Abstract
Although the changes in plankton community composition that result from lake acidification have been documented, little is known about processes that accompany these changes. Here we report investigations on an important process, zooplankton herbivory, in an experimentally acidified lake. Acidification from pH 6.2 to 5.2 has not directly impaired the ability of several major taxa to gather food. Acidification may indirectly affect selective feeding behavior, through changes in the relative abundance of phytoplankton species. Dramatic shifts in population-level grazing were not reflected in overall community herbivory, because of complementary changes in populations in the reference and treatment lake basins. Hence, integrative system-level functions may be poorer indicators of perturbation than specific, fine-scale processes.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
