Morphological variation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Keratella cochlearis</Emphasis> (Gosse) in Myanmar (Burma) in relation to zooplankton community structure

Keratella cochlearis was present in 27 of 35 water bodies sampled in Myanmar, and was the most abundant rotifer in 10. Measurements of lorica length and posterior spine length from 20 localities showed that posterior spine length varied both with lorica length and with the composition of the crustacean zooplankton. Long spines were associated with dominance by Heliodiaptomus. The shortest spines were found in samples dominated by cladocerans or cyclopoid copepods. Posterior spine length was positively correlated with the number of diaptomid copepods. Forms without posterior spines were found in 17 localities. The lorica lengths of these spineless forms were generally similar to those of co-occurring spined forms (r = 0.68), but in a few samples the loricas of the spineless forms were significantly larger. These larger forms are similar to the ‘aspina’ forms recently recognised in the River Thames in England. These samples were dominated by cladocerans or cyclopoid copepods. In one locality spineless forms were found without spined forms. The crustacean zooplankton in this locality was also dominated by cladocerans. Guest editors: S. S. S. Sarma, R. D. Gulati, R. L. Wallace, S. Nandini, H. J. Dumont & R. Rico-Martínez Advances in Rotifer Research     

Variation in the genus Keratella

The literature on variation in Keratella is reviewed. The old idea of a thorough endogenous control has to be rejected, but internal factors ought to play a certain role beside influences from current and previous environment. In certain cases there is probably a succession of genetically different clones during the course of the year (cf. King, 1972, 1977), but the seasonal variation in lake populations of, e.g., K. cochlearis ought to be mainly non-genetical. There is some evidence that temperature and food exert an influence on the morphology, via rate of growth, but probably other abiotic and biotic factors are at work as well. The existence of allometric relationships is clearly demonstrated for several species. The variation in spine length has been suspected by some authors to consititute just the function of size variation which is thus considered primary. Some of the variation found is obviously non-adaptive. An attempt is made at explaining the existence of discontinuous variation within a single lake. Implications on taxonomy and speciation are briefly discussed.     

An Experimental Analysis of the Acid Sensitivity of the Common Planktonic Rotifer Keratella cochlearis

An in situ mesocosm experiment was performed at neutral pH Lake O'Woods, West Virginia, to assess the impacts of acidification on the common planktonic rotifer Keratella cochlearis. This rotifer is typically replaced by K. taurocephala during the acidification of North American lakes. Despite a rapid pH reduction in this experiment (from 7.0 to 4.8 in 14 days), the abundance, mean body length and egg ratio of K. cochlearis did not decline in the acid treatment as compared to the untreated control. These results support the hypothesis that K. cochlearis is acid-tolerant, and suggest that its disappearance from acid lakes is the result of biotic interactions within the plankton, rather than the result of toxic effects of altered water chemistry.     

Cd2+对角突臂尾轮虫和曲腿龟甲轮虫的急性毒性和生命表统计学参数的影响

采用急性毒性试验研究了(25±1)℃下Cd²⁺对角突臂尾轮虫(Brachionus angularis)和曲腿龟甲轮虫(Keratella valga)的24 h LC₅₀值, 采用生命表实验方法研究了(25±1)℃下、以密度为1.0×10⁶ 个细胞/mL的斜生栅藻为轮虫食物时不同浓度(7.0、12.0、20.4、34.6、58.8,100.0 μg/L)的Cd²⁺对角突臂尾轮虫和曲腿龟甲轮虫生命表统计学参数的影响。结果表明, Cd²⁺对角突臂尾轮虫和曲腿龟甲轮虫幼体的24 h LC₅₀值分别为95.5 μg/L和231.9 μg/L。Cd²⁺浓度对角突臂尾轮虫的种群内禀增长率具有显著的影响(P<0.05), 对曲腿龟甲轮虫的世代时间、生命期望和净生殖率具有显著的影响(P<0.05)。与对照组相比, 100.0 μg/L的Cd²⁺显著降低了角突臂尾轮虫的种群内禀增长率; 34.6 μg/L和58.8 μg/L的Cd²⁺显著降低了曲腿龟甲轮虫的世代时间, 34.6和100.0 μg/L的Cd²⁺显著降低了曲腿龟甲轮虫的生命期望, 34.6 μg/L的Cd²⁺显著降低了曲腿龟甲轮虫的净生殖率。角突臂尾轮虫对Cd²⁺污染的敏感性较曲腿龟甲轮虫强, 各生命表统计学参数对污染物的敏感性因轮虫种类的不同而异。     

On morphological variation in Keratella cochlearis populations from Holstein lakes (Northern Germany)

Keratella cochlearis occurs in many Holstein lakes (northern Germany) as three well defined and separated forms: cochlearis, hispida, and tecta, each showing very little variation between the lakes. The present data show that the tecta form did not originate from a Lauterborn cycle.     

Food limitation and seasonal population declines of rotifers

Summary Keratella cochlearis exhibited consistent seasonal abundance patterns during a four-year study in Little Rock Lake, Wisconsin, U.S.A. In each year, spring population peaks were followed by strong summer reductions. Concomitant with population declines, there were reductions in rotifer egg ratios. Keratella taurocephala abundance patterns were similar to those of K. cochlearis during 1984 and 1985, but not in 1986 and 1987, when spring peaks and summer declines were not apparent. However, summer declines in the egg ratio of K. taurocephala were observed during each year. The reduction in rotifer populations simultaneously with decreased egg ratios suggested that population declines were caused by food limitation. Food-addition experiments conducted in situ in small enclosures indicated that food was limiting for K. cochlearis when its populations were declining, but not during other periods of the year. Keratella taurocephala did not show a consistent response to food addition.     

Influence of temperature on morphological variation in populations of Keratella cochlearis (Gosse) in Rybnik Reservoir

Morphological changes in a population of Keratella cochlearis were investigated in a reservoir of changed temperature and high trophy. Four morphological forms were distinguished: Keratella cochlearis f. cochlearis, K. cochlearis var. tecta f. micracantha, K. cochlearis var. tecta f. micracantha, K. cochlearis var. tecta f. typica and K. cochlearis f. macracantha. A correlation between the length of the lorica and the posterior spine, and the temperature of water was observed. These four forms of Keratella cochlearis occurred during the entire period of investigations.     

Long-term dynamics of Asplanchna priodonta in Lake Windsborn with comments on the diet

We evaluate trophic interactions between the rotifer Asplanchna priodonta and the plankton community of Lake Windsborn (Eifel District, Germany). The long-term population dynamics of this species and of the two most abundant zooplankton species, Keratella cochlearis and Bosmina longirostris, were analyzed in relation to hydrochemical and climatic variates. The maximum abundance of A. priodonta was limited to the summer months with temperature being the only significant predictor of abundance. Intrinsic rate of growth and abundance of the three species were independent from each other suggesting the absence of trophic interactions. In Lake Windsborn, A. priodonta was a grazer rather than a predator. Its diet included high proportions of colonial algae and cyanobacteria which cannot be ingested by the other abundant zooplankton species, whereas zooplanktonic food were rarely found. Thus, our study supports the hypothesis that A. priodonta is an opportunistic feeder whose trophic position entirely depends on the structure of the plankton community.     

Morphological Form Variation in a Loricate Rotifer,Keratella tropica APSTEIN from a Perennial Pond,Janaktal, Gwalior,India

Morphological form variation in a loricate rotifer, Keratella tropica APSTEIN is decribed. Form variation in this rotifer involves appearance and development of the left postero-lateral spine. The right postero-lateral spine varies, too. It increases with increasing length of lorica and left postero-lateral spine. Three morphological forms, viz. reducta, asymmetrica and heterospina are recognized.