The Impact of the Macrophyte Substratum and Season on Crustacean Zooplankton Communities of Three Shallow and Macrophyte-Dominated Lakes

Abstract

ABSTRACT I conducted a three-season study on three lakes in three different habitats (Chara tomentosa bed, Typha angustifolia stand, and the open water) in order to determine the best predictors of microcrustacean distribution. The seasonal composition and abundance of crustacean zooplankters were typical of the pelagic zone in temperate lakes, and there was no appreciable difference in the zooplankton communities among the lakes. The lowest species richness and total abundance were in the open water zone, while the highest richness and abundance were within the C. tomentosa stand. Moreover, two cladoceran species (Acroperus harpae and Chydorus sphaericus) were uniquely associated with C. tomentosa. Canonical correspondence analysis identified density of plant stems and oxygen and total organic carbon concentrations in the water as the most important factors structuring the distribution of the microcrustacean community. Stepwise multiple forward regression confirmed that plant stem length and biomass were biometric parameters that influenced crustacean density. Total nitrogen concentration and pH were implicated in the density of Ceriodaphnia pulchella, while temperature and conductivity influenced A. harpae abundance.