Metazooplankton dynamics and secondary production of Daphnia magna (Crustacea) in an aerated waste stabilization pond |
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Authors: | Cauchie Henry-Michel; Hoffmann Lucien; Thome Jean-Pierre |
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Institution: | Université de Liège, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Animale et d'Ecotoxicologie, 22 Quai Van Beneden, B-4020 Liège and
1 Université de Liège, Laboratoire d'Algologie, de Mycologie et de Systématique Expérimentale, Sart Tilman B22, B-4000 Liège, Belgium |
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Abstract: | The seasonal dynamics of metazooplankton biomass was monitoredin an aerated waste stabilization pond during three consecutiveyears (19941996). The pond showed a low diversity ofplanktonic metazoans because of elevated pH, relatively highconcentration of free dissolved ammonia and low oxygen concentration.The planktonic community was composed of the anomopod branchiopodDaphnia magna, and the cyclopoid copepods Cyclops vicinus andCyclops strenuus. Both predation by cyclopoids and competitionwith D.magna excluded rotifers from the pond, except duringa short period in spring 1996. Daphnia magna was the dominantorganism from a biomass point of view. In parallel with biomass,demographic parameters, secondary production and the spatialdistribution of D.magna were studied. A significant seasonaland interannual variation in the density, biomass and productionof D.magna was observed. The maximum density of daphnids variedfrom 264 x 103 to 686 x 103 individuals m2 and the maximumbiomass from 4 to 30 g dry weight (DW) m2. The annualnet production was high compared with the production of Daphniain natural environments, ranging from 288 to 593 g DW m2year1. The annual net production of exuviae accountedfor ~25% of the total annual net production. Harvesting of daphnidsfor commercial applications that took place during the productiveperiod did not have any discernible effect on the populationdynamics of D.magna. Sexual reproduction was not observed duringthe three studied years. Negative mortality rates, occurringduring early spring, however, indicated that recruitment fromephippia was effective in the pond of Differdange and that sexualreproduction took place before 1994. Swarming was regularlyobserved in relation to high densities. |
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