Experimental studies of the effect of beaver (Castor fiber L.) vital activity products on the formation of zooplankton structure (by the example of growth of two cladoceran species of different sizes)

Abstract

Experiments in microcosms have demonstrated that beaver vital activity products (BVAPs) promote an increase in concentrations of total nitrogen (N) and total phosphorus (P), a decrease in the N/P value in water, and an increase in the abundance and biomass of bacterioplankton. Under such conditions, the abundance and biomass of small Ceriodaphnia dubia Richard and large Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) magna Straus, which live separately, increase. The coexistence of these cladocerans in microcosms under the BVAP influences results in a high increase in the abundance and biomass of D. magna; in similar experiments without the influence of BVAP, Ceriodaphnia dubia becomes more abundant. The results of bioassay demonstrate that the number of newborns of Ceriodaphnia dubia decreases in water where Daphnia magna is numerous owing to BVAPs. It is suggested that the vital activity products of large representatives of the genus Daphnia inhibit the fecundity of small species of Cladocera. This fact, along with the high competitiveness of large cladoceran species under conditions of a high level of nutritive base, determine the formation of zooplankton communities in beaver ponds which are characterized by a high abundance and biomass and low uniformity