Influence of Pulsed Inflows and Nutrient Loading on Zooplankton and Phytoplankton Community Structure and Biomass in Microcosm Experiments Using Estuarine Assemblages

Productivity and community structure of phytoplankton and zooplankton are influenced by hydrologic disturbances in many ways. In a recent modeling study it was suggested that pulsed inflows might enhance zooplankton performance, curb accumulation of phytoplankton accumulated biomass, and promote phytoplankton species diversity. We tested these predictions by performing microcosm experiments on natural plankton assemblages from the Nueces Delta, TX, USA. On three occasions (March, June, and September 2001), experiments of semi-continuous and flow-through design were conducted using natural plankton assemblages. We investigated the effect of two different inflow and nutrient loading regimes on zooplankton biomass, and phytoplankton biomass and diversity, i.e., continuous and pulsed inflows of 3 day frequency. Despite differences in initial community structure on these three occasions, as well as the very different communities that arose between experimental designs, our findings showed that pulsed inflows altered plankton dynamics. In all cases, pulsed inflows resulted in greater zooplankton biomass. In most cases, pulsed inflows resulted in lower phytoplankton biomass and higher diversity. We speculate that greater phytoplankton diversity in the pulsed flow treatments favored selectively feeding zooplankton, whose better performance prevented higher accumulation of phytoplankton biomass.     

Differential responses of zooplankton assemblages to environmental variation in temporary and permanent ponds

Permanent and temporary wetlands in Mediterranean shrublands represent unique repositories of biodiversity, which are increasingly threatened by human-induced habitat loss. The zooplankton of a permanent (P1) and a temporary pond (T35) in the Natural Reserve of Castelporziano, a rare residual stretch of such a shrubland in Central Italy (Latium), was investigated to: (1) expand and deepen knowledge of these endangered freshwater habitats, which represent a crucial component of Mediterranean biodiversity; (2) identify environmental controls regulating the development of zooplankton communities of each environment; and (3) highlight differences in the adaptive responses of the zooplankton community in relation to the different ecological conditions experienced by permanent and temporary habitats. Despite summer desiccation in T35, the two ponds exhibited a relative homogeneity in hydrological and physico-chemical dynamics. Zooplankton assemblages contained 41 total taxa, of which 32 were found in P1 and 28 in T35. Out of the 41 taxa identified, 22 (>50%) were exclusively present in one of the two ponds. On a yearly basis, the community dynamics of P1 seemed to be conditioned by physical and chemical factors and by hydrological cycle characteristics, while the community of T35 responded to algal blooms, food competition and predator/prey equilibria rather than correlating to abiotic factors. The main differences amongst zooplankton assemblages were observed over short time scales and occurred both within and between seasons, highlighting the role of some structural taxa that dominated the average composition of the community throughout the year, and the importance of “quick-response” taxa in determining the short-term composition and structure variation of pond zooplankton. A year-round cyclic community succession peculiar to each pond is described.     

The relative significance of environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting zooplankton community structure in Southeast Wisconsin Till Plain lakes

Zooplankton community composition can be related to natural environmental factors such as lake morphology, lake landscape position, and water chemistry as well as anthropogenic factors such as agricultural and urban land-use. We hypothesized that within-lake factors, such as water chemistry, lake morphology, and human land-use would each be related to zooplankton community structure, but that watershed land-use would be the strongest correlate in southeast Wisconsin lakes. Zooplankton samples, collected every 3 months over a year, from 29 lakes were used to determine how lake and watershed morphology, water quality, and land-use were related to zooplankton community structure in the heavily developed Southeast Wisconsin Till Plain Ecoregion. Forward selection and a variation partitioning procedure were used to determine relative and shared contributions of each suite of variables in predicting zooplankton community structure. Redundancy analysis was used to characterize dominant gradients in pelagic zooplankton communities and related environmental factors and land-use. The major correlates of community structure included summer phosphorus, lake depth and surface area and urban and natural land. Variation partitioning illustrated that phosphorus alone accounts for the greatest part (12%) of community structure. Urban land-uses (residential, commercial and paved land) and lake morphology partially explain zooplankton community variation through combined effects with phosphorus. Small cladocerans and Skistodiaptomus pallidus were associated with higher phosphorus, shallow depth and higher urban land-use, while Daphnia pulicaria dominates in deep lakes with lower phosphorus and less urban land-use. This study contributes to the understanding of factors affecting zooplankton community structure in a largely human developed region and illustrates the importance of eutrophication in structuring zooplankton community composition.     

Seasonal and spatial variability of zooplankton diversity in the Poyang Lake Basin using DNA metabarcoding

Freshwater ecosystems face multiple threats to their stability globally. Poyang Lake is the largest lake in China, but its habitat has been seriously degraded because of human activities and natural factors (e.g. climate change), resulting in a decline in freshwater biodiversity. Zooplankton are useful indicators of environmental stressors because they are sensitive to external perturbations. DNA metabarcoding is an approach that has gained significant traction by aiding ecosystem conservation and management. Here, the seasonal and spatial variability in the zooplankton diversity were analyzed in the Poyang Lake Basin using DNA metabarcoding. The results showed that the community structure of zooplankton exhibited significant seasonal and spatial variability using DNA metabarcoding, where the community structure was correlated with turbidity, water temperature, pH, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll‐a. These results indicated habitat variations affected by human activities and seasonal change could be the main driving factors for the variations of zooplankton community. This study also provides an important reference for the management of aquatic ecosystem health and conservation of aquatic biodiversity.     

环境因子对唐山湾海域浮游动物群落结构的驱动作用

为研究唐山湾海域浮游动物群落结构与环境因子的关系,于2015年4月(春季)、7月(夏季)、10月(秋季)和12月(冬季)对唐山湾海域浮游动物群落结构、环境因子进行航次调查,并利用多元统计分析和相关分析法分析了浮游动物群落结构的时空变化及其主要环境驱动因子.结果表明: 影响唐山湾海域浮游动物丰度的主要环境因素为无机氮(DIN)、悬浮物(SS)、水温(T)和叶绿素a(Chl a);唐山湾海域浮游动物群落结构的空间差异主要受溶解氧(DO)、T和Chla的驱动;在唐山湾不同海域中,影响浮游动物群落结构的因素存在差异,其中乐亭海域和三岛海域浮游动物群落结构的主要影响因素为物理因素,曹妃甸海域则主要受化学因素的影响.这表明在唐山湾人类活动影响强度大的海域,浮游动物群落结构更多地受化学因素影响(DIN、活性磷酸盐),而人类活动影响小的海域则更多地受物理因素的影响(T、SS).     

Spatial insurance against a heatwave differs between trophic levels in experimental aquatic communities

Climate change-related heatwaves are major threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. However, our current understanding of the mechanisms governing community resistance to and recovery from extreme temperature events is still rudimentary. The spatial insurance hypothesis postulates that diverse regional species pools can buffer ecosystem functioning against local disturbances through the immigration of better-adapted taxa. Yet, experimental evidence for such predictions from multi-trophic communities and pulse-type disturbances, like heatwaves, is largely missing. We performed an experimental mesocosm study to test whether species dispersal from natural lakes prior to a simulated heatwave could increase the resistance and recovery of plankton communities. As the buffering effect of dispersal may differ among trophic groups, we independently manipulated the dispersal of organisms from lower (phytoplankton) and higher (zooplankton) trophic levels. The experimental heatwave suppressed total community biomass by having a strong negative effect on zooplankton biomass, probably due to a heat-induced increase in metabolic costs, resulting in weaker top-down control on phytoplankton. While zooplankton dispersal did not alleviate the negative heatwave effects on zooplankton biomass, phytoplankton dispersal enhanced biomass recovery at the level of primary producers, providing partial evidence for spatial insurance. The differential responses to dispersal may be linked to the much larger regional species pool of phytoplankton than of zooplankton. Our results suggest high recovery capacity of community biomass independent of dispersal. However, community composition and trophic structure remained altered due to the heatwave, implying longer-lasting changes in ecosystem functioning.     

Zooplankton community structure and environmental conditions in a set of interconnected ponds

We studied the zooplankton community structure in a set of 33 interconnected shallow ponds that are restricted to a relatively small area (`De Maten', Genk, Belgium, 200 ha). As the ponds share the same water source, geology and history, and as the ponds are interconnected (reducing chance effects of dispersal with colonisation), differences in zooplankton community structure can be attributed to local biotic and abiotic interactions. We studied zooplankton community, biotic (phytoplankton, macrophyte cover, fish densities, macroinvertebrate densities), abiotic (turbidity, nutrient concentrations, pH, conductivity, iron concentration) and morphometric (depth, area, perimeter) characteristics of the different ponds. Our results indicate that the ponds differ substantially in their zooplankton community structure, and that these differences are strongly related to differences in trophic structure and biotic interactions, in concordance with the theory of alternative equilibria. Ponds in the clear-water state are characterised by large Daphnia species and species associated with the littoral zone, low chlorophyll-a concentrations, low fish densities and high macroinvertebrate densities. Ponds in the turbid-water state are characterised by high abundances of rotifers, cyclopoid copepods and the opposite environmental conditions. Some ponds show an intermediate pattern, with a dominance of small Daphnia species. Our results show that interconnected ponds may differ strongly in zooplankton community composition, and that these differences are related to differences in predation intensity (top-down) and habitat diversity (macrophyte cover).     

鸭绿江口近岸海域水质环境对冬季浮游动物群落结构的影响

定量分析滨海湿地近岸海域水质环境与浮游动物群落结构之间的关系对揭示海水水质环境健康状态具有重要意义。2019年12月在鸭绿江口湿地国家级自然保护区近岸海域开展了浮游动物和水环境因子调查,运用冗余分析和结构方程模型等方法探讨了水质环境对冬季浮游动物群落结构的影响。研究区共鉴定出浮游动物14种以及浮游幼虫5大类,桡足类最多占比52.63%;保护区不同功能分区间浮游动物群落结构总体差异不大,多样性指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数平均值分别为1.34、0.51和0.59;浮游动物的种群分布与海水化学需氧量、溶解性无机氮、浮游植物群落多样性指数和铜元素含量关系显著;结构方程模型模拟结果表明,海水富营养化水平对浮游动物丰富度的效应系数为-0.26,具有显著的直接影响(P=0.01),重金属污染水平通过影响浮游植物丰富度(效应系数为-0.41,P<0.001)间接对浮游动物丰富度产生作用(间接效应系数为-0.2)。研究结果将有助于深化对海水环境和浮游动物群落结构协同演变过程的认识,为滨海湿地近岸海洋生态系统科学管理提供理论支撑。     

Structure and function of pelagic zooplankton in various types of lakes (using the example of small lakes in northwestern Russia

Changes of structure and functioning of pelagic zooplankton under lake eutrophication were studied in a group of small (without outlet) lakes in southern Karelia and Leningrad region. The lakes were morphologically similar and located within the same climatic zone. Differences in their trophic status were connected with anthropogenic eutrophication. Correlation between species number and feeding resources of a lake is determined as: Y = (8.01 +/- 3.85) + (0.29 +/- 0.07)X1 + (6.75 +/- 1.52)X2, r2 = 0.95, (1) Y--number of zooplankton species, X1--average chlorophyll concentration for the season, mg/1; X2--average value of biochemical oxygen demand (expressed in mgC/1). Average biomass of zooplankton for season also depends on food: logY = (-0.054 +/- 0.224) + (0.242 +/- 0.094)logX1 + (0.170 +/- 0.179)logX2, n = 13, r2 = 0.87, (2) Y--average zooplankton biomass for the season, kcal/m3, X1 and X2 the same as (1). Increase in species number and zooplankton bimass determined primarily by Rotatoria occur in parallel to chlorophyll concentration and activity of bacteria. In acid lakes rotifers are not important in energy balance. In mezotrophic lakes two main energy paths are formed--through rotifers and through Crustacea. The role of rotifers is extremely important in eutrophic lakes where about 80% of energy paths through them. The ratio community production to energy consumption for the growing season is also depended on the community structure (species number, equitability, connectence): Y = (2.257 +/- 0.026) - (0.368 +/- 0.031)X1 + (5.160 +/- 0.442)X2, r2 = 0.99, (3) Y--average seasonal production of zooplankton, kcal/m2; X1--maximal meaning of Shannon index (bites), calculated on biomass value; X2--connectence of the community, calculated according Briand (1983). Eutrophication changes the stability of lakes relative to external influences, while low productive lakes are very sensitive to the increase in nutrient load, high productive lakes are more influenced by changes in fish predation.     

鸭绿江口及邻近海域生物群落的胁迫响应

利用ABC曲线法结合粒径谱理论对鸭绿江口近岸海域的生物群落特征、优势种演替、多样性水平、稳定性状况等进行了分析,并尝试构建了鸭绿江口近岸海域生物群落稳定性的评估模型.研究结果表明,鸭绿江口滨海湿地生物群落结构相对简单,优势种演替明显,受外界干扰较大.春、夏季浮游植物以r-对策者为主,群落数量偏离平衡点;秋季以r-对策者为主的微小型浮游植物逐渐被中大型k-对策者演替,群落完成反馈调节,恢复到平衡点.浮游动物由于较高的能量供应其幼体全年一直处于较高优势水平,但生态效率转换相对较慢.潮间带底栖生物群落结构相对简单,优势种演替明显,系统具有低多样性低密度的特点,群落在夏季受外界扰动较大.游泳生物群落主要以小型个体为主,已处于极不稳定状态.构建的群落稳定性评估模型测算结果与上述结论基本一致,这也验证了该评估模型具有一定的有效性与实用性.综合以上分析结果,说明鸭绿江口近岸海域生物群落稳定性较差,受外界干扰比较严重.     

镇江长江豚类省级自然保护区浮游动物群落结构特征及影响因素

江苏镇江长江豚类省级自然保护区是长江下游江段长江江豚的最主要的栖息地之一。为了解江豚主要栖息地的浮游动物群落结构,于2016年1月至2018年10月对保护区水域浮游动物进行了现状调查,分析了浮游动物群落时空结构变化特征及其与环境因子的关系。研究共发现浮游动物4门41属90种,其中原生动物种类数最多,为40种,其次为桡足类和枝角类,而轮虫类较少。三年共确定优势种8种,以食藻类原生动物为主要优势类群。保护区浮游动物群落小型化趋势明显。浮游动物密度和生物量季节性差异显著（P<0.05）,总体上呈现夏、秋季较春、冬季高的现象。Pearson相关性和RDA分析结果显示,水温、溶氧、pH和氮营养盐是造成浮游动物群落显著差异的主要环境因子。根据浮游动物群落结构特征及渔产潜力综合评估结果显示,与历史资料相比,保护区水生态环境有所改善,但渔业资源匮乏的局面没有得到根本性的改变,江豚的食物资源状况依然不容乐观。本研究结果为镇江保护区江豚栖息地生态环境的监测和保护研究提供了数据资料和理论依据。     

Effect of desiccation on mosquito oviposition site selection in Mediterranean temporary habitats

1. Hydroperiod duration has been identified as the main factor determining the faunal composition and structure of aquatic communities in temporary habitats. It is hypothesised that desiccation will positively affect mosquito oviposition habitat selection during the post-drought period due to the lack of antagonists. 2. An experiment was carried out in outdoor mesocosms to assess whether desiccation events have post-drought effects on community richness and mosquito oviposition. Three different treatments were randomly assigned to the mesocosms: (i) eight mesocosms were left dried for a week and then reflooded; (ii) eight mesocosms stayed dry for 4 weeks before they were reflooded; (iii) eight mesocosms were maintained at a constant water volume of 30 litres during the entire experiment as controls. Mosquito oviposition and invertebrate community richness were monitored in every mesocosm, along with environmental parameters [water temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids (TSS) and chlorophyll a concentration]. 3. Post-drought mosquito oviposition and larval abundance were higher in the short-drought and long-drought pools than in the control. Desiccation negatively affected the biomass of the filter feeder invertebrates in both desiccation treatments. Chlorophyll a concentrations were higher in the long-drought pools than in controls. The negative impact of desiccation on zooplankton led to a post-drought increase in algae, associated with an increase in mosquito oviposition. 4. Despite immediate negative effect on mosquitoes, pulsed disturbances can benefit mosquitoes as they favour oviposition during the post-disturbance recovery period due to a lower abundance of mosquito antagonists and higher food resources for their offspring.     

Functioning of the Sea of Azov ecosystem

The structure and functioning of the Sea of Azov ecosystem have been studied. Based on the results of an analysis of the principal community components (phytoplankton, bacterioplankton, zooplankton, macrozoobenthos, and fish), the elements of balance equality and food utilization by the ecosystem components were calculated and schemes of their energy flow were constructed. The intensity and trends of production-destruction processes were characterized. It was revealed that the main energy flow in the Sea of Azov ecosystem passes through the detritus food web (81%). Along with eutrophication and sulfide pollution of bottom sediments, the impact of predatory ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (A. Agassiz) determines to a considerable extent the pattern of the ecosystem’s transformation.     

南汇东滩湿地围垦水域内浮游动物群落结构的变化

2010年10月-2011年7月对南汇东滩围垦水域和坝外自然水域的浮游动物进行调查,研究了两水域内浮游动物的种类组成、丰度、生物量、优势种和生物多样性等生态学特征参数的季节变化,并初步探讨了围垦内外水域浮游动物群落的结构差异,及其与盐度、水温和人类活动等环境因子的关系.结果表明:围垦水域和坝外自然水域共检获浮游动物30种,其中围垦水域浮游动物24种,以轮虫的种类数最多;坝外自然水域浮游动物14种,其中桡足类占绝对优势.围垦水域浮游动物的年平均丰度明显高于坝外自然水域,年平均生物量则相反.围垦水域以角突臂尾轮虫、萼花臂尾轮虫和广布中剑水蚤等淡水种为主要优势种,而坝外自然水域则以中华华哲水蚤、火腿许水蚤和虫肢歪水蚤等河口半咸水种为主要优势种,且两水域优势种均存在季节更替.坝外水域浮游动物Shannon多样性指数(H)值和Pielou均匀度指数(J)值均明显高于围垦水域,Margalef丰富度指数(d)值和单纯度指数(C)值低于围垦水域.群落聚类和MDS结果表明,围垦水域浮游动物的群落结构与坝外自然水域存在明显差异.围垦是引起被围水域浮游动物群落结构变化的主要原因,盐度、潮汐动力等是导致动物群落结构改变的主要环境因子.     

Structural phase diagrams of animal communities in assessment of freshwater ecosystem conditions

A phase diagram method, using indices of biological diversity, was applied to describe the dynamics of zooplankton and fish community structure in natural and experimental conditions. The phase diagram is constructed in the coordinates H and dH × dt^–1, where H is the index of diversity of the community. The method reveals zones of steady state of a community and demonstrates community dynamics in undisturbed and disturbed conditions. Analysis of zooplankton dynamics in a fishless pond showed that in the absence of disturbances the community enters a zone of steady state (around dH × dt^–1=0) and stays in it for a long time. Under the action of disturbances (e.g. oxygen depletion for fish, influence of heavy metals for zooplankton) the community leaves the steady state zone. The greater the disturbance, the more the system deviates from steady state.     

Inter- and intra-annual variability in the phytoplankton community of a high mountain lake: the influence of external (atmospheric) and internal (recycled) sources of phosphorus

1. The inter‐ and intra‐annual changes in the biomass, elemental (carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)) and taxonomical composition of the phytoplankton in a high mountain lake in Spain were studied during 3 years with different physical (fluctuating hydrological regime) and chemical conditions. The importance of internal and external sources of P to the phytoplankton was estimated as the amount of P supplied via zooplankton recycling (internal) or through ice‐melting and atmospheric deposition (external). 2. Inter‐annual differences in phytoplankton biomass were associated with temperature and total dissolved phosphorus. In 1995, phytoplankton biomass was positively correlated with total dissolved phosphorus. In contrast, the negative relationship between zooplankton and seston biomass (direct predatory effects) and the positive relationship between zooplankton P excretion and phytoplankton biomass in 1997 (indirect P‐recycling effects), reinforces the primary role of zooplankton in regulating the total biomass of phytoplankton but, at the same time, encouraging its growth via P‐recycling. 3. Year‐to‐year variations in seston C : P and N : P ratios exceeded intra‐annual variations. The C : P and N : P ratios were high in 1995, indicating strong P limitation. In contrast, in 1996 and 1997, these ratios were low during ice‐out (C : P < 100 and N : P < 10) and increased markedly as the season progressed. Atmospheric P load to the lake was responsible for the decline in C : P and N : P ratios. 4. Intra‐annual variations in zooplankton stoichiometry were more pronounced than the overall differences between 1995 and 1996. Thus, the zooplankton N : P ratio ranged from 6.9 to 40.1 (mean 21.4) in 1995, and from 10.4 to 42.2 (mean 24.9) in 1996. The zooplankton N : P ratio tended to be low after ice‐out, when the zooplankton community was dominated by copepod nauplii, and high towards mid‐ and late‐season, when these were replaced by copepodites and adults. 5. In 1995, the minimum demands for P of phytoplankton were satisfied by ice‐melting, atmospheric loading and zooplankton recycling over 100%. In order of importance, atmospheric inputs (> 1000%), zooplankton recycling (9–542%), and ice‐melting processes (0.37–5.16%) satisfied the minimum demand for P of phytoplankton during 1996 and 1997. Although the effect of external forces was rather sporadic and unpredictable in comparison with biologically driven recycle processes, both may affect phytoplankton structure and elemental composition. 6. We identified three conceptual models representing the seasonal phosphorus flux among the major compartments of the pelagic zone. While ice‐melting processes dominated the nutrient flow at the thaw, biologically driven processes such as zooplankton recycling became relevant as the season and zooplankton ontogeny progressed. The stochastic nature of P inputs associated with atmospheric events can promote rapid transitional changes between a community limited by internal recycling and one regulated by external load. 7. The elemental composition of the zooplankton explains changes in phytoplankton taxonomic and elemental composition. The elemental negative balance (seston N : P < zooplankton N : P, low N : P recycled) during the thaw, would promote a community dominated by species with a high demand for P (Cryptophyceae). The shift to an elemental positive balance (seston N : P > zooplankton N : P, high N : P recycled) in mid‐season would skew the N : P ratio of the recycled nutrients, favouring dominance by chrysophytes. The return to negative balance, as a consequence of the ontogenetic increase in zooplankton N : P ratio and the external P inputs towards the end of the ice‐free season, could alleviate the limitation of P and account for the appearance of other phytoplankton classes (Chlorophyceae or Dinophyceae).     

Year-to-year changes of the mesozooplankton community in the Chukchi Sea during summers of 1991, 1992 and 2007, 2008

A recent drastic decrease in sea ice cover area was observed in the western Arctic Ocean during summer, yet little information is available for its effect on zooplankton community. To evaluate the effect of sea ice reduction on zooplankton, we studied year-to-year changes of zooplankton community structure in the Chukchi Sea during summers of 1991, 1992 (when sea ice extended), 2007, and 2008 (when sea ice reduced). Zooplankton abundance ranged from 4,000 to 316,000 ind. m⁻² (mean: 70,000) and was greater north of Lisburne Peninsula in 2008. Zooplankton biomass ranged from 0.07 to 286 g wet mass m⁻² (mean: 36) and was greater south of Lisburne Peninsula in 2007. Cluster analysis based on zooplankton abundance showed a division of the zooplankton community into four groups. Occurrence of each group was separated geographically and interannually, and geographic distributions of each group in 1991 and 1992 were similar but those in 2007 and 2008 were shifted northward. Abundance and biomass in 2007/2008 were higher than in 1991/1992, indicating that further sea ice reduction would have a positive effect on zooplankton production (e.g. invasion of large Pacific species and temperature effects on their growth rate). The northern shift in geographic distribution of the zooplankton community in 2007/2008 indicates that sea ice reduction would have a negative effect on the zooplankton community (loss of characteristic Arctic species) in part of the Chukchi Sea. These apparently contradictory effects of sea ice reduction on zooplankton community emphasize the critical need for continued monitoring in this area.     

Predator driven changes in community structure

Summary The zooplankton community of a small pond changed markedly with temporal variation in predation pressure. Long term changes in zooplankton community structure occurred following the replacement of planktivorous fish by phantom midge (Chaoborus americanus) larvae as the predominant predator of zooplankton. The interannual changes following the establishment of Chaoborus included the apparent or near extinction, of species ill adapted to the new predation pressure and the successful colonization of well adapted species. Seasonal changes in the species composition and size distribution of the zooplankton community correlate with temporal variation in predation intensity associated with temperature-activity patterns of the predator or changes in the stage structure of the predator population.     

The relationship between zooplankton community structure and lake characteristics in temperate lakes (Northern Wisconsin, USA)

Zooplankton community structure can be affected by within-lakeand by watershed ecological factors, including water chemistry(related to landscape position), lake morphology and human activityin the watershed. We hypothesized that all three groups of driverswould be correlated with zooplankton species richness and speciescomposition for lakes in northern Wisconsin. Data collectedfrom 52 lakes allowed us to explore the relationship of zooplanktoncommunity structure with ecological drivers. We found that crustaceanzooplankton species richness was not significantly correlatedwith independent environmental variables derived from PCA ordination,nor with measures of community structure based on NMS ordination.However, species composition was correlated with environmentalgradients. Larger zooplankton species (Daphnia pulicaria, Epischuralacustris, Skistodiaptomus oregonensis, Mesocyclops americanus)occurred in large and deep lakes low in the landscape gradient,whereas the smaller species Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia retrocurvaand Leptodiaptomus minutus tended to occur high in the landscape.This shift in species composition was correlated with increasedconductivity, primary productivity and the hypolimnetic refugescharacteristic of larger deeper lakes lower in the landscape.Riparian housing development and littoral zone habitat (measuredas building density and by abundance of logs in littoral zones)were not correlated with zooplankton community structure. Inthese relatively low-impact lakes, natural drivers are stillthe most significant determinants of zooplankton community structure.     

Zooplankton in different types of estuaries (using Curonian and Vistula estuaries as an example)

Based upon the results of long-term monitoring of zooplankton in the Curonian and Vistula estuaries carried out by the author, specific features of the structure and functioning of the zooplankton communities are studied. It is shown that the zooplankton communities in the open (Vistula Bay) and closed (Curonina Bay) types of estuaries differ in the species structures, numbers, biomasses, and functioning. The similarity of the zooplankton communities of these estuaries has to do with the commonness of their trophic structure. The zooplankton community in the Vistula estuary is more affected by the gradient of abiotic factors than the Curonian bay community. The mechanism providing the stability of the zooplankton communities in the open-type estuaries is the energy flow through the omnivorous species and the increase in the number of facultative predators at the terminal links of the trophic chain. It is shown that the Vistula estuary zooplankton community has a higher specific productivity rate and a higher rate of its circulation and use.