Benthos of a seasonally-astatic, saline, soda lake in Mexico

Abstract

The benthic macroinvertebrate community (BMC) of Lake Tecuitlapa Sur, central Mexico, was monitored to determine the structure of the community (i.e. species composition, richness, abundance and biomass), throughout an annual cycle. Tecuitlapa Sur is shallow, seasonally-astatic, warm, mesosaline, and soda-alkaline. The physical, chemical and biological variables were determined monthly for a yearly cycle. Tecuitlapa Sur displayed a seasonal patterns of dilution (June–August) and concentration (September–November) phases. Salinity and pH were the most important parameters explaining environmental variance. The BMC consisted of two species: Culicoides occidentalis sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and Tanypus Apelopia sp. (Diptera: Chironomidae). C. occidentalis was the most important species both numerically and in biomass (≥95%). Annual density (mean ± sd) of C. occidentalis (1 141 082 ± 2 765 879 ind. m−2, n = 120) was notably higher than other reported for other saline water bodies. However, the mean annual density of T. Apelopia (6782 ± 8310 ind. m−2, n = 120) was similar to other saline lakes. Seasonal abundance and biomass dynamics of the BMC showed an increasing trend until October (T. Apelopia) and November (C. occidentalis), when massive emergence occurred, just before the lake dried out. Contrary to most temporal waters, Tecuitlapa Sur did not show taxonomic or trophic succession. C. occidentalis, a transient detritivore, dominated over T. Apelopia, a resident predator during the wet period.