Seasonal changes in the abundance and distribution of planktonic rotifers in Grasmere (English Lake District)

SUMMARY. The planktonic rotifers of Grasmere, a small lake in the English Lake District, were studied from August 1969 to December 1972. Twenty-four species were recorded but five were very rare. The remaining species were divided into three groups according to their seasonal occurrence: spring to autumn species ( Keratella quadrata. K. cochlearis, Gastropus stylifer, Asplauduia priodonta. Kellicottia Umgispina, Conochilus hippocrepis )., spring to early summer species ( Polyarthra dolichoptera, Synchaeta tremula, S. pectinata, S. stylata, S. oblonga, C. unicornis ), summer to autumn species ( Polyarthra vulgaris, P. major. Filinia terminalis, S. grandis, Ploesoma hudsoni, Trichocerca capucina, T. similis ). The months in which each species was abundant are given.
Keratella quadrata and Filinia terminalis were most abundant in the deepest stratum, Kellicottia longispina and Conochilus spp. were most abundant in the upper and middle strata. Trichocerca spp. showed no pronounced vertical distribution, and all the remaining species were most abundant in the upper stratum. Keratella cochlearis and Kellicottia longispina attained their highest densities over a wide range of temperature and oxygen concentration. Filinia terminalis, Conchihis spp., Asplanchna priodonta. K. quadrata , and Polyarthra spp., attained their highest densities within a narrow range of temperature and oxygen concentration. Optimum ranges are given for each species.
Major changes occurred between 1971 and 1972 when Asplanchna priodonta. Kellicottia longispina, Conochilus unicornis and Filinia terminalis increased in abundance, whilst Keratella quadrata. Gastropus stylifer, C. hippocrepis, Polyarthra spp., Synchaeta spp. and Ploesoma hudsoni decreased in abundance. These changes are discussed in relation to the temperature and oxygen requirements of each species and also to the probable enrichment of the lake after the opening of a new sewage works in June 1971.     

Correlations between nutrient concentrations and zooplankton populations in a mesotrophic reservoir

1. A year-round study was conducted in a mesotrophic reservoir to determine the dynamics of zooplankton populations as a function of food availability (edible phytoplankton), nutrient concentration, temperature and hydraulic regime.
2. Rotifer biomass was correlated with soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentration. The abundance of the rotifers Keratella cochlearis and Anuraeopsis fissa were not correlated with food availability (measured by chlorophyll and cell counts) but showed a strong dependence on P availability. Another rotifer, Synchaeta oblonga , and crustacean species were not related to nutrient availability but seemed to be dependent on food concentrations, especially of some phytoplankton taxa.
3. In this field study, rotifers seemed more susceptible than Daphnia or copepods to P-limitation. Among rotifer species, Keratella seemed to be more susceptible than Anuraeopsis to P limitation. Different susceptibilities of zooplankton species to nutrient limitation may be important in explaining the dynamics of these organisms in natural situations. Further analyses are warranted to clarify the interactions between nutrient limitation and energy limitation among zooplankton.     

Rotifers as indicators of lake types in Estonia

Data on the pelagic rotifer fauna in 10 Estonian lakes accumulated for 20 years, as well as published data are analysed. It is possible to distinguish three main indicator groups among rotifers: (1) for oligo- and mesotrophic lakes (Ploesoma hudsoni, Keratella serrulata, Synchaeta grandis, Asplanchna herricki, Ascomorpha ovalis, Gastropus stylifer, Conochilus hippocrepsis); (2) for meso-and eutrophic lakes (Trichocerca capucina, Filinia longiseta, F. limnetica, Keratella quadrata, K. cochlearis tecta, K.c. hispida, Polyarthra euryptera, Keratella hiemalis, Trichocerca porcellus, T. pusilla); (3) for eutrophic lakes (Brachionus spp., Anuraeopsis fissa, Pompholyx sulcata, P. complanata, Trichocerca cylindrica, Hexarthra mira).     

Zooplankton Composition,Diversity and Physicochemical Features of Bandam Kommu Pond,Medak District,Telangana, India

The present investigation aims to study the zooplankton composition, diversity along with physicochemical profile in a chosen pond at Medak district from December, 2010 to November, 2012. The study revealed the occurrence of 80 zooplankton species including 60 rotifers, 18 cladocerans and 02 copepods. Zooplankton density fluctuated between 119 and 26,463/L, diversity H′ = 0.89–2.68, species richness 5–21 and dominance 18.6–74.1 % over the 2 years study period. Rotifers were more predominant than other zooplankton communities, especially family Brachionidae and Lecanidae. High density of the overall zooplankton community was due to more rotifer population and the numerical dominance of the species Brachionus angularis, B. calyciflorus, B. caudatus, Keratella tropica, Filinia terminalis and Epiphanies mucronata. It was observed that the zooplankton density significantly correlates with pH values of the pond. Physicochemical profile of the pond shows tropical climate, hard water and alkaline in nature. Chloride content was found to be high may be due to the anthropogenic pressure and influx of sewage. The high content of phosphate and nitrate reveals that the pond is enriched with nutrients. This has significant correlation with zooplankton dominance. The present findings clearly indicates the eutrophication of the pond.     

Temporal and vertical distribution of planktonic rotifers in a meromictic crater lake,Lake Nyahirya (Western Uganda)

Quantitative zooplankton sampling was carried out biweekly during 16 months in Lake Nyahirya, a Western Uganda crater lake. Six out of 24 rotifer species recorded from the lake were quantitatively important (Horaella brehmi, Brachionus angularis, B. caudatus, Keratella tropica, Filinia longiseta and F. opoliensis, and three others were common (Brachionus falcatus, Asplanchna sieboldi and Conochiloides natans). Rotifer peaks were correlated with rainy periods and relatively clear water, which coincide with the European spring and autumn. All species were able to deal with hypoxic conditions. A clear niche separation can be observed between different genera and between species of the same genus. The population dynamics of the rotifers seem to be ruled by repeated irregular environmental fluctuations. Rainfall appears to be a primary steering factor.     

The rotifers of Lake Peipus

In the northern part of Lake Peipus, 140 taxa of rotifers were identified, with species of Anuraeopsis, Conochilus, Keratella, Polyarthra and Synchaeta dominating. Two main periods of sexual reproduction occur, in the spring and autumn. Different life cycle patterns are represented. Rotifer number and biomass have two maxima between spring and early autumn. The contribution of rotifers to total zooplankton production varies from 13.6% (Oct.) to 89.8% (May). The average production of grazing rotifers is 485.1 kJ m^–2, while that of predatory rotifers (Asplanchna) is 10.0 kJ m^–2.     

美洲龟甲轮虫的分类特征及与我国热带地区常见龟甲轮虫的比较

美洲龟甲轮虫Keratella americana Carlin,1943年被认为主要分布在美洲地区,但陆续报告在其他地区有出现。2015年在对华南地区浮游动物调查时发现,星云湖、抚仙湖、百色水库及飞来峡水库中均出现该种类。检测了广西百色水库中龟甲轮虫的COⅠ序列,与已知美洲龟甲轮虫序列相似度高达98%。中国该龟甲轮虫种群与墨西哥美洲龟甲轮虫种群间差异度为2%,进一步确定为美洲龟甲轮虫。文章描述了美洲龟甲轮虫形态及生境,使用扫描电镜法比较了美洲龟甲轮虫、螺形龟甲轮虫Keratella cochlearis（Gosse,1851）、热带龟甲轮虫Keratella tropica（Apstein,1907）及无棘龟甲轮虫Keratella tecta（Gosse,1851）的咀嚼器。美洲龟甲轮虫主要特点为:背甲长度远大于宽度,侧中棘刺短于侧棘刺,背甲中央最后一个板块未封闭,向后棘刺延伸。4种龟甲轮虫咀嚼器主要区别在于砧基的形状,美洲龟甲轮虫砧基比其他3种轮虫发达,螺形龟甲轮虫砧基似“T”形,热带龟甲轮虫砧基为扇形,无棘龟甲轮虫平直。种间的砧基存在明显差异,可作为热带地区龟甲轮属的分类依据。     

Pelagic rotifers of Lake Glubokoe from 1897 to 1984

After alteration in the pattern of drainage of run-off from the surrounding swamps and changes in the colour and transparency of the Lake Glubokoe water, the previously epilimnial Trichocerca similis, Conochilus unicornis and Keratella cochlearis showed a shift of their maximum numbers to deeper layers. Pompholyx sp. and Trichocerca capucina, which are regarded as indicators of eutrophic waters, have disappeared from the pelagic zone of the lake and Conochilus hippocrepis, Synchaeta pectinata, Gastropus stylifer, Asplanchna herricki, Ascomorpha ecaudis, Ascomorpha saltans, Euchlanis dilatata and Trichocerca porcellus have made their appearance. Most of the new species are considered to be indicators of oligotrophic conditions. However the total density of pelagic rotifers remained at the same level. Apparently the establishment of the new species of rotifers was possible due to some ‘rarefaction’ of the epilimnion, the disappearance of predaceous Mesocyclops leuckarti and the invasion of the pelagic zone by Peridinium cinctum.     

Peritrich epibiont protozoans in the zooplankton of a subtropical shallow aquatic ecosystem (Monjolinho Reservoir, Sao Carlos, Brazil)

Peritrich epibiont protozoans and metazooplankton (rotifers,cladocerans and copepods) were investigated seasonally in ashallow eutrophic artificial reservoir in a subtropical region(Monjolinho Reservoir, Brazil). The ciliated peritrichs Rhabdostylasp. and Scyphidia sp. were found to colonize individuals ofdifferent metazooplanktonic groups, especially copepods (47.20%of the total number of metazooplanktonic organisms found withepibionts and 57.14% of infection in the copepod population).Copepods also had the greatest epibiont load, followed by cladoceransand rotifers. Rotifers were the most important metazooplanktonicgroup (90.14% of the total) and the taxa observed with epibiontswere Filinia longiseta, Polyarthra, Brachionus and Keratella,with highest preference for the first organism. F. longisetawas present at low density compared with the others and thepreference as a substrate for epibionts may be related to itstype of adhesion surface (soft) and/or feeding habits (particlefeeding).     

Prey selectivities of threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and phantom midge larvae (Chaoborus spp.) in Newfoundland lakes

SUMMARY. 1. Threespine stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) and Chaoborus ( C. punctipennis and C. trivittatus ) planktivore populations were sampled from several oligotrophic lakes on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, Canada. Pelagic zooplankton communities in these lakes consist of Daphnia catawba, Holopedium gibberum, Eubosmina longispina, Leptodiaptorma minutus, Epischura nordenskioldi, Cyclops scutifer and rotifers ( Conochilus unicornis, Keratella and Kellicottia spp.).
2. Comparison of gut contents of G. aculeatus and crop contents of later instar Chaoborus larvae with lake zooplankton communities indicated that the vertebrate and invertebrate plank tivores show contrasting species and size selectivities in their choice of zooplankton prey. Prey selectivities were quantified by means of the selectivity index α.
3. G. aculeatus showed positive selectivity for larger zooplankton (greater than 0.76 mm in length), typically the cladoceran D. catawba , while Chaoborus larvae showed positive selectivity for smaller zooplankton (less than 0.50 mm in length), typically the cladoceran E. longispina . While rotifers never featured in the diet of the sticklebacks, these zooplankters were a common component of the chaoborid diet. H. gibberum , with its gelatinous sheath, was rarely found in the gut contents of G. aculeatus and was never found in the crop contents of Chaoborus larvae.
4. Selective predation by these planklivores in the relatively shallow and well-mixed oligotrophic Avalon lakes may influence species composition and size structure of the pelagic zooplankton communities.     

Preliminary remarks on the characteristics of the rotifer fauna of Australia (Notogaea)

Unusually large forms of Asplanchna sieboldi, Brachionus plicatilis, B. calycijlorus, Filinia pejleri, Trichocerca similis and Keratella slacki were collected from waters of south-eastern Australia. These giant forms are figured, and brief location and ecological data are given. Although the rotifer fauna of the Murray riversystem contains pan-tropical and pan-subtropical species, there exists a greater degree of endemicity than previously considered.     

密云水库的浮游生物群落

2002年4～10月对密云水库浮游生物群落的调查结果显示：浮游植物有6门,58属,122种,细胞密度为565．30～10^4cells／L,4月份硅藻(Bacillariophyta)占优势,6～10月蓝藻(Cyanophyta)占绝对优势．浮游植物优势种群有水华微囊藻(Microcystis flas-aquae)、颗粒直链藻(Melosira granulata)、梅尼小环藻(Cyclotella meneghiniana)、角甲藻(Ceratium hirundinella)等。浮游动物有36种,密度为4761ind/L;浮游动物具有原生动物在数量上占绝对优势．轮虫次之,枝角类与桡足类数量较少的特点。浮游动物的优势种群有弹跳虫(Halteria grandinella)、急游虫(Stromlridium uiHde)、针簇多肢轮虫(Polyarthra trigla)、螺形龟甲轮虫(Keratella cochlearis)、广布中剑水蚤(Mesocyclops leuckarti)、长额象鼻蚤(Bosmlna longirostris)等．与1980年监测结果相比,密云水库浮游生物总密度上升较快,群落结构和优势种群也发生了明显变化．浮游生物优势种群的指示作用显示,在植物生长季节,库区水体已进入富营养状态。     

Feeding ecology of pelagic fish species in the Gulf of Riga (Baltic Sea): the importance of changes in the zooplankton community

The feeding ecology of four pelagic fish species was studied in relation to their prey availability in the Gulf of Riga (Baltic Sea) during the summer 1999-2006. The zooplankton community was dominated by the cladoceran Bosmina longispina, rotifers Keratella cochlearis and K. quadrata and the copepod Eurytemora affinis, with the highest interannual variability in abundance recorded for B. longispina. The last influenced the diet of adult sprat Sprattus sprattus, juvenile smelt Osmerus eperlanus and three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus as these were strongly selecting for B. longispina. The fish feeding activity did not match the abundance dynamics of their preferred prey, suggesting that fishes may switch to consume other prey in case the preferred diet was limited. A considerable dietary overlap indicated high potential competition between pelagic fish species. While herring Clupea harengus membras and G. aculeatus were relying on very different food, the diets of young O. eperlanus and G. aculeatus were very similar. Interannual variability in zooplankton composition and abundance significantly affected the diet composition of fishes, but those changes were insufficient to exert a consistent influence upon fish feeding activity and total amounts of zooplankton consumed.     

流溪河水库中瘤棘砂壳虫的摄食食物种类研究

有壳变形虫是一些单细胞的,异养的,自由生活的,生活在由有机颗粒,石英啥,硅质的矿物质等以规则的顺序组成的外壳中的原生动物^[1],广泛分布于世界各地^[2],水生砂壳虫是其典型代表^[3]。据报道砂壳虫摄食水中的微小颗粒以及轮虫,甚至是大型的浮游生物^[4]。因而砂壳虫可能是水体中连接经典食物链和微型食物链的关键浮游生物。为了系统地研究砂壳虫的摄食行为的特点,在流溪河水库水体中进行了两年的野外监测并结合室内活体观察。瘤棘砂壳虫最初发现于贵州,杨军等人于2004年重新描述了该种类并给予系统地形态学和壳元素组成研究^[5],是流溪河水库该属的一个优势种类。瘤棘砂壳在流溪河水库中于晚春出现,秋季消失,种群在夏季达到峰值。据活体观察,该种类属肉食性,其摄食浮游生物主要是轮虫,包括胶鞘轮虫,独角聚花轮虫(个体),螺形龟甲轮虫,红多肢轮虫(死亡个体),奇异六腕轮虫(死亡个体),对棘异尾轮虫(死亡个体),以及无节幼体(死亡个体)。瘤棘砂壳虫2006年出现于5月~10月,丰度范围为1.2~25.88ind.·L^-1,2007年丰度范围为0.2~11.2 ind.·L^-1。螺形龟甲轮虫和红多肢轮虫的丰度范围分别为0.2~101.2ind.·L^-1,0.1~45.71ind.·L^-1。胶鞘轮虫和独角聚花轮虫的丰度范围分别为0.02~11.4ind.·L^-1,0~26 ind.·L^-1,并且都是在夏季达到峰值。胶鞘轮虫和独角聚花轮虫由于身体柔软、游泳速度不快,是易被瘤棘砂壳虫摄食的轮虫。独角聚花轮虫在自然水体中有集群行为,能够抵御肉食动物的捕食,因为在自然水体中被摄食的几率较小。而其它的轮虫如龟甲轮虫,红多肢轮虫,由于外壳硬,游泳速度快,瘤棘砂壳虫对它们的捕食成功率很低。瘤棘砂壳虫主要依靠伪足进行摄食活动和爬行,其摄食行为和机制应该得到进一步的研究。     

The plankton community of an acid blackwater South Carolina power plant impoundment

Robinson Impoundment, an acid blackwater system in the South Carolina sandhills, serves as a cooling pond for a 854 MW power plant. It is divided by a causeway into an upper and lower impoundment. The upper impoundment is narrow, shallow, exhibits higher flow, and much more periphytic and rooted aquatic macrophyte vegetation. The lower impoundment is wide and deep with many sandy shoreline areas and little macrophyte vegetation.The zooplankton and phytoplankton communities of both the lower and upper impoundment were investigated over a three-year period (1980–1982) in an effort to determine power plant discharge effects on the plankton. Primary productivity rates were low, characteristic of an oligotrophic system. The phytoplankton community was dominated by the Bacillariophyceae and Chlorophyceae in cell density and the Chlorophyceae in species richness. The zooplankton community was dominated numerically by copepods, rotifers, and cladocerans, respectively. Principal zooplankton species includedDiaptomus mississippiensis, Bosmina longirostris, Diaphanosoma brachyurum, Keratella americana, K. cochlearis, Pompholyx sulcata, andConochiloides coenobasis. The rotifers were dominant in species richness, while crustacean zooplankton species richness was usually quite low. Statistical analyses performed using phytoplankton and zooplankton population variables indicated that in most cases upper impoundment densities were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than lower impoundment densities which were likely a function of the lotic upper impoundment habitat. No significant differences were found between the discharge area and the rest of the lower impoundment stations suggesting that localized power plant discharge effects did not occur during the study. Peak midsummer thermal discharge (36.0 ° C) may have caused temporary reductions inD. mississippiensis and several rotifers. Thermal stimulation during summer may have caused population increases for the filter-feeding cladocerans,B. longirostris andD. brachyurum.     

Spatial variations in the composition and abundance of zooplankton in the Bahir Dar Gulf of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

The zooplankton in the littoral and open water zones of Bahir Dar Gulf, Lake Tana, collected in June and July 2007, were investigated using basic statistical measurement of diversity indices and one way analysis of variance to characterize the zooplankton fauna, with respect to its composition, abundance and spatial distribution patterns. The zooplankton composition was typical of a tropical freshwater lake, with a total of 44 species made up of sixteen rotifers, sixteen c1adocerans and twelve copepods and their developing stages in the following order of dominance; Rotifera > Cladocera > Cylopoida > Calanoida. Variation in spatial distribution was noticeable, the abundance of zooplankton was significantly higher ( P  < 0.05) at the littoral zone (Stations 2 and 3) than the open water (Station 1) as a result of the preponderance of the small-bodied nauplii stages, small rotifers and c1adocerans particularly Bosmina longirostris . Species richness, evenness, and diversity also increased as abundance increased in the littoral zones of the lake. The rotifers, particularly the brachionids Keratella and Brachionus spp., which are considered good indicators of lake trophic status constituted the dominant zooplankton group in terms of abundance and diversity, thus indicating that the lake has a high fisheries potential.     

Zooplankton Diversity of Osmansagar Reservoir,Telangana, India

Zooplankton composition and diversity in Osmansagar reservoir, Telangana, India were investigated during the year 2010–2012. Collected data revealed the occurrence of 66 species of zooplankton, of which 50 rotifers, 14 cladocerans and two copepods. The population density of zooplankton varied from 83 to 1080 Ind./L. The highest density was due to rotifer and copepod population. Diversity (H′) was ranged from 0.679 to 2.631, evenness (J′) was 0.257 to 0.904 and species richness was 8–24. The less diversity and evenness was observed in November 2011, March and August 2012, because of copepoda dominance by Mesocyclops leuckarti. The population abundance of zooplankton was Brachionus forficula, Brachionus diversicornis, Brachionus calyciflorus, Keratella tropica, Trichocerca similis and Diaphanosoma sp. especially during the summer seasons in both the years. There was no seasonal periodicity of any zooplankton communities, but the population turnover was observed from rotifers to copepoda over the study period. The significant inter and intra relationship between and within physicochemical and zooplankton indices were noted. It is found that surface water temperature, magnesium and total hardness could be a limiting factor for the species richness. Dominance may be due to the numerical abundance of rotifer and copepod and it has a positive significant correlation with pH.     

Zooplankton community structure along a trophic gradient in a canyon-shaped dam reservoir

The zooplankton community was surveyed along the longitudinalaxis of Rimov Reservoir (Czech Republic) on seven occasionsduring the vegetative season of 1996. The dimictic Rimov Reservoirhas a pronounced trophic gradient along its axis. In nearlyall samples, rotifers were dominant by numbers and formed onaverage 60–95% of the total zooplankton (including copepodnauplii). There was a consistent pattern of increasing relativeabundance of rotifers in the upper regions of the reservoircompared with the downstream parts. Very large rotifer populationscould develop in the upper regions, often associated with floodevents, but also coinciding with reduced abundance of crustaceansassociated with stronger wash-out effects and the advent ofturbid conditions. There was a greater similarity between twoadjacent sites in the proportions of crustacean species thanof rotifer species. This is partially due to the greater speciesdiversity of rotifers than of crustaceans. The timing of theseasonal succession of zooplankton species showed a coherentpattern along the whole longitudinal profile. The site-specificzooplankton patchiness seems to be reduced as there was no sitedependence if average data on zooplankton composition from downstreamlacustrine sites were compared.     

Vertical and seasonal distributions of micro-organisms,zooplankton and phytoplankton in a eutrophic lake

The vertical distributions of bacteria, picoalgae,protozoan and metazoan zooplankton, and phytoplanktonin the highly eutrophic Lake Köyliönjärvi(SW Finland) were studied monthly during the period ofice-cover in January-April 1996. For comparison, wealso provide some data on the distributions of theplankton during the summer. The whole watercolumn remained oxic during the ice-covered period,although the near-bottom oxygen concentrations werealways very low. The heterotrophic nanoflagellateswere more abundant in winter than in summer, butciliates, picoalgae and bacteria were more numerous insummer. In general both zooplankton and phytoplanktonhad low biomass during the ice-covered period.However, the biomass of the diatom Aulacoseiraislandica ssp. islandica was high under the icein April. The calanoid copepod Eudiaptomusgraciloides was the dominant zooplankton species fromJanuary to March, but had almost disappeared by thebeginning of April and did not increase again until inJune. The dominant rotifer species in winterwere Keratella cochlearis, Filinia terminalis,and Filinia longiseta in the surface water andRotaria neptunia near the bottom.     

Studies on the zooplankton community of a shallow lagoon of the Southern Baltic Sea: long-term trends,seasonal changes,and relations with physical and chemical parameters

The Darß-Zingst Lagoon, a coastal inlet of the southern Baltic Sea, was subject to extended monitoring. The biomass data of zooplankton from 1969 to 2001 were used to analyze long-term trends and to correlate zooplankton biomass with abiotic factors. The dominant species in the lagoon were the calanoid copepods Eurytemora affinis and Acartia tonsa, and the rotifer Keratella cochlearis f. tecta. In the long-term trend, two pronounced changes in zooplankton biomass and species composition were observed. They are discussed in connection with a shift in dominance from macrophytes to phytoplankton and the invasion of a polychaet species into the lagoon. Significant relations between zooplankton data and abiotic parameters were found. While temperature, precipitation and NAO winter index correlated positively with copepods and negatively with rotifers, the relationships were inversely for pH-value and duration of ice cover.