Food spectrum of the omnivorous rotifer Asplanchna priodonta in two large northeastern European lakes of different trophy

Abstract

In this paper we examine the stomach contents of the omnivorous rotifer, Asplanchna priodonta, to evaluate possible trophic interactions between this rotifer and its potential prey in two large northeastern European lakes: moderately eutrophic Lake Peipsi and strongly eutrophic Lake Võrtsjärv. Our results show that the A. priodonta diet consisted of Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Cyanobacteria, and Dinoflagellata. Ciliata were detected on rare occasion. Bacillariophyta were the most frequent food items in stomachs. There were no between-lake differences in the consumption of Chlorophyta and Cyanobacteria, whereas Bacillariophyta were consumed more in Lake Peipsi. However, neither Dinoflagellata nor Ciliata were found in stomach samples in Lake Võrtsjärv. We conclude that A. priodonta is an opportunistic feeder that is capable of influencing the phytoplankton community structure in large lakes.

Food niches of planktonic rotifers: Diversification and implications

“…Stomach contents of this species show a variable diet that includes nano‐ and microalgae, ciliates, and small rotifers (notably Keratella ). Often, relatively few individuals in a population eat animal food, and the species has been considered by some authors to be almost completely phytophagous (Ghilarov 1977; Hoffmann 1985; Kappes et al 2000; Pociecha and Wilk‐Woźniak 2008; Chang et al 2010; Oganjan et al 2013). Although primarily raptorial, A. priodonta also can filter feed on very small algae (Gossler 1950).…”

“…Common algae observed in the stomachs of individuals from natural populations are cryptomonads, desmids, diatoms, dinoflagellates ( Ceratium , Glenodinium , Peridinium ), Dinobryon , euglenoids, many solitary and colonial green algae, and colonial blue‐green algae (Carlin 1943; Erman 1962 a ; Nauwerck 1963; Pourriot 1965; Gliwicz 1969; Zimmermann 1974; Ghilarov 1977; Guiset 1977; Hoffmann 1985; Pociecha and Wilk‐Woźniak 2008; Chang et al 2010; Oganjan et al 2013; Choi et al 2015). Protozoans likely are commonly ingested, but only the tests of testate amoebae (e.g., Difflugia ) or the vase‐like shells of tintinnid ciliates (e.g., Codonella and Tintinnopsis ) have been recognized (Nauwerck 1963; Ejsmont‐Karabin 1974; Salt et al 1978).…”

The Effects of Nickel on the Structure and Functioning of a Freshwater Plankton Community Under High Dissolved Organic Carbon Conditions: A Microcosm Experiment

“…The effect of Ni on these species can most likely be considered a direct effect. This is because the abundance of these rotifers decreased, although general food quality for rotifers improved in the HC50 treatment as nonedible Cyanobacteria densities decreased in favor of more suitable food sources like diatoms (Oganjan et al 2013). This is somewhat unexpected, because the only rotifer currently included in the chronic Ni SSD, Brachionus calyciflorus, is also the least sensitive of all zooplankton species included in the SSD (i.e., the bioavailable-normalized 10% effect concentration [EC10] is 320 µg dissolved Ni/L).…”

Challenges in assessing biological recovery from acidification in Swedish lakes

“…A remarkable feature was that the large rotatorian A. priodonta dominated the zooplankton biomass in two of the three acidified lakes. A. priodonta is regularly occurring both in small humic lakes and in large eutrophic lakes, where it appears to be an opportunistic omnivore (Kappes et al 2000 ; Oganjan et al 2013 ). It is seldom identified as an important prey for fishes and may be underestimated in the diet analysis of fish larvae (Sutela and Huusko 2000 ).…”