Dynamics of the exotic Daphnia lumholtzii and native macro‐zooplankton in a subtropical chain‐of‐lakes in Florida, U.S.A.

Abstract

1. Seasonal dynamics of the exotic Daphnia lumholtzii and native macro‐zooplankton species were studied for 2 years in six inter‐connected lakes in Florida, U.S.A. The lakes ranged widely in pH, colour and trophic status, and were dominated by copepods. 2. All six lakes contained both D. lumholtzii and the native D. ambigua, but the two species did not overlap in time. D. ambigua was dominant in autumn–spring, coinciding with lower water temperature, higher transparency and lower nutrient and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations than in summer, when D. lumholtzii was dominant. 3. Based on the field observations, temperature optima were 24 °C for D. ambigua and 29 °C for D. lumholtzii, suggesting that temperature plays a role in determining dominance among the daphnids of subtropical Florida lakes. 4. D. lumholtzii has not displaced native cladocerans but occupies a ‘vacant’ seasonal niche, unexploited due to the inability of native taxa to tolerate high temperature. Furthermore, D. lumholtzii did not significantly alter algal–zooplankton interactions. There was evidence of top–down control by grazing, but it was primarily attributable to the native taxa.