The rotifer communities of acid-stressed lakes of Maine

The structure of the rotifer community in relation to lake pH, trophic status, the type of planktivore assemblage and the crustacean community was assessed in a survey of 23 lakes ranging in pH from 4.4 to 7.3, and in a study of two lakes — one acidic, the other circumneutral — during two summers. In both investigations the number of rotifer species encountered per sample was strongly reduced with pH. Although the reason for this is not clear acid-stress, the ultraoligotrophic nature of the acidic lakes, and competitive interactions with crustacean zooplankters may all have played a role. More importantly the ecological significance of this relationship is not known. The rotifer Keratella taurocephala was a principle species in the most acidic lakes, while several common rotifers were notably absent from these lakes. Although rotifer abundance was correlated with lake pH, the results of this study indicate that rotifer abundance is not a result of lake pH per se, but of lake trophic status and interactions with the crustacean community.     

Effects of different fish species and biomass on plankton interactions in a shallow lake

Thirty-six enclosures, surface area 4 m², were placed in Little Mere, a shallow fertile lake in Cheshire, U.K. The effects of different fish species (common carp, common bream, tench and roach) of zooplanktivorous size, and their biomass (0, 200 and 700 kg ha^–1) on water chemistry, zooplankton and phytoplankton communities were investigated. Fish biomass had a strong effect on mean zooplankton size and abundance. When fish biomass rose, larger zooplankters were replaced by more numerous smaller zooplankters. Consequently phytoplankton abundance rose in the presence of higher densities of zooplanktivorous fish, as zooplankton grazing was reduced. Fish species were also significant in determining zooplankton community size structure. In enclosures with bream there were significantly greater densities of small zooplankters than in enclosures stocked with either carp, tench and, in part, roach. When carp or roach were present, the phytoplankton had a greater abundance of Cyanophyta than when bream or tench were present. Whilst top-down effects of fish predation controlled the size partitioning of the zooplankton community, this, in turn apparently controlled the bottom-up regeneration of nutrients for the phytoplankton community. At the zooplankton–phytoplankton interface, both top-down and bottom-up processes were entwined in a reciprocal feedback mechanism with the extent and direction of that relationship altered by changes in fish species. This has consequences for the way that top-down and bottom-up processes are generalised.     

Seasonal occurrence of freshwater medusa Limnocnida indica annandale (Cnidaria: Limnomedusae) in a lake associated with the river Yamuna, India

A freshwater medusa, Limnocnida indica Annandale, 1912 was observed in the month of April and May of two consecutive years 1994, 1995 in a lake having free connection with the river Yamuna in Delhi. Medusae in the lake were abundant in those areas where the vegetation of Hydrilla sp. was moderately dense, whereas it was absent in areas with Potamogeton sp. The composition of planktonic community in the lake was different before and during the occurrence of medusae and after their disappearance. Moina sp. and Keratella sp. were totally absent and Mesocyclops sp. and nauplii were reduced in number during the occurrence of medusae which were either present or more in number before the occurrence of the latter. Dinophyceae was maximum in number during this period. These zooplankters reappeared after the disappearance of medusae. It is likely that ecological conditions which prevailed during April and May favour the seasonal occurrence of freshwater medusae.     

苏州工业园区湖泊后生浮游动物群落结构及影响因子

苏州工业园区地处长江流域下游,随着城市化进程的不断推进,园区水生态系统结构与功能的稳定面临严峻考验。浮游动物作为水生态系统的重要组成部分,探究其群落结构的形成机制对生物多样性保护及生态系统健康发展具有重要意义。为深入了解苏州工业园区五个主要湖泊后生浮游动物群落结构的动态变化及影响因子,于2018年7月至2019年6月进行4次调查。研究共检出后生浮游动物112种（轮虫65种、枝角类29种、桡足类18种）,其中优势种12种（轮虫10种、枝角类和桡足类各1种）。Jaccard相似性分析表明,湖泊间后生浮游动物物种组成整体处于中等相似水平。后生浮游动物密度呈现出显著的季节和湖泊差异,而生物量、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数以及Margalef丰富度指数仅存在显著的季节差异。聚类分析结果表明,夏季和秋季后生浮游动物群落结构最为相似。RDA分析表明,水温、溶解氧和pH是影响园区湖泊后生浮游动物群落结构的主要环境因子。Pearson相关性分析表明,湖泊面积与后生浮游动物群落结构无显著相关关系,样点近岸距离与生物量具有显著的正相关关系。基于水质评价标准和物种多样性指数可知,园区湖泊水质整体处于轻-中度污染水平。研究表明苏州工业园区五大湖泊后生浮游动物群落结构表现出同质化趋势;季节变化、环境因子以及样点近岸距离是调控群落结构形成的主要因素。     

Ecology and role of zooplankton in the fishery of Lake Naivasha

Taxonomic composition, distribution, community structure and seasonality of Lake Naivasha zooplankton between 1978 and 1980 are described. The ecological status of the zooplankton in relation to prevailing ecological factors and the lakes fishery are discussed. Species composition of the zooplankton community in Lake Naivasha has been remarkably constant since first observations between 1929 and 1931. The community structure and distribution of the zooplankton in the lake varied little from July 1978 to July 1980, however, there was evidence of species succession among the larger zooplankters, especially the cladocerans. In the littoral area zooplankton contribute significantly to the food and production of juvenile fish. There is an absence of fish zooplanktivores in the limnetic area of the lake. Consequently the limnetic zooplankton is not utilised by higher trophic levels.     

人工试验湖泊浮游藻类群落的生态学研究

为了对转基因(CAgcGH)鲤的生态风险评估提供参考资料, 于2002年构建人工试验湖泊。研究分析了该人工湖泊浮游藻类群落的结构特征、季节动态、年际变化及其与水体各环境因子的关系。2006年至2010年间, 每季度采样, 共鉴定出浮游藻类7门47属66种, 其中绿藻种类最多。双向指示种分析(TWINSPAN)和除趋势对应分析(DCA)结果显示采样点数据可分为春夏秋冬4组, 说明该群落季节性明显。冬季群落结构简单, 多样性最低, 主要由小环藻(Cyclotella sp.)和分歧锥囊藻(Dinobryon divergens)组成; 春季, 小环藻、针杆藻(Synedra sp.)、颗粒直链藻(Melosira granulata)等几种硅藻占优势; 夏季群落结构复杂, 占优势的是银灰平裂藻(Merismopedia glauca)和螺旋鞘丝藻(Lyngbya contarta), 多样性最高; 秋季没有明显占优势的种类。5年间, 群落细胞密度上升了33.1%, 平均值为(1.430.75)106 cells/L; 硅藻在群落中所占比例从48.2%下降至16.2%, 而蓝藻从9.3%上升至42.2%。典范对应分析(CCA)的结果显示对浮游藻类影响最大的环境因子是温度和溶氧, 总氮浓度和总磷浓度的影响也是不可忽视的, 而pH在试验中对浮游藻类群落结构的影响有限。不同藻类在CCA排序图上有不同的分布格局, 一些硅藻主要分布在中低温采样点, 蓝藻集中分布在高温的采样点, 鼓藻主要出现在高透明度和高总磷浓度的采样点, 金藻主要分布在高溶氧浓度和低温的采样点。       

Phytoplankton assemblages and their periodicity in stratifying lake systems

A subjective analysis of the seasonal periodicity of phytoplankton populations in several natural lakes and experimental lake systems (Lund Tubes) has shown that the direction and patterns of change are both general and predictable. The paper distinguishes between autogenic successional changes, consistent with increasing community complexity and segregation, and allogenic changes resulting from turbulent disruption of the stratified system. The periodicity of the assemblages recognized is resolved through the interaction of two major variables – nutrient availability and column stability. A simple possibility matrix is proposed which can account for the observed changes in community structure. The principal pathways in eutrophic lakes (diatoms → Volcocales → Nostocales → dinoflagellates or Microcystis , with reversions through 'summer diatom'assemblages) and in mesotrophic lakes (diatoms → Chrysophyte/Sphaerocystis → dinoflagellates, with reversions through 'summer diatom-desmid'assemblages) are generally consistent with the growth and survival strategies of the principal algal species concerned.     

Effects of production, sedimentation and taphonomic processes on the composition and size structure of sedimenting cladoceran remains in a large deep subalpine lake: paleo-ecological implications

Changes in the composition and size structure of cladoceran remains collected in sediment traps (ST) were compared at a monthly time-resolution to the changes in the cladoceran source communities in order to assess the effects of production, sedimentation and taphonomic processes on the composition, completeness of time series and size structure of cladoceran remains in a large deep monomictic subalpine lake. Cladoceran remains collected in the ST globally reflected seasonal changes in the composition of the source community for the dominant taxa (Daphnia sp., Eubosmina spp. and. D. brachyurum) but failed in capturing accurately the seasonal changes in the abundance of the least abundant species, B. longirostris. Using allometric relationships, the average body size of the organisms that produced the remains retrieved in the ST could be reconstructed. Although the cladoceran average body size estimated from trap remains was always smaller than that of the source communities, temporal changes in the average body size of the dominant taxa in the source community were captured by trap samples. Our results showed that, in this deep subalpine lake, cladoceran remains production, sedimentation and taphonomic processes within the water column did not alter the compositional fidelity of remains at seasonal and annual time scales for the dominant taxa. Results did not show any significant over-representation of Bosmina and subsequent under-representation of Daphnia in contrast to previous studies on small and flat lakes. Our results suggest that the frequently observed under-estimation of Daphnia in fossil assemblages could be a consequence of the mesh size used when processing sediment core samples rather than of varying magnitude of degradation processes between small or flat lakes and deep lakes. Finally, our results support the use of the size of cladoceran remains within paleo-ecological studies to assess past changes in the size structure of the source communities.     

Pronounced seasonal dynamics of freshwater chitinase genes and chitin processing

Seasonal variation in activity of enzymes involved in polymer degradation, including chitinases, has been observed previously in freshwater environments. However, it is not known whether the seasonal dynamics are due to shifts in the activity of bacteria already present, or shifts in community structure towards emergence or disappearance of chitinolytic organisms. We traced seasonal shifts in the chitinase gene assemblage in a temperate lake and linked these communities to variation in chitinase activity. Chitinase genes from 20 samples collected over a full yearly cycle were characterized by pyrosequencing. Pronounced temporal shifts in composition of the chitinase gene pool (beta diversity) occurred along with distinct shifts in richness (alpha diversity) as well as chitin processing. Changes in the chitinase gene pool correlated mainly with temperature, abundance of crustacean zooplankton and phytoplankton blooms. Also changes in the physical structure of the lake, e.g. stratification and mixing were associated with changes in the chitinolytic community, while differences were minor between surface and suboxic hypolimnetic water. The lake characteristics influencing the chitinolytic community are all linked to changes in organic particles and we suggest that seasonal changes in particle quality and availability foster microbial communities adapted to efficiently degrade them.     

Annual Patterns in Bacterioplankton Community Variability in a Humic Lake

Bacterioplankton community composition (BCC) was monitored in a shallow humic lake in northern Wisconsin, USA, over 3 years using automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA). Comparison of ARISA profiles of bacterial communities over time indicated that BCC was highly variable on a seasonal and annual scale. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis indicated little similarity in BCC from year to year. Nevertheless, annual patterns in bacterioplankton community diversity were observed. Trends in bacterioplankton community diversity were correlated to annual patterns in community succession observed for phytoplankton and zooplankton populations, consistent with the notion that food web interactions affect bacterioplankton community structure in this humic lake. Bacterioplankton communities experience a dramatic drop in richness and abundance each year in early summer, concurrent with an increase in the abundance of both mixotrophic and heterotrophic flagellates. A second drop in richness, but not abundance, is observed each year in late summer, coinciding with an intense bloom of the nonphagotrophic dinoflagellate Peridinium limbatum. A relationship between bacterial community composition, size, and abundance and the population dynamics of Daphnia was also observed. The noted synchrony between these major population and species shifts suggests that linkages across trophic levels play a role in determining the annual time course of events for the microbial and metazoan components of the plankton.     

Composition and dispersal of riverine and lake phytoplankton communities in connected systems with different water retention times

1. Lake phytoplankton community structure may be influenced by both internal factors (predation, competition, resource constraints) and external ones, such as dispersal of materials and cells between connected habitats. However, little is known about the importance of cell dispersal for phytoplankton community structure in lakes. 2. We investigated the abundance and dispersal of phytoplankton cells between connected rivers and lakes, and analysed whether similarities in phytoplankton community composition between rivers and lakes were primarily related to cell import rates or to characteristics of the local habitat. We focused on lakes along a gradient of theoretical water retention times (TWRT). Two data sets from Swedish lakes were used; a seasonal study of two connected boreal forest lakes, differing in TWRT, and a multi‐lake study of 13 lakes with a continuous range of TWRTs. 3. Phytoplankton cells were transported and dispersed in all investigated rivers. In the seasonal study, cell import rates and similarities in phytoplankton community composition between the lake and its inlet(s) were much higher in the lake with a shorter TWRT. Phytoplankton community structure in different habitats was associated with total organic carbon (TOC). This indicates that local habitat characteristics may be important in determining lake phytoplankton community composition, even in the presence of substantial cell import. 4. The multi‐lake study also showed a negative relationship between TWRT and similarities in phytoplankton community composition between inlets and lakes. Moreover, similarity in community structure was related to both cell import rates from inlet to lake and differences in habitat characteristics between inlet and lake. However, the variable most strongly correlated with community structure was TOC, indicating that species sorting rather than a mass effect was the most important mechanism underlying the correlation between community structure and retention time. 5. Overall, our data suggest that local habitat characteristics may play a key role in determining community similarity in this set of lakes covering a large range of habitat connectedness. Due to the strong co‐variations between cell dispersal and TOC, it was hard to unequivocally disentangle the different mechanisms; hence, there is a need for further studies of the role of dispersal for phytoplankton community structures.     

Effects of a simulated upwelling event on the littoral epilithic diatom community of an ancient tropical lake (Lake Matano,Sulawesi Island,Indonesia)

Currently accepted paradigms in ecology dictate that disturbances at all temporal scales exert a significant influence on community structure and ecosystem stability. Microbial community resistance and resilience to perturbations are largely dependent on the physiological flexibility and taxonomic richness of the pre-perturbation community. Can a microbial community dominated by late-successional endemic taxa exhibit resistance and/or functional redundancy? In this study, intact littoral epilithic diatom communities from an ancient, tropical lake were exposed to oxygenated, filtered hypolimnetic water to simulate a lake upwelling event. Filtered lake surface water was used as a control. Discriminant function models based on changes in density and relative abundance of taxa after both treatments assigned samples to their correct treatment groups 100% of the time. A change in relative abundance of taxa between the two treatments indicated that competitive outcomes varied with a shift in the water chemistry, with different taxa exhibiting positive, negative, or neutral numerical responses. These results suggest that highly endemic diatom communities can maintain community function through shifts in competitive dynamics. We conclude that condition-specific competition models can be invoked to explain diatom community dynamics despite the inability of diatoms to use behavior to respond to changes in the abiotic environment.     

Seasonal dietary shifts enhance parasite transmission to lake salmonids during ice cover

Changes in abiotic and biotic factors between seasons in subarctic lake systems are often profound, potentially affecting the community structure and population dynamics of parasites over the annual cycle. However, few winter studies exist and interactions between fish hosts and their parasites are typically confined to snapshot studies restricted to the summer season whereas host‐parasite dynamics during the ice‐covered period rarely have been explored. The present study addresses seasonal patterns in the infections of intestinal parasites and their association with the diet of sympatric living Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) in Lake Takvatn, a subarctic lake in northern Norway. In total, 354 Arctic charr and 203 brown trout were sampled from the littoral habitat between June 2017 and May 2018. Six trophically transmitted intestinal parasite taxa were identified and quantified, and their seasonal variations were contrasted with dietary information from both stomachs and intestines of the fish. The winter period proved to be an important transmission window for parasites, with increased prevalence and intensity of amphipod‐transmitted parasites in Arctic charr and parasites transmitted through fish prey in brown trout. In Arctic charr, seasonal patterns in parasite infections resulted mainly from temporal changes in diet toward amphipods, whereas host body size and the utilization of fish prey were the main drivers in brown trout. The overall dynamics in the community structure of parasites chiefly mirrored the seasonal dietary shifts of their fish hosts.     

Phycoerythrin in the deeper water layer of a stratified eutrophic lake: An application of bile pigment in determining the standing crop of blue-green algae

Absorption spectra of intact phytoplankton cells collected from a stratified eutrophic lake in Japan were studied. Vertical and seasonal changes in the content of phycoerythrin of blue-green algae were indicated on the basis of the absorbance at 560 nm in those spectra. The possibility of an application of the technique to estimate the standing crop of blue-green algae in the phytoplankton community was discussed.     

Temporal Patterns in Bacterial Communities in Three Temperate Lakes of Different Trophic Status

Despite considerable attention in recent years, the composition and dynamics of lake bacterial communities over annual time scales are poorly understood. This study used automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) to explore the patterns of change in lake bacterial communities in three temperate lakes over 2 consecutive years. The study lakes included a humic lake, an oligotrophic lake, and a eutrophic lake, and the epilimnetic bacterial communities were sampled every 2 weeks. The patterns of change in bacterial communities indicated that seasonal forces were important in structuring the behavior of the bacterial communities in each lake. All three lakes had relatively stable community composition in spring and fall, but summer changes were dramatic. Summertime variability was often characterized by recurrent drops in bacterial diversity. Specific ARISA fragments derived from these lakes were not constant among lakes or from year to year, and those fragments that did recur in lakes in different years did not exhibit the same seasonal pattern of recurrence. Nonetheless, seasonal patterns observed in 2000 were fairly successful predictors of the rate of change in bacterial communities and in the degree of autocorrelation of bacterial communities in 2001. Thus, seasonal forces may be important structuring elements of these systems as a whole even if they are uncoupled from the dynamics of the individual system components.     

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.     

Observations and experiments on the phytoplankton of Blelham Tarn, English Lake District

Tubes composed of butyl rubber have been placed in a small English lake in an area where the water is 11-12 m deep. Each tube, when fully distended, contains over 18 000 m³ of water. The tubes are anchored to the shore and lake bottom. A boat can be rowed into them over a specially strengthened portion ofthe margin. The first was installed and its water isolated from that in the lake by the end of July 1970 and the second tube at the beginning of October 1970. The installation, maintenance, and performance of the tubes are described; as are suggested improvements. The temperature regime in the tubes closely follows that in the lake. If the chemical conditions are favourable, the seasonal cycle of Melosira in a tube is similar to that n i the lake. Contamination of the water in the tubes by that in the lake is slight and has a negligible effect on chemical conditions within them. Water can be lost from the tubes under certain conditions. The reverse does not happen. The phytoplankton communities in the tubes are similar in quality to those ofthe lake, even after 2-5 years of separation. The evidence suggests that the tubes are suitable for investigations on certain factors determining the abundance and seasonal cycles of algae in lakes and for other limnological studies.     

Biology of Clupeichthys aesarnensis (Clupeidae) in Ubolratana Reservoir,Thailand, with Special Reference to Food and Feeding Habits

The freshwater sardine Clupeichthys aesarnensis is a zooplanktivore like many clupeids. In Ubolratana reservoir, Thailand, it feeds selectively on larger zooplankters, especially Cladocera and to a lesser extent on Copepoda. Other zooplankters are also consumed together with both living and dead insects and occasionally its own young. It feeds during the day. Our results indicate that the slight seasonal differences in food consumed probably reflects differences in availability at different seasons and sites. The fish grows in weight, as expected, at a higher rate than the cube of its length. The condition factor is the same for males and females and shows some seasonal variation. Data on fecundity and gonadosomatic index mark this fish as highly fecund and a year-round spawner. Its short life span, favourable growth and high fecundity make it a valuable source of cheap protein. In 1990, 17% (about 300 tons) of the fish catch from Ubolratana came from this fish.     

SPATIOTEMPORAL VARIATION OF THE ABUNDANCE OF CALCAREOUS GREEN MACROALGAE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS: A STUDY OF SYNCHRONY WITHIN A MACROALGAL FUNCTIONAL‐FORM GROUP1

The abundance of calcareous green algae was recorded quarterly at 28 sites within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) for a period of 7 years as part of a sea grass monitoring program. To evaluate the validity of using the functional‐form group approach, we designed a sampling method that included the functional‐form group and the component genera. This strategy enabled us to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns in the abundance of calcareous green algae as a group and to describe synchronous behavior among its genera through the application of a nonlinear regression model to both categories of data. Spatial analyses revealed that, in general, all genera displayed long‐term trends of increasing abundance at most sites; however, at some sites the long‐term trends for genera opposed one another. Strong synchrony in the timing of seasonal changes was found among all genera, possibly reflecting similar reproductive and seasonal growth pattern, but the variability in the magnitude of seasonal changes was very high among genera and sites. No spatial patterns were found in long‐term or seasonal changes; the only significant relation detected was for slope, with sites closer to land showing higher values, suggesting that some factors associated with land proximity are affecting this increase. We conclude that the abundances of genera behaved differently from the functional‐form group, indicating that the use of the functional‐form group approach may be unsuitable to detect changes in sea grass community structure in the FKNMS at the existing temporal and spatial scale of the monitoring program.     

Nearly a decade‐long repeatable seasonal diversity patterns of bacterioplankton communities in the eutrophic Lake Donghu (Wuhan,China)

Uncovering which environmental factors govern community diversity patterns and how ecological processes drive community turnover are key questions related to understand the community assembly. However, the ecological mechanisms regulating long‐term variations of bacterioplankton communities in lake ecosystems remain poorly understood. Here we present nearly a decade‐long study of bacterioplankton communities from the eutrophic Lake Donghu (Wuhan, China) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing with MiSeq platform. We found strong repeatable seasonal diversity patterns in terms of both common (detected in more than 50% samples) and dominant (relative abundance >1%) bacterial taxa turnover. Moreover, community composition tracked the seasonal temperature gradient, indicating that temperature is a key environmental factor controlling observed diversity patterns. Total phosphorus also contributed significantly to the seasonal shifts in bacterioplankton composition. However, any spatial pattern of bacterioplankton communities across the main lake areas within season was overwhelmed by their temporal variabilities. Phylogenetic analysis further indicated that 75%–82% of community turnover was governed by homogeneous selection due to consistent environmental conditions within seasons, suggesting that the microbial communities in Lake Donghu are mainly controlled by niche‐based processes. Therefore, dominant niches available within seasons might be occupied by similar combinations of bacterial taxa with modest dispersal rates throughout different lake areas.