Cladoceran assemblages in a mineralization gradient

Abstract

Cladoceran assemblages were studied in littoral samples from 44 water bodies in Central Spain, showing great differences in salinity and permanence of water. Principal component analyses (PCA) were performed with data on cladoceran relative abundances to identify the main groups of species. Five main groups of species were found, defining the following types of environments: (I) Small but deep hard water lakes (II) permanent but shallow hard water lakes fed by surface springs, rich in macrophytes (III) ephemeral and shallow soft waters lakes (IV) subsaline and hyposaline lakes in their lower range, specially the permanent ones and (V) saline lakes (salinities>6 mg l−1) subject to short or long periods of dryness. The main species constituting these groups were: Group (I): Acroperus neglectus, Alona guttata, Pleuroxus truncatus, Daphnia longispina; group II: Phrixura leei, Latonura rectirostris, Eurycercus lamellatus; Alonella excisa, Daphnia pulicaria; group III: Ephemeroporus phintonicus, Macrothrix rosea, Moina micrura; group IV: Alona rectangula, Ceriodaphnia reticulata, Tetrocephala ambigua, Diaphanosoma mongolianum; group V: Alona salina, Pleuroxus letourneuxi, Dunhevedia crassa, Moina brachiata, Daphnia magna and Daphnia mediterranea. Sample scores from PCA extracted from the correlation matrix of cladoceran proportions were correlated with limnological measurements. Significant correlations with salinity, alkalinity anions and cations indicate that salinity is an important factor in the distribution of the species. However, species assemblages also reflect other factors, such as temporality and littoral development.