鄱阳湖丰水期水位波动对浮游动物群落演替的影响

为了解鄱阳湖夏季丰水期水位剧烈波动过程中浮游动物的群落演替特征,2012年夏季鄱阳湖水位剧烈波动期间,于6月24日、7月7日和8月27日当水位下降且接近17.6 m时,在江西鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区内的1个浅水碟形湖泊设置4个采样点进行采样调查。共发现浮游动物65种,其中轮虫52种,枝角类7种,桡足类6种,多为营浮游生活的广温性和嗜温性种类。单因子方差分析(one-way ANOVA)显示3个月之间浮游动物的密度和生物量均具有显著差异(P0.05),7月份浮游动物密度(1030.17±68.18个/L)显著高于6月份(325.16±41.60个/L)和8月份(203.79±24.91个/L);6月份浮游动物的生物量(0.56±0.04 mg/L)显著低于7月份(1.22±0.11 mg/L)和8月份(0.99±0.11 mg/L)。基于浮游动物多度的聚类分析和自组织映射神经网络图均揭示夏季3个月份的浮游动物可区分为明显的3个群落:6月群落、7月群落和8月群落。蒙特卡罗检验发现水温、电导率、浊度和溶氧与浮游动物群落结构变化显著相关(P0.05)。典型相关分析显示,6月份浮游动物群落与叶绿素a含量呈显著正相关关系,7月份浮游动物群落与水体温度呈显著正相关关系,8月份浮游动物群落与水深和电导率、浊度和溶氧呈显著正相关关系(P0.05)。在3个月均为优势物种的盖氏精囊轮虫与叶绿素a含量呈正相关关系(P0.05),与水温、pH、溶氧呈负相关(P0.05)。夏季水位波动过程中浮游动物的群落结构在时间上(月份之间)发生明显演替,呈现轮虫密度逐渐降低,枝角类和桡足类密度逐渐增加的变化规律。水位波动引起环境因子的改变,从而对浮游动物的群落演替产生了重要影响。     

Fish-zooplankton interactions and their effects on water quality of a tropical Brazilian reservoir

The influence of zooplanktivorous fishes on the plankton community and water quality of Americana Reservoir, Brazil was studied experimentally in 4 floating enclosures during the dry seasons (July–September) of 1982 and 1983. Two enclosures were stocked with adult fish (Astyanax bimaculatus in 1982;A. fasciatus in 1983) at near maximal densities measured in the reservoir upper surface waters (35 m^–2) and two were fish-free during each experiment lasting about one month. Marked differences were evident between the fish and fish-free enclosures after a 2–3 week period in each experiment, particularly with respect to water transparency, phytoplankton biomass, and zooplankton abundance as well as species and size composition. By the end of each experiment water transparencies were lower and phytoplankton biomass higher in the fish enclosures compared to those without fish. Also at that time Rotifera were the prominent zooplankters in the fish enclosures and Cladocera in the fish-free ones. Larger or more conspicuous species of Cladocera asDaphnia gessneri, D. ambigua, andMoina micrura were present in the fish-free enclosures but not in the fish enclosures. The interactions between fish predation, zooplankton grazing, phytoplankton biomass and water quality conditions are discussed in relation to eutrophication of a tropical aquatic ecosystem.     

莱州湾金城海域浮游动物群落结构及与环境因子的关系

于2009年和2010年3—12月在莱州湾金城海域对浮游动物群落结构及其环境因子进行了连续20个月份的综合调查,共记录到浮游动物75种,分属14个不同大类。浮游动物以桡足类和浮游幼虫居多,分别鉴定出22种、20类,占种类总数的29.3%、26.7%,其次为水螅水母类,鉴定出11种,端足类、被囊动物、腹足类和栉水母类分别鉴定出6种、4种、4种、2种,其它枝角类、毛颚动物、等足类、糠虾类、磷虾类以及钵水母类各鉴定出1种。主要优势种为强壮箭虫(优势度Y=0.24)、中华哲水蚤(Y=0.13)、墨氏胸刺水蚤(Y=0.07)、以及洪氏纺锤水蚤(Y=0.02)。2009年与2010年浮游动物群落结构的变化趋势比较稳定,同一季节群落结构相似度达到40%以上。浮游动物丰度分别在2009年及2010年的5月份达到最高值951.65个/m3、1348.14个/m3。种类数分别在2009年9月和2010年6月达到最高值48种、40种。多样性指数分别在2009年10月及2010年5月达到最高值2.6、2.7,呈现明显的季节变化特征。典范对应分析(Canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)显示,水温和盐度是影响浮游动物群落结构最主要的影响因子,水温与浮游动物种类数的相关系数达到0.87(P0.01)。盐度与浮游动物数量的相关系数为0.484(P0.05)。透明度、化学耗氧量、pH、叶绿素及总氮总磷等环境参数对浮游动物群落结构的影响较弱。     

烟台四十里湾浮游动物群落特征及与环境因子的关系

2009年3月—2010年12月在烟台四十里湾海域对浮游动物群落结构及其环境因子进行了连续20个航次的综合调查,记录到浮游动物8大类共计64种(类)。浮游动物主要类群为桡足类和浮游幼虫,分别发现22种、18类,占总种(类)数34%、28%;其次为水螅水母类,发现13种,占20%;毛颚动物和栉水母类各发现1种。浮游动物的优势种为中华哲水蚤(Y=0.183)、腹针胸刺水蚤(Y=0.078)、强壮箭虫(Y=0.078)和洪氏纺锤水蚤(Y=0.026)。浮游动物的生态类型主要为温带近岸种和广布性种。四十里湾海域浮游动物群落结构的季节变化较为明显,春、夏、秋、冬四季之间群落结构有显著性差异(P0.05),同一季节内群落结构相似度较高,达55%以上。浮游动物丰度中位值在5月份达到最高(546.3个/m~3);种类数、多样性指数中位值均在8月达到最高,分别为18种、3.20;浮游动物生物量呈现出双峰变化模型,5月份达到第1峰值(中位值870.4 mg/m~3),10月份为第2峰值(中位值362.0 mg/m~3)。浮游动物种类数高值区主要分布在养马岛北部海域,而丰度高值区主要分布在近岸尤其是辛安河口海域。浮游动物种类数及多样性指数与水温、化学需氧量、硅酸盐显著正相关(P0.01),与盐度、溶解氧、无机氮显著负相关(P0.01);水温和盐度是影响浮游动物分布的主要环境因子,其次是硅酸盐、叶绿素a和化学需氧量,活性磷酸盐、溶解氧、透明度以及无机氮对浮游动物分布的影响较小。     

富营养化对小型湖泊浮游甲壳动物群落结构及多样性的影响

2017年3月到2018年2月研究了临涣湖浮游甲壳动物群落结构的季节变化。临涣湖共记录浮游甲壳动物13种,其中枝角类8属8种,桡足类5属5种。短尾秀体溞(Diaphanosoma brachyurum)、广布中剑水蚤(Mesocyclops leuckarti)和象鼻溞(Bosmina sp.)等小型富营养种类是温暖季节的优势种,而近邻剑水蚤(Cyclops vicinus)是冬季的优势种。盔形溞(Daphnia galeata)等大型种类仅在少数月份中被观察到。临涣湖浮游甲壳动物的年平均密度和生物量分别为28.3个/L和0.33 mg/L。营养状态指数(TSI_M)的年平均值为62.6。浮游甲壳动物的Shannon指数、Pielou指数和Simpson指数的年平均值分别为0.86、0.74和0.49,且3种多样性指数均具有显著的季节差异。营养盐水平、营养状态指数和物种多样性指数均表明,临涣湖水体处于富营养化状态。冗余分析结果表明,水温、总磷浓度和叶绿素a浓度是影响临涣湖浮游甲壳动物群落结构变化的上行效应因子。鲢、鳙鱼的捕食压力是临涣湖浮游甲壳动物群落结构小型化的下...     

Ultraviolet and temperature effects on planktonic rotifers and crustaceans in northern temperate lakes

1. Anthropogenic stressors such as climate change, ozone depletion and acidification may act in concert to alter ultraviolet (UV) light and temperature regimes in freshwater ecosystems. These physical and chemical changes will inevitably affect zooplankton community dynamics, but little is known about their relative effects on different species in natural communities. During spring, species that migrate to surface waters to take advantage of warmer temperatures may be especially vulnerable as UV levels can be high. 2. The objective of this study was to investigate the in situ effects of UV and temperature on a natural assemblage of planktonic rotifers and crustaceans during the spring. We performed in situ exposure experiments in two lakes with different surface temperatures. 3. Exposure to UV had a significant effect on the abundance and/or reproduction of four rotifers: Gastropus spp., Kellicottia bostonensis, Kellicottia longispina, Keratella spp.; two cladocerans: Holopedium gibberum, Daphnia catawba, and one copepod: Leptodiaptomus minutus. Incubation under cooler temperatures had a negative effect on K. longispina and H. gibberum. Temperature and UV had a significant interactive effect on abundance and/or reproduction of L. minutus and Ploesoma truncatum. Our results indicate that changes in underwater UV and temperature can significantly influence the composition of the zooplankton community and ultimately food web dynamics.     

Physical-chemical influences on vernal zooplankton community structure in small lakes and wetlands of Wisconsin,U.S.A.

We sampled zooplankton communities from 54 small water bodies distributed throughout Wisconsin to evaluate whether a snap-shot of zooplankton community structure during early spring could be used for the purpose of differentiating lakes from wetlands. We collected a single set of zooplankton and water chemistry data during a one-month time window (synchronized from south to north across the state) from an open water site in each basin as a means to minimize and standardize sampling effort and to minimize cascading effects arising from predator–prey interactions with resident and immigrant aquatic insect communities. We identified 53 taxa of zooplankton from 54 sites sampled across Wisconsin. There was an average of 6.83 taxa per site. The zooplankton species were distributed with a great deal of independence. We did not detect significant correlations between number of taxa and geographic region or waterbody size. There was a significant inverse correlation between number of taxa and the concentration of calcium ion, alkalinity and conductivity. One pair of taxa, Lynceus brachyurus and Chaoborus americanus, showed a significant difference in average duration of sites of their respective occurrence. All other pairs of taxa had no significant difference in average latitude, waterbody surface area, total phosphorus, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, alkalinity, conductivity, calcium ion, sulfate, nitrate, silicate or chloride. Taxa were distributed at random among the sites – there were no statistically significant pairs of taxa occurring together or avoiding each other. Multivariate analysis of zooplankton associations showed no evidence of distinct associations that could be used to distinguish lakes from wetlands. Zooplankton community structure appears to be a poor tool for distinguishing between lakes and wetlands, especially at the relatively large scale of Wisconsin (dimension of about 500 km). The data suggest that a small body of water in Wisconsin could be classified as a wetland if it persists in the spring and summer for only about 4 months, and if it is inhabited by Lynceus brachyurus, Eubranchipus bundyi, and if Chaoborus americanus and Chydorus brevilabris are absent.     

钦州湾秋季和春季浮游动物分布特征及影响因素

为了解钦州湾浮游动物群落的时空分布特征及与主要环境因子的关系,于2014年10月和2015年3月进行了秋季和春季两航次的调查。结果表明:该海湾的浮游动物群落有明显的季节变化。秋季共鉴定出12类87种,其中优势种有太平洋纺锤水蚤(Acartia pacifica)、肥胖三角溞(Evadne tergestina)、亨生莹虾(Lucifer hanseni)、百陶箭虫(Sagitta bedoti)和长尾类幼虫(Macrura larvae);春季共鉴定出11类48种,优势种为中华哲水蚤(Calanus sinicus)和太平洋纺锤水蚤;秋季浮游动物的平均丰度、生物量和多样性指数(528.92个/m~3、110.60 mg/m~3和2.22)均高于春季(48.30个/m~3、61.10 mg/m~3和1.70)。空间分布上,钦州湾外湾浮游动物丰度、生物量和多样性指数的平均值皆高于内湾。多维尺度分析表明,秋季内湾群落相似性较高,春季外湾浮游动物群落相似性较高。相关性分析表明盐度与营养盐是影响钦州湾浮游动物分布的主要环境因子。与2011—2012年数据相比,钦州湾浮游动物群落结构已趋于单一化和小型化,以致生物量明显下降。这一现象主要与钦州湾海水富营养化以及大面积高密度牡蛎养殖有密切的关系。     

Daphnia community analysis in shallow Kenyan lakes and ponds using dormant eggs in surface sediments

1. Water fleas of the genus Daphnia are considered rare in tropical regions, and information on species distribution and community ecology is scarce and anecdotal. This study presents the results of a survey of Daphnia species distribution and community composition in 40 standing waterbodies in southern Kenya. The study sites cover a wide range of tropical standing aquatic habitats, from small ephemeral pools to large permanent lakes between approximately 700 and 2800 m a.s.l. Our analysis combines data on Daphnia distribution and abundance from zooplankton samples and dormant eggs in surface sediments. 2. Nearly 70% (27 of 40) of the sampled waterbodies were inhabited by Daphnia. Although their abundance in the active community was often very low, this high incidence shows that Daphnia can be equally widespread in tropical regions as in temperate regions. 3. Analysis of local species assemblages from dormant eggs in surface sediments was more productive than snapshot sampling of zooplankton communities. Surface‐sediment samples yielded eight Daphnia species in total, and allowed the detection of Daphnia in 25 waterbodies; zooplankton samples revealed the presence of only four Daphnia species in 16 waterbodies. 4. Daphnia barbata, D. laevis, and D. pulex were the most frequently recorded and most abundant Daphnia species. Canonical correspondence analysis of species–environment relationships indicates that variation in the Daphnia community composition of Kenyan waters was best explained by fish presence, temperature, macrophyte cover and altitude. Daphnia barbata and D. pulex tended to co‐occur with each other and with fish. Both species tended to occur in relatively large (>10 ha) and deeper (>2 m) alkaline waters (pH 8.5). Daphnia laevis mainly occurred in cool and clear, macrophyte‐dominated lakes at high altitudes.     

北京市妫水河浮游动物群落结构与水质评价

由于浮游动物对水体环境变化敏感,可表征水体污染程度,因此在2017年对妫水河浮游动物群落结构进行调查研究,分析了浮游动物群落结构时空变化特征及其与环境因子的关系,并利用生物学评价方法对水质进行评价。结果表明:妫水河浮游动物有4门22属88种,其中原生动物种类最多,为42种,主要以轮虫和原生动物为主,浮游动物平均细胞密度和生物量分别为5041.58个/L和2.88 mg/L。浮游动物群落结构与环境因子的CCA分析显示,水温、pH、DO和氨氮是影响妫水河浮游动物群落结构变化的重要因素,其中裂痕龟纹轮虫、冠饰异尾轮虫和螺形龟甲轮虫等对水体中氮磷的相关性极为显著,具有富营养化指示作用,可作为监测水质的指示生物。妫水河浮游动物多样性指数H、均匀度指数J和丰富度指数D全年平均值分别为0.43、0.31和0.41,整体评价结果显示,妫水河水体处于中到富营养型水平,尤其是下段城区段污染严重,表明妫水河水体生态功能遭到破坏,水质还需进一步改善和治理。本研究结果可为妫水河水质评价、水环境监测及水污染治理提供基础数据资料和理论依据。     

三峡三期蓄水后长江口海域浮游动物群落特征及影响因子

根据2010年8月、11月以及2011年5月3个航次、各次24个监测点的调查数据,分析了三峡工程三期蓄水后一个水文年内长江口浮游动物优势种、湿重生物量及丰度的变化,并用BIOENV筛选出影响浮游动物分布的关键环境因子。结果表明:长江口浮游动物春季绝对优势种为夜光虫(Noctiluca scientillans)与中华哲水蚤(Calanus sinicus),夏季绝对优势种为太平洋纺锤水蚤(Acartia pacifica steuer),秋季绝对优势种为针刺拟哲水蚤(Paracalanus aculeatus);浮游动物湿重生物量夏季(970.6 mg/m~3)秋季(613.8 mg/m~3)春季(571.5 mg/m~3),丰度夏季(783.5个/m~3)春季(691.3个/m~3)秋季(399.5个/m~3);影响浮游动物分布的关键环境因子为底层盐度、底层温度及底层硅酸盐。     

Geographical distribution of zooplankton biodiversity in highly polluted running water ecosystems: Validation of fine‐scale species sorting hypothesis

Dispersal, rather than species sorting, is widely recognized as the dominant driver for determining meta‐community structure at fine geographical scales in running water ecosystems. However, this view has been challenged by a recently proposed “fine‐scale species sorting hypothesis,” where community structure can be largely determined by an environmental gradient formed by local pollution at fine scales. Here, we tested this hypothesis by studying community composition and geographical distribution of metazoan zooplankton in a heavily polluted river—the North Canal River in the Haihe River Basin, China. Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) showed that the community composition of metazoan zooplankton differed significantly (p = .001) along the environmental gradient. Ammonium (NH₄‐N) was the leading factor responsible for changes in zooplankton community structure and geographical distribution, followed by total dissolved solid (TDS), Na, dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature (T). Variation partitioning revealed a larger contribution of environmental variables (21.6%) than spatial variables (1.1%) to the total explained variation of zooplankton communities. Our results support that species sorting, rather than dispersal, played a key role in structuring communities. Threshold Indicator Taxa ANalysis (TITAN) also revealed significant change points at both taxon and community levels along the gradient of NH₄‐N, providing further support for the influence of environmental variables on zooplankton communities. Collectively, we validate the fine‐scale species sorting hypothesis when an environmental gradient exists in running water ecosystems at fine geographical scales. However, future studies on interactions between pollutants and zooplankton communities are still needed to better understand mechanisms responsible for the meta‐community dynamics.     

Sub-fossils of cladocerans in the surface sediment of 135 lakes as proxies for community structure of zooplankton,fish abundance and lake temperature

To elucidate the possibilities of using zooplankton remains in the surface sediment to describe present-days community structure and population dynamics of zooplankton, fish abundance and temperature, we compared contemporary data sampled in the pelagial during summer with the sediment record from the upper 1 cm of the sediment in 135 lakes covering a latitude gradient from Greenland in the north to New Zealand in the south. The abundance of three genera Bosmina, Daphnia and Ceriodaphnia of the total pool of ephippia was significantly related to the total abundance of the same taxa in the pelagic zone. However, in most lakes the abundance of Ceriodaphnia was higher in the sediment than in the water, which may be attributed to the overall preference by this genus for the littoral habitat. Using contemporary data from 27 Danish lakes sampled fortnightly during summer for 10 years, we found substantial inter-annual variations in the abundance of Daphnia spp., Ceriodaphnia spp., B. longirostris and B. coregoni. Yet, the sediment record mimicked the medium level well for most of the lakes, which suggests that the sediment record provides an integrated picture of the pelagic cladoceran community, which otherwise can be obtained only by long-term frequent contemporary sampling for several years. The contribution of Daphnia to the sum of Daphnia and Bosmina ephippia was negatively correlated with the abundance of fish expressed as catch per night in multi-mesh sized gill nets (CPUE). Yet, region-specific differences occurred, which partly could be eliminated by including nutrient state expressed as total phosphorus (TP) in a multiple regression. The average ratio of ephippia to the sum of ephippia and carapaces of Bosmina varied 40-fold between the sampling regions and was significantly negatively related to summer mean air temperature, and for Danish lakes also, albeit weakly, to fish CPUE but not to chlorophyll a. Apparently, temperature is the most important factor determining the ratio of parthenogenetic to ephippia producing specimens of Bosmina. We conclude that the sediment record of cladocerans is a useful indicator of community structure of pelagic cladocerans and the abundance of fish and temperature.     

田湾核电站海域浮游动物生态特征

2009年8月在田湾核电站附近海域进行了海洋浮游动物及环境因子的调查,在14个调查站位共鉴定浮游动物10大类43种.其中原生动物5种,水螅水母类17种,栉水母类2种,枝角类2种,桡足类11种,糠虾2种,樱虾类1种,磷虾1种,毛颚类1种,被囊类1种.浮游动物的丰度范围为99-2546个/m3,平均值为834个/m3.主要优势种为薮枝螅水母、太平洋纺锤水蚤、背针胸刺水蚤、鸟喙尖头潘、异体住囊虫、汤氏长足水蚤、强壮箭虫.优势度分别为0.804、0.586、0.569、0.485、0.197、0.140、0.116.各类指数变幅较大(种类数为9-17,丰富度指数为0.913-1.770,多样性指数为1.170-3.212,均匀度指数为0.369-0.803).多样性指数均值为2.188,均匀度指数均值为0.587,丰富度指数均值为1.336.相关性分析表明,水温与浮游动物丰度及种类数之间具有显著的相关性,相关系数(r)分别为-0.615和-0.574,P＜0.05;种类数与多样性指数、丰富度指数及均匀度指数有显著的正相关,相关系数(r)分别为0.730、0.759(P＜0.01)和0.552( P＜0.05),水温升高使浮游动物种类数减少;水温与氨氮含量之间有极显著的正相关性,氨氮含量与浮游动物种类数之间有极显著的负相关性,水温升高使氨氮上升引起浮游动物种类数下降,温排水导致调查海域水温升高引起了浮游动物群落多样性指数、丰富度指数及均匀度指数的下降.调查海域水质状况的生物多样性指数评价显示,目前该海域水质总体处于轻度污染.     

浙江饮用水源地浮游动物群落特征及环境响应

2010年1月至2011年10月,对浙江省16个饮用水源地(H1—H8为河网型,K1—K8为水库型)的浮游动物群落进行季节调查。共记录浮游动物优势种(属)21种(轮虫8种、枝角类5种、剑水蚤5种和哲水蚤3种),各类群第一优势种分别为针簇多肢轮虫(Polyarthra trigla)、长额象鼻溞(Bosmina longirostris)、粗壮温剑水蚤(Thermocyclops dybowskii)和汤匙华哲水蚤(Sinocalanus dorrii)。2年间,河网和水库浮游动物平均密度分别为345.2 L-1和199.4 L-1,生物量分别为0.667 mg/L和0.421mg/L。各类群密度百分比例均以轮虫和桡足类无节幼体为主,甲壳动物以剑水蚤为主。经逐步回归分析表明,浮游动物群落密度(生物量)与河网水质因子(P0.01)之间相关性比水库(P0.05)更密切,总磷和氨氮分别入选了河网和水库所有有效的回归方程中。通径分析和决策系统分析表明,河网的总磷和叶绿素a含量对浮游动物群落变动具有正效应,溶解氧具有负效应;总磷含量是影响河网群落变动的最重要因子,叶绿素a含量则是影响群落增长最主要的限制因子。河网剑水蚤、无节幼体和轮虫群落的密度(生物量)与水体综合营养指数TLIc密度(TLIc生物量)之间有显著的线性回归关系(P0.001),无节幼体密度构成了TLIc密度变动的限制因子,轮虫生物量成为TLIc生物量变动的限制因子,而剑水蚤是一类最重要、稳定的水质指示群落,这对于筛选浮游动物群落的一些拓展性监测指标具有重要的参考作用。     

舟山海域夏、秋季浮游动物的分布特征及其与环境因子的关系

为更好地了解舟山海域浮游动物的群落结构、生物量和丰度的时空分布特征及其与主要环境因子的关系,分别于2014年7月和10月进行了夏季、秋季两次生态综合调查,并用多维尺度分析法、典范对应分析法对浮游动物群落结构进行了研究。结果表明:夏季舟山海域调查的浮游动物有13类,64种,优势种为背针胸刺水蚤(Centropages dorsispinatus)、圆唇角水蚤(Labidocera rotunda)、中华哲水蚤(Calanus sinicus)、精致真刺水蚤(Euchaeta concinna)、百陶带箭虫(Zonosagitta bedoti)和真刺唇角水蚤(Labidocera euchaeta);秋季鉴定到浮游动物12类,45种,优势种为背针胸刺水蚤(Centropages dorsispinatus)、百陶带箭虫(Zonosagitta bedoti)、双生水母(Diphyes chamissonis)、瓜水母(Beroёcucumis)和中华哲水蚤。夏季浮游动物平均丰度及平均生物量(144.0 ind/m3和176.3 mg/m~3)都分别高于秋季(21.4个/m3和86.3 mg/m3);Shannon-Wiener多样性指数夏季(3.03)高于秋季(2.82),Pielou均匀度指数则是秋季(0.83)高于夏季(0.64);夏季不同区域浮游动物群落之间具有明显的差异,而秋季大部分站位群落之间差异不显著;温度、盐度、叶绿素a浓度和营养盐含量是影响舟山海域浮游动物分布的主要环境因子;与历史资料相比,舟山海域浮游动物丰度及生物量呈下降趋势,其优势种保持较稳定。     

Zooplankton seasonal dynamics in a recently filled mine pit lake: the effect of non-indigenous <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daphnia</Emphasis> establishment

We examined the temporal and vertical dynamics of zooplankton in Weavers Lake, New Zealand, between October 2004 and October 2005, at a time when it was colonised by a non-indigenous Daphnia species. Zooplankton community composition changed during the study from one of rotifer dominance (e.g. Asplanchna, Polyarthra, Brachionus and Keratella species) to cladoceran (Daphnia dentifera) dominance. Temporal changes in zooplankton community composition were strongly associated with a gradual increase in lake water clarity, and were attributable to the highly efficient filter feeding of D. dentifera. The corresponding reduction in rotifer densities may have resulted from the superior competitive abilities of the newly established Daphnia. As Daphnia were rare inhabitants of New Zealand lakes before 1990, the arrival and rapid spread of the non-indigenous D. dentifera has lead to widespread changes in both water clarity and zooplankton community composition. An apparent lack of mixing in the lake was facilitated by the lake’s extremely small surface area:depth ratio. However, we conclude that physical features of the lake had minimal influence on water clarity relative to the invasion of D. dentifera.     

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.     

Effect of larval fish and nutrient enrichment on plankton dynamics in experimental ponds

The hypotheses that larval fish density may potentially affect phytoplankton abundance through regulating zooplankton community structure, and that fish effect may also depend on nutrient levels were tested experimentally in ponds with three densities of larval walleye, Stizostedion vitreum (0, 25, and 50 fish m^–3), and two fertilizer types (inorganic vs organic fertilizer). A significant negative relationship between larval fish density and large zooplankton abundance was observed despite fertilizer types. Larval walleye significantly reduced the abundances of Daphnia, Bosmina, and Diaptomus but enhanced the abundance of various rotifer species (Brachionus, Polyarthra, and Keratella). When fish predation was excluded, Daphnia became dominant, but Daphnia grazing did not significantly suppress blue-green algae. Clearly, larval fish can be an important regulator for zooplankton community. Algal composition and abundance were affected more by fertilizer type than by fish density. Inorganic fertilizer with a high N:P ratio (20:1) enhanced blue-green algal blooms, while organic fertilizer with a lower N:P ratio (10:1) suppressed the abundance of blue-green algae. This result may be attributed to the high density of blue-green algae at the beginning of the experiment and the fertilizer type. Our data suggest that continuous release of nutrients from suspended organic fertilizer at a low rate may discourage the development of blue-green algae. Nutrient inputs at a low N:P ratio do not necessarily result in the dominance of blue-green algae.     

Preliminary results of an experimental study of the effects of mysid predation on estuarine zooplankton community structure

In a shallow estuarine system near Beaufort, North Carolina, a period of high winter abundance of the mysidsMysidopsis bigelowi andNeomysis americana was associated with a change in zooplankton species composition, from dominance byAcartia tonsa to dominance byCentropages spp. andSaphirella sp. Both mysids feed onA. tonsa at higher rates than the other copepods. Experiments were carried out in 600–1 000 liter enclosures, in which the initial mysid density was manipulated and the effects on the enclosed copepod community were monitored. Mysid predation had a significant effect on copepod densities. The effects of mysid predation on species composition appeared to depend on the relationship between their prey preferences and the dominant copepod species present in the communities. Under conditions favoring dominance byA. tonsa, the preferred prey species, the results suggested that mysid predation may reduce dominance and increase diversity. But when the less preferredCentropages was dominant, mysid predation had no effect on species composition.