Meiobenthic community patterns of oligotrophic and deep Lake Constance in relation to water depth and nutrients

Traunspurger, Walter; Höss, Sebastian; Witthöft-Mühlmann, André; Wessels, M.; Güde, Hans

doi:10.1127/1863-9135/2012/0144

Cited by 58 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This difference in the vertical distribution was not surprising, as previous studies also detected vertical variations in the meiofaunal community at a centimetre (Kotwicki, Troch, Urban‐Malinga, Gheskiere, & Weslawski, ; Vieira & Fonseca, ) and even a millimetre (Joint, Gee, & Warwick, ) scale. However, most studies on the vertical distribution of meiofauna in lentic sediments investigated the sediment layer at the centimetre (Traunspurger et al., ; Wu, Fu, Liang, & Chen, ) to metre (Traunspurger & Drews, ; Traunspurger et al., ) scale; at these large depth intervals, microscale changes are likely to be overlooked. Moreover, changes in the vertical distribution of meiofauna are also of importance at the species level, as the densities of different species may be differentially affected by sediment depth (Traunspurger, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a general debate regarding the mechanisms that determine benthic community patterns (Michiels & Traunspurger, ; Traunspurger, Höss, Witthöft‐Mühlmann, Wessels, & Güde, ). The most frequently cited drivers of the aggregation of benthic organisms in specific patches are (1) the spatiotemporal distribution of resources (Lancaster & Downes, ; Levin & Paine, ), (2) sediment structure (Swan & Palmer, ), (3) the strength of biotic and abiotic disturbances (Cooke, Goodwin, & Bishop, ; Levin & Paine, ; Swan & Palmer, ), and (4) the age‐size structure of the population (Thrush, ; Traunspurger & Drews, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Their results support the hypothesis that organisms aggregate in response to the patchiness of their resource distribution (Findlay, ; Legendre, ). The availability of OM is a useful proxy to examine the bottom‐up structuring of benthic communities (e.g., Silver, Palmer, Swan, & Wooster, ), as shown in several studies in which meiofaunal stocks and diversity responded well to the presence of OM clumps (e.g., Hildrew & Giller, ; Palmer, Swan, Nelson, Silver, & Alvestad, ; Silver, Cooper, Palmer, & Davis, ; Traunspurger et al., ; Wallace, Eggert, Meyer, & Webster, ). More recently, Majdi, Threis, and Traunspurger () suggested the role of N:P stoichiometry and OM availability in the distribution of body size and densities across different taxonomic groups of stream meiofauna.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a general debate regarding the mechanisms that determine benthic community patterns (Michiels & Traunspurger, 2005a;Traunspurger, H€ oss, Witth€ oft-M€ uhlmann, Wessels, & G€ ude, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Wide variation in a tiny space: The microdistribution of meiobenthos in an artificial pond

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Meiofauna play an important ecological role in benthic ecosystems. However, little is known about their small‐scale (<1 m2) distribution. Yet, this knowledge has both theoretical implications, by improving our understanding of how processes generate patterns; and practical outcomes by improving sampling designs. The goal of this study was to obtain insights into the small‐scale distribution of meiofaunal invertebrates dwelling in the sediment of a lentic ecosystem (in this study, an artificial pond). We addressed this aim at coarse and fine taxonomical levels using meiofaunal groups and nematode species assemblages, respectively. For this purpose, 225 sediment samples were collected over a surface of 729 cm2 using a straw corer. Spatial patterns (dispersion index) and the typical patch sizes of the dominant meiofaunal groups were estimated using spatial autocorrelation analysis (Moran's I). We hypothesized that (1) we would find a patchy distribution of organisms with patch radii of a few centimetres, (2) the distribution of microbivorous meiofauna would follow that of OM, and (3) distribution would be patchier at the species level. The densities of the dominant meiobenthic groups (nematodes, gastrotrichs and rotifers) decreased with sediment depth. In all sediment layers, nematodes contributed 61%–82% to total invertebrate densities. Eleven nematode species were identified, with Eumonhystera filiformis (Bastian 1865) and Monhystera cf. paludicola de Man 1881 dominating the assemblage. All meiofaunal groups showed an aggregated distribution pattern (dispersion index >1). Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed aggregations of nematodes in a patch radius of 3–8 cm according to the different sediment layers. Rotifers were also patchy distributed but with smaller patch radius (3 cm), whereas the respective distributions of gastrotrichs were less patchy. Therefore, our results mainly confirmed hypothesis (1). Our results provide the first insights into rotifer patch sizes. Also, these findings highlight the need for sampling designs better able to capture small‐scale heterogeneities during larger‐scale investigations. We ruled out the organic matter (OM) supply as an important driver of meiofaunal community structure as OM content did not correlate with the density of either meiofaunal groups or nematode species, and therefore arguing against hypothesis (2). Instead, the different distributions suggested responses to qualitative differences in resource availability, oxygen availability, biotic interactions and specific population‐level processes, such as behaviour, dispersal and locomotion. Patchiness did not increase from coarse to fine taxonomic levels, thus contradicting hypothesis (3). Our results instead suggest that the patchiness of the spatial distribution was more closely linked to functional traits.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Wide variation in a tiny space: The microdistribution of meiobenthos in an artificial pond

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In mesotrophic Lake Piaseczno and oligotrophic Reservoir B with the highest water oxygenation, the dominant group of bottom sediments and of elodeids was Nematoda. Free-living nematodes are a major component of freshwater meiofaunal communities, where they often attain very high densities (>1 million individuals per m -2 ) [15]. Nematodes are a major food source for benthic and pelagic invertebrates.…”

Section: Reservoirsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative Assessment of Epiphytic and Benthic Meioinvertebrate Fauna in Various Types of Standing Water

Nesteruk

2016

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Meioinvertebrates are a regular part of inland water ecosystems. They are present in fertile bottom sediments and aquatic vegetation. Lakes and small water bodies (ponds, clay pits, peat-hags) are thus optimal habitats for many invertebrate taxa. Habitat diversity ensures species diversity in communities. Consequently, the diversity of species in the environment affects the performance of biocenoses and cycles of matter in a landscape [1].Meioinvertebrate fauna feeds on algae and bacteria that are taken together with the remains of organic matter. Epiphytic algae are an important component of aquatic Pol. J. Environ. Stud. Vol. 25, No. 4 (2016), 1661-1668 Original Research AbstractThe density and dominance of benthic and epiphytic fauna of selected meioinvertebrate groups were studied in various types of standing water in eastern Poland: two lakes (mesotrophic and polytrophic) and two small water bodies (an oligotrophic pond and a peat-hag). The plants from which the fauna were collected included: Ceratophyllum demersum L., Elodea canadensis Michx., Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L., Myriophyllum spicatum L., Nuphar lutea (L.) Sibth. (i) Sm., Potamogeton natans L., and Stratiotes aloides L. In the taken material, the density and dominance structure of benthic and epiphytic fauna of the taxa Turbellaria, Gastrotricha, Rotifera, and Nematoda were estimated. Total density of the studied phyla in bottom sediments and on elodeids fluctuated from 1315.0 to 3156.0 10 3 indiv. m , respectively. Mean density of meioinvertebrates per 100 g dry weight of plants in the studied waterbodies amounted to from 125.8 to 289.0 10 3 indiv. 100 g -1 d.w.The density of meioinvertebrate fauna of elodeids was higher than in bottom sediments in all studied reservoirs and the differences were statistically significant.Epiphytic meioinvertebrate fauna in Lake Bikcze of high trophic level shows low similarity to the mesotrophic one, and to the oligotrophic pond, but shows high similarity to the peat-hag. The development of the meioinvertebrate community on elodeids is mainly affected by the trophic status of the reservoir and not by the character of vegetation.

show abstract

Seeökosysteme V: Synökologie (Teil 1)

Geller¹,

Hupfer²

2021

Handbuch Angewandte Limnologie: Grundlagen ‐ Gewässerbelastung ‐ Restaurierung ‐ Aquatische Ökotoxikologie ‐ Bewertung ‐ Gewäss

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Meiobenthic community patterns of oligotrophic and deep Lake Constance in relation to water depth and nutrients

Cited by 58 publications

References 0 publications

Wide variation in a tiny space: The microdistribution of meiobenthos in an artificial pond

Wide variation in a tiny space: The microdistribution of meiobenthos in an artificial pond

Quantitative Assessment of Epiphytic and Benthic Meioinvertebrate Fauna in Various Types of Standing Water

Seeökosysteme V: Synökologie (Teil 1)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About