Colonization dynamics of algae in small artificial ponds

Abstract

WOOD, C.M. 1994. Colonization dynamics of algae in small artificial ponds. Can. J. Bot. 72: 1654-1665. The arrival, establishment, and growth of a variety of algae were studied in a series of newly established, small (48.5 L) artificial ponds located at three sites of differing characteristics in southern Ontario, Canada: open field, edge of woods, and deep woods. Algal colonization was most rapid at the open site, within 4 days of the ponds being filled, and was slowest at the deep woods site, presumably because of a filtering effect of the surrounding terrestrial vegetation. The patterns of algal colonization and subsequent population abundances were consistent among the ponds, despite very considerable variation in both their physical and biological environments (e.g., among ponds over the 2 years of study, conductivity ranged from 20 to 890 pS, pH from 6.4 to 10.7, dissolved oxygen from 0 to 13.5 mg . L-', and water temperature from 5 to 29.8"C). The first colonizers were airborne microchlorophytes, particularly a species of Chlorella, which may have been favoured by clear water (high light) conditions, lack of competition, and an ability to tolerate low nutrient levels. Chlorella populations declined within 1 or 2 weeks, depending on site, coincident with an increase in the numbers of a species of Synechococcus, a cyanobacterium. Synechococcus dominated all the pond types at all three sites thereafter, although its abundance was strongly correlated with water temperatures. In their 2nd year, undisturbed mature ponds developed encrusting algae, especially Rhizocloniutn and Oedogonium, on their walls. In years 1 and 2, the densities of Synechococcus in both the new and mature ponds, respectively, were positively correlated with the larval densities of the dominant mosquito species Culex restuans. Synechococcus was the primary item in the diet of these insects.

Nutrient dynamics and successional changes in a lentic freshwater biofilm

“…This is in agreement with our earlier report observed in the same environment (Sekar et al, 1998(Sekar et al, , 2002. Initial dominance by unicellular organisms like Chlorella and cyanobacterial dominance during later stages have also been observed by other workers (Korte & Blinn, 1983;Williams et al, 1994). Pan & Lowe (1994) reported that the shift in prostate to erect diatoms in a stream, as observed in the present case, is a common phenomenon in periphyton succession in the absence of disturbance.…”

Relationships between mosquito densities in artificial container habitats, land use and temperature in the Kapiti‐Horowhenua region, New Zealand

“…Therefore, although we found low mosquito densities in pastureland containers in this study, other habitat types in pastureland, such as stock drinking troughs, may have lower average temperatures that can sustain larger immature mosquito populations . Containers in open sunlight may be particularly important mosquito habitat if they provide favourable temperatures for algae that provide food for mosquito larvae (Williams et al 1994). The results of this study also conflict with findings from a concurrent study in Waikanae and Paraparaumu using similar experimental containers but which were removed from the field and subsampled after homogenising their water (Leisnham et al 2004).…”

“…Replacement of natural vegetation with agricultural crops has been shown to increase numbers of sunlit larval habitats, alter evapotranspiration rates and modify ambient air temperatures; all of which have been suggested to change the water temperatures of larval habitats and the abundance of immature mosquitoes (Walsh et al 1993;Lindblade et al 2000). Findings from other field studies have shown a direct association between water temperature and mosquito presence or abundance (e.g., Williams et al 1994;Sunish & Reuben 2001;Shililu et al 2003;Strickman & Kittayapong 2003). This is one of the first studies to quantify water temperature differences of mosquito larval habitats in urbanland, pastureland and native forest, and relate them to immature mosquito density.…”

“…Few studies have quantified differences in the water temperature of larval mosquito habitats across different landscapes and related them to immature densities (e.g., Williams et al 1994). Moreover, the vast majority of mosquito surveys that relate the density of immature stages to temperature do so within the same landscape, and collect water temperature data as either point measures at the time of mosquito sampling (e.g., Herrel et al 2001;Sunish & Reuben 2001;Strickman & Kittayapong 2003) or infer it from ambient air temperatures (e.g., Lindblade et al 2000;Fischer et al 2002).…”

Airborne microeukaryote colonists in experimental water containers: diversity, succession, life histories and established food webs

“…The airborne microeukaryotes in the tap water containers were dominated, in terms of the number of species, by members of the Chlorophyta, which have been reported to dominate the airborne microorganisms of temperate regions (Brown et al 1964, Sharma et al 2007. Additionally, Chlorophytes are the first colonists in artificial ponds (Williams et al 1994), and they are considered as potential inocula for colonization of Antarctica as climate change continues to uncover new systems (Marshall & Chalmers 1997). In addition, Chrisostomou et al (2009) also observed high number of chlorophytes in a study of air-dispersed phytoplankton colonizing water containers in a rural area.…”