08 ind.·L-1增加到659.22 ind.·L-1,其中轮虫和桡足类的丰度显著增加,枝角类丰度降低;生物最由1.49 mg.·L-1增加到3.72 mg.·L-1,其中轮虫和枝角类的生物量均有所增加,但其在浮游动物总生物量中所占比例却有所下降,桡足类的生物量则由0.08 mg·L-1增加到0.80 mg·L-1,在总生物量所占比例明显上升;Shannon-Weaner指数由2.24下降到1.84.底泥疏浚造成水体营养盐的上升,促进了浮游植物的生长,从而为浮游动物的种群发展提供了充足的食物供给,加之由于干湖底泥疏浚所导致的鱼类捕食压力的减少,多种因素共同导致了疏浚后平湖后生浮游动物种群的生物量、丰度和个体火小的增加.结果看,惠州西湖的清淤不能有效改善水质,也不能恢复生态系统,湖泊恢复必须结合其他措施.     

横岗水库后生浮游动物群落特征

横岗水库位于广东省东莞市,是一个富营养化水体,于2005年5月和11月对该水库后生浮游动物进行采样。该水库浮游动物具有种类少、丰度低的特点,在组成上以轮虫为主。两次采样共检到25种,其中枝角类4种,成体桡足类4种,轮虫17种。5月份,共检到15种,11月份有所增加,为20种。轮虫是主要的优势类群,5月份和11月份轮虫的平均相对丰度分别为82.8%和78.8%,以裂足臂尾轮虫、萼花臂尾轮虫和前节晶囊轮虫为主要优势种。其次是桡足类,5月份和11月份平均相对丰度分别为16.6%和19.9%,以无节幼体和桡足幼体为主,成体以舌状叶镖水蚤为优势种。枝角类相对丰度最低,5月份和11月份平均相对丰度分别仅0.6%和1.3%,以微型裸腹溞为优势种类·浮蝣动物的组成、丰度和生物量均存在时间和空间上的异质性。5月份浮游动物平均丰度为242.6ind.·L^-1,平均生物量为0.912mg·L^-1,11月份浮游动物平均丰度为138.5ind.·L^-1,平均生物量为0.317mg·L^-1。从河流区到大坝区,浮游动物的丰度和生物量呈下降趋势,体现了水库中由水文和水动力学调节的浮游生物分布空间异质性。横岗水库中大个体的前节晶囊轮虫丰度较高,致使浮游动物生物量要高于浮游动物丰度相当的热带富营养化湖泊-星湖,但无论是生物量还是丰度要远低于温带富营养化湖泊。     

鲢、鳙在东湖生态系统的氮、磷循环中的作用

我们研究了鲢、鳙在停食状况下氮、磷的排泄量及在有鱼及无鱼的水环境中鱼类及微囊藻的氮、磷释放率。结合有关参数进行换算,从量的方面评价了鲢、鳙在东湖生态系统物质循环中所起作用:①鲢、鳙摄食过程加速了水体氮、磷释放进程(有鱼水体氮、磷释放率分别为无鱼水体的1.88和1.41倍),但其释放量(粪便的氮、磷释放量分别为水体氮、磷总含量的11.45％和3.4％)不足以左右东湖水体初级生产量的变动;②鲢、鳙摄食过程一方面提高了对初级生产量的利用率,而另一方面却通过鱼体积贮从水体中移出大量氮(52.20吨)、磷(11.36吨),分别占水体浮游物总氮、磷的3.01％和5.28％;③鲢、鳙大量摄食浮游动物,降低了被摄食种群的密度,缩短被摄食种群生物量周转期(1982年被摄食种群的生产量为1981年的1.05倍,鲢、鳙放养量为1981年的7倍;这两年鱼摄食量分别占其被摄食种群产量的31.73％及0.63％,被摄食种群的ρ/B系数分别为67.92及48.01);这样水体中浮游动物产量的相对稳定,也就促使浮游植物产量相对平衡。     

固定化微藻对虾池弧菌数量动态的影响

引入固定化波吉卵囊藻(Oocystis borgei)和微绿球藻(Nannochloris oculata)于凡纳对虾(Litop Penaeus vannamei)养殖环境中,检测水体、对虾胃和后肠中弧菌的数量变化,研究固定化微藻对虾池弧数量动态影响。结果表明:波吉卵囊藻培养液中9d后不能检测出弧菌,微绿球藻培养液中15d后不能检测出弧菌。引入固定化波吉卵囊藻和微绿球藻的褐藻胶藻珠能抑制弧菌的生长,实验组养殖水体、对虾胃和后肠中弧菌的数量都比对照组低;抑制效果是固定化波吉卵囊藻和微绿球藻混合固定化波吉卵囊藻固定化微绿球藻;试验后期实验组弧菌的数量明显低于试验前期。试验期间固定化波吉卵囊藻和微绿球藻的生物量分别增加了约10倍和17倍,证明它们的生理活性不会因固定化而受干扰。因此,固定化微藻可应用于虾池微生态调控防病。       

氯化钠处理对原壳小球藻生长及油脂积累的影响

采用Basal培养基,通过光学显微镜、电子显微镜、激光共聚焦显微镜以及尼罗红染色定量等方法研究了不同浓度氯化钠(0、150、300、600 mmol/L)对小球藻属原壳小球藻的生长状态、脂滴分布、总脂含量的影响。结果表明,添加不同浓度的氯化钠对原壳小球藻的生长有明显的影响,随着氯化钠浓度的增加,小球藻的生长速度受到明显的抑制,600 mmol/L氯化钠处理时生长几乎完全被抑制。在显微镜下观察,可见氯化钠浓度的增加会导致小球藻聚集成团,这种现象在150 mmol/L和300 mmol/L氯化钠培养下比较明显;通过电子显微镜下观察,可以发现培养初期,随着氯化钠浓度的增加,小球藻细胞壁增厚,脂滴增多。通过尼罗红染色对脂含量进行定量,处理初期脂滴的合成量在600 mmol/L时最高,但到后期,随着藻生物量的增加,150 mmol/L和300 mmol/L处理下脂合成量逐渐升高,而对照小球藻脂合成量基本不变。稳定期后,从生物量(干重)和脂总量来看,300 mmol/L氯化钠培养处理的小球藻虽然生物量只有对照的73.55%,但是总脂含量却是对照的2.22倍,可见一定浓度的氯化钠处理一定时间可显著提高原壳小球藻的油脂含量。     

稀土元素铈对花生幼苗生长与抗氧化保护酶系统的影响

采用溶液培养方法,研究不同浓度硝酸铈对花生(Arachis hypogaea)幼苗生长、开花数目及抗氧化酶过氧化物酶(POD)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性与丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响。结果表明,与对照相比,铈浓度低于20.0 mg·L–1能促进花生幼苗生长及开花,其中以10.0 mg·L–1铈的效果最为明显,其生物量和开花数分别约为对照的1.3倍和2.8倍;但高于20.0 mg·L–1则抑制花生幼苗生长,降低花朵数目;同时,低于20.0 mg/L铈可抑制花生幼苗过氧化物酶(POD)活性和降低其丙二醛(MDA)含量,其中以10.0 mg·L–1铈的抑制效果最明显,其POD活性和MDA含量约为对照的47.51%和20.76%;而低于20.0 mg·L–1铈能提高花生幼苗的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性,其中以5.0 mg·L–1铈的促进效果最明显,其SOD活性约为对照的2.0倍。     

轮虫培育池生态系统颗粒悬浮物的研究

对两种模式轮虫培育池的悬浮物结构及动态进行了比较研究．结果表明,颗粒悬浮物总量波动在6．76～65．39mg·L^-1之间．静水池塘14#颗粒悬浮物平均值为11．50mg·L^-1,其中颗粒有机物占66．8％,浮游植物占30．5％,浮游动物占5．3％。颗粒腐质和细菌占31％,颗粒无机物占33．2％．流水池塘82#池颗粒悬浮物平均值为41．83mg·L^-1,其中颗粒有机物占70．4％,浮游植物占30％,浮游动物占1．2％,颗粒腐质和细菌占39．2％,颗粒无机物占29．6％．颗粒悬浮物含量静水轮虫池小于流水轮虫池．轮虫培育池是一类特殊类型的生态系统,消费者以褶皱臂尾轮虫为主,群落结构简单,生境易变,这些都会影响水层颗粒悬浮物的动态,造成其含量的较大波动和构成的改变．轮虫培育池生态系统颗粒悬浮物中以颗粒有机物所占比例较大,颗粒腐质和细菌所占份额与浮游生物量相当．     

光合细菌的分离鉴定及对养殖水的净化研究

水质的恶化是影响水生生物存活率和产量的主要障碍 ,因此如何净化水质已成为养殖技术的难点和研究热点。从养虾池底泥分离得到 4株光合细菌 (PSB) ,经初步鉴定分别为纤细红螺菌、球形红假单胞菌和沼泽红假单胞菌 ;将其混合培养后处理养虾池水 ,结果表明 ,PSB可以有效分解底泥中污染物 ,去除水体中的COD、氨氮 (第 4dCOD去除率为 72 .5 9% ,氨氮去除率达 89.2 % ) ,养殖池PSB的使用量以 1mg/L为宜。     

Benthic and pelagic food resources for zooplankton in shallow high-latitude lakes and ponds

1. Shallow lakes and ponds are a major component of the northern landscape and often contain a high zooplankton biomass despite clear waters that are poor in phytoplankton. 2. In this study we quantified zooplankton food sources and feeding rates in the shallow waters of two contrasting high‐latitude biomes: subarctic forest tundra (Kuujjuarapik, Quebec) and high arctic polar desert (Resolute, Nunavut). Five substrate types were tested (beads, bacteria, picophytoplankton, filamentous plankton and microbial mats). Special attention was given to the role of benthos, a component that is usually poorly integrated into models of aquatic foodwebs. 3. Consistent with observations elsewhere in the circumpolar region, high concentrations of adult macrozooplankton occurred in all sites (up to 17 100 crustaceans m^?3) while phytoplankton concentrations and primary productivity were low. The communities were composed of multiple species, including Daphnia middendorfiana, Hesperodiaptomus arcticus, Leptodiaptomus minutus, Artemiopsis stefanssoni and Branchinecta paludosa. 4. Detritus made 89–98% of the planktonic resource pool and bacteria contributed the highest biomass (up to 29 mg C m^?3) of the planktonic food particles available to zooplankton. Benthic resources were dominated by microbial mats that grew in nutrient‐rich conditions at the base of the ponds and which dominated overall ecosystem biomass and productivity. 5. All species were flexible in their feeding but there were large, order of magnitude differences in clearance rates among taxa. These differences likely resulted from different grazing strategies among cladocerans, copepods and fairy shrimps, and possibly also from adaptation to specific food types and size ranges that occur locally in these waters. 6. The subarctic cladocerans Ceriodaphnia quadrangula and D. middendorfiana, and the arctic fairy shrimp B. paludosa were observed to graze directly on the microbial mats and the feeding experiments confirmed their assimilation of benthic substrates. The other zooplankton species showed a more pelagic feeding mode but were capable of using microbial mat filaments, thus may be indirectly linked to benthic processes via resuspension. 7. Our study indicates that the classical aquatic food web in which phytoplankton provide the sole production base for grazers does not apply to northern shallow lakes and ponds. Instead, microbial mats increase the physical complexity of these high latitude ecosystems and likely play a role in sustaining their high zooplankton biomass.     

分区集群式清洁养殖池塘浮游生物群落结构及水环境特征

以传统模式养殖池作对照,研究了分区集群式清洁养殖模式池塘浮游生物群落结构及其水环境特征。结果表明,集群模式池塘网箱内外TN(总氮)分别为1.22 mg/L和1.31 mg/L,TP(总磷)分别为0.169 mg/L和0.170 mg/L,传统模式TN、TP分别为1.76 mg/L和0.689 mg/L。共检出浮游植物6门169种,绿藻门占优。密集养殖区(网箱内)浮游植物生物量为24.54 mg/L,多样性指数2.52,清洁区(网箱外)生物量23.51 mg/L,多样性指数2.47;共检出浮游动物183种,轮虫类占优。密集养殖区浮游动物生物量3.53 mg/L,多样性指数1.82,清洁区生物量2.95 mg/L,多样性指数1.86,传统模式浮游植物、浮游动物生物量分别为49.12、0.53 mg/L,多样性指数分别为2.06、1.79。与传统模式相对比,集群模式池塘TN、TP降低,蓝藻比例下降,浮游植物生物量减少,浮游动物生物量增大,生物多样性指数提高,水环境有一定改善。     

How to Maximally Support Local and Regional Biodiversity in Applied Conservation? Insights from Pond Management

Biodiversity and nature values in anthropogenic landscapes often depend on land use practices and management. Evaluations of the association between management and biodiversity remain, however, comparatively scarce, especially in aquatic systems. Furthermore, studies also tend to focus on a limited set of organism groups at the local scale, whereas a multi-group approach at the landscape scale is to be preferred. This study aims to investigate the effect of pond management on the diversity of multiple aquatic organism groups (e.g. phytoplankton, zooplankton, several groups of macro-invertebrates, submerged and emergent macrophytes) at local and regional spatial scales. For this purpose, we performed a field study of 39 shallow man-made ponds representing five different management types. Our results indicate that fish stock management and periodic pond drainage are crucial drivers of pond biodiversity. Furthermore, this study provides insight in how the management of eutrophied ponds can contribute to aquatic biodiversity. A combination of regular draining of ponds with efforts to keep ponds free of fish seems to be highly beneficial for the biodiversity of many groups of aquatic organisms at local and regional scales. Regular draining combined with a stocking of fish at low biomass is also preferable to infrequent draining and lack of fish stock control. These insights are essential for the development of conservation programs that aim long-term maintenance of regional biodiversity in pond areas across Europe.     

Linking the evolution of habitat choice to ecosystem functioning: direct and indirect effects of pond-reproducing fire salamanders on aquatic-terrestrial subsidies

Shifts in life history traits and in the behaviour of species can potentially alter ecosystem functioning. The reproduction of the central European fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra), which usually deposits its larvae in first-order streams, in small pool and pond-like habitats, is an example of a recent local adaptation in this species. Here we aimed to quantify the direct and indirect effects of the predatory larvae on the aquatic food webs in the ponds and on the flux of matter between the ponds and adjacent terrestrial habitats. Our estimates are based on biomass data of the present pond fauna as well as on the analysis of stomach content data, growth rates and population dynamics of the salamander larvae in pond habitats. By their deposition of larvae in early spring, female fire salamanders import between 0.07 and 2.86 g dry mass m^?2 larval biomass into the ponds. Due to high mortality rates in the larval phase and the relatively small size at metamorphosis of the pond-adapted salamanders compared to stream-adapted ones, the biomass export of the metamorphosed salamanders clearly falls below the initial biomass import. Catastrophic events such as high water temperatures and low oxygen levels may even occasionally result in mass mortalities of salamander larvae and thus in a net 100 % import of the salamander biomass into the pond food webs. Indirect effects further accelerate this net import of matter into the aquatic habitat, e.g. the feeding of salamanders on aquatic insect larvae with the emergence of terrestrial adults—thus preventing export—and on terrestrial organisms that fall on the water surface (supporting import). This study demonstrates that the adaptation of salamanders to pond reproduction can alter food web linkages across ecosystem boundaries by enhancing the flux of materials and energy from terrestrial (i.e. forest) to the aquatic (i.e. pond) habitat.     

The role of solid waste materials as habitats for macroinvertebrates in a lowland dam reservoir

Eight hypereutrophic phytoplankton dominated ponds from the Brussels Capital Region (Belgium) were biomanipulated (emptied with fish removal) to restore their ecological quality and reduce the risk of cyanobacterial bloom formation. Continuous monitoring of the ponds before and after the biomanipulation allowed the effects of the management intervention on different compartments of pond ecosystems (phytoplankton, zooplankton, submerged vegetation and nutrients) to be assessed. Fish removal resulted in a drastic reduction in phytoplankton biomass and a shift to the clear-water state in seven out of eight biomanipulated ponds. The reduction in phytoplankton biomass was associated with a marked increase in density and size of large cladocerans in six ponds and a restoration of submerged macrophytes in five ponds. The phytoplankton biomass in the ponds with extensive stands of submerged macrophytes was less affected by planktivorous fish recolonisation of some of the ponds later in the summer. The two non-vegetated ponds as well as one pond with sparse submerged vegetation showed a marked increase in phytoplankton biomass associated with the appearance of fish. Phytoplankton biomass increase coincided with the decrease in large Cladocera density and size. One pond lacking submerged macrophytes could maintain very low phytoplankton biomass owing to large Cladocera grazing alone. The results of this study confirmed the importance of large zooplankton grazing and revegetation with submerged macrophytes for the maintenance of the clear-water state and restoration success in hypereutrophic ponds. They also showed that large Cladocera size is more important than their number for efficient phytoplankton control and when cladocerans are large enough, they can considerably restrain phytoplankton growth, including bloom-forming cyanobacteria, even when submerged vegetation is not restored. The positive result of fish removal in seven out of eight biomanipulated ponds clearly indicated that such management intervention can be used, at least, for the short-term restoration of ecological water quality and prevention of noxious cyanobacterial bloom formation. The negative result of biomanipulation in one pond seems to be related to the pollution by sewage water. Guest editors: B. Oertli, R. Cereghino, A. Hull & R. Miracle Pond Conservation: From Science to Practice. 3rd Conference of the European Pond Conservation Network, Valencia, Spain, 14–16 May 2008     

Factors influencing uranium reduction and solubility in evaporation pond sediments

Evaporation ponds in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV), CA, USA that are used for the disposal of irrigation drainage waters, contain elevated levels of U that may be a threat to pond wildlife. The ponds support euryhaline algae, which become incorporated in the sediments as depositional organic matter (OM) – facilitating reducing conditions. Our earlier studies have shown that U in one SJV sediment was primarily present as the highly soluble U(VI) species (as opposed to the less soluble U(IV) species), despite the presence of volatile sulfides. In this research, we investigated the effects of native pond algae (Chlorella) and potential reducing agents on U redox chemistry of SJV pond sediments. San Joaquin Valley pond sediments were equilibrated with natural and synthetic pond inlet waters containing approximately 10 mg U(VI) L-1 to which reducing agents (acetate, sucrose, and alfalfa shoot) were added. The equilibrations were done under oxic (Chlorella only) and O2-limiting conditions (remaining treatments). Sediments were examined for changes in average U oxidation state by X-ray near- edge absorption structure (XANES) spectroscopy and U concentration by ICP-MS.For the alfalfa treatments, a 95 percent loss of U(VI) from solution, the presence of sulfides, and results from the XANES studies suggest U(VI) was reduced to U(IV). Upon exposure to air, the precipitated U was readily oxidized, suggesting the reduced U is susceptible to oxidation. Much less reduction of U(VI) was observed in the other 3 treatments and the solid phase was dominated by U(VI) as in the natural pond sediments. A second study was conducted with pond sediment-water suspensions to determine the effects of controlled PCO2 and low redox potential (Eh) on U solubility. These suspensions were equilibrated at 0.22 and 5.26 kPa PCO2 and allowed to free-drift from an oxidized to a reduced state. At high Eh and high PCO2, dissolved U concentrations were higher than in the low PCO2 systems due to greater complexation with CO3. Dissolved U concentrations decreased only under intense sulfate reducing conditions, even at low Eh conditions. It appears that U reduction occurred by chemical reduction via sulfide ion. Comparing the XANES data of the pond sediments with the laboratory-produced solids we conclude that biosorption by algae and bacteria is the dominant mechanism depositing U in the sediments. Even though there are organisms that can use U(VI) as a terminal electron acceptor, we found that sulfate reduction was preferred in these high- SO4 waters. Mixed oxidation state U-solids were preferentially formed in the pond sediments and in the lab except under intense SO4 reducing conditions.     

Benthos and zooplankton of coal strip mine ponds in the mountains of northwestern Colorado,U.S.A.

Zooplankton, benthos and associated physico-chemical conditions were sampled in coal strip-mine ponds in northwestern Colorado from June 1977 to May 1978. Two spoils ponds derived all of their drainage from the coal mine, but differed in age; one pond received only partial drainage from mine spoils; a control pond was located in an adjacent drainage basin. Acid mine drainage was not observed, although total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrate and sulfate values were higher in the spoils ponds than in the control pond. Net zooplankton were less abundant in the spoils ponds, although standing stock of benthos exhibited a progressive decrease from the youngest spoils pond to the control pond. Zooplankton and benthos species diversity values were lower in the ponds affected by mine drainage. Certain groups of zooplankters (Cladocera) and benthos (Trichoptera, Amphipoda, Hydracarina, and Sphaeriidae) were rare or absent in the youngest spoils pond. Percentage Similarity Coefficients indicate that colonization phenomena (age and distance from a source of colonizers) may be responsible, in part, for the faunal differences between ponds, since the higher levels of nitrate, sulfate, and TDS in the spoils ponds were generally within the tolerance range of aquatic organisms.