A thermocline as an obstacle to the spread of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) across the lake profile

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine whether a thermocline may constitute a barrier discouraging vertical migration of water mites. The research was carried out in May, June, July, and August 1999 in Lake Lubie, and a total of 3252 water mites (1880 females and 1178 males) belonging to 29 species were collected. A strong negative correlation was observed between the drop in temperature in the thermocline and the abundance and number of water mite species living beneath the thermocline. The negative correlation resulted from a considerable limitation of vertical migration of water mites by factors such as: low temperature below the thermocline, large difference between temperatures above and below the thermocline, and considerable thickness of the thermocline. During summer season, lower layers of the lake were increasingly penetrated by water mites as the temperatures above and below the thermocline were becoming more uniform. Lake species displayed the greatest ability to penetrate lower water layers and were present below the thermocline during the whole study period; moreover, their numbers were quite steady. On the contrary, the species, which are characteristic for small water bodies, crossed the thermocline in comparatively large numbers in June when the thermocline was of the lowest thickness.