Seasonal development of planktonic rotifers in Slapy Reservoir (Czech Republic)

Abstract

The rotifer community of the canyon shaped Slapy Reservoir was studied over four years, from 2000 to 2003. A total of 38 rotifer taxa were identified in the pelagial zone. The dominant species, Keratella cochlearis, K. quadrata, Polyarthra dolichoptera, P. vulgaris, Synchaeta lakowitziana and Pompholyx sulcata, were similar to other reservoirs in the same area. Tychoplanktic species, which are typical for communities of upstream reservoirs, are reduced in the Slapy Reservoir. The seasonal fluctuation of rotifer abundance is characterized by a significant spring peak, clear water depression, summer peak and sometimes a lower peak in autumn. Fluctuation of the rotifer species shows a highly unified trend through the years with very low variation through the years. It results from the input of hypolimnetic water from an upstream reservoir, which erased a large part of the effect of year to year climatic fluctuations.

Repeated flood disturbance enhances rotifer dominance and diversity in a zooplankton community of a small dammed mountain pond

“…Although rotifers generally are present at higher abundances than crustacean species in reservoirs and lakes, the ratio found in our system between their abundances is extremely high (average ratio of rotifer:crustacean abundance in Jiřická Pond=126:1) and notably differ from the ratio recorded in other aquatic systems with higher retention times. For example, the average ratio in Slapy Reservoir (Czech Republic) with 57 days of average time retention is 10:1 (Devetter, 2011); in Řimov Reservoir (Czech Republic) with 90 days of average time retention is 5:1 (Seda and Devetter, 2000); in Saidenbach Reservoir (Germany) with 220 days of average time retention is 4:1 (Hülsmann et al, 2012;personal communication ); or in Lake Śniardwy (Poland) with 260 days of average time retention is 2.5:1 (Ejsmont-Karabin and Kufel, personal communication). This difference in the abundances is likely to be related to their longer generation times (Allan, 1976;Herzig, 1984) which involve a slow growth in the water column.…”

Zooplankton and environmental factors of a recovering eutrophic lake (Lysimachia Lake, Western Greece)

“…In the present study water temperature was significant for rotifer and cladoceran species. The strong influence of this parameter on several rotifer species (e.g., Keratella cochlearis, Hexarthra sp., Trichocerca similis) has been also demonstrated by Devetter (2011) and Chalkia et al (2012a). It has been reported that temperature affects the metabolic rate of cladocerans and their occurrence and distribution, although the quality and quantity of food are also determinants for the density and biomass of these organisms (Abrantes et al 2006).…”

Zooplankton community dynamics and environmental factors in Lake Ozeros (Greece)

“…In this study, water temperature was significant for the community of rotifers and cladocerans and especially for the larvae of D. blanci. The influence of temperature on several rotifer species has been well demonstrated (Hoffmann, 1977;Devetter, 1998;2011;Akbulut et al, 2008), while Synchaeta sp. has been also correlated with temperature in Trichonis Lake (Doulka & Kehayias, 2008).…”

“…During the last few years efforts were made to investigate the zooplankton in the lakes of Western Greece along with the abiotic elements of these ecosystems (Kehayias et al, 2004;Doulka & Kehayias, 2008, 2011Doulka, 2010;Chalkia et al, 2012a, b). As part of this effort, through a one-year investigation, this study aims to investigate the zooplankton community as a biological element relevant in the assessment of the ecological status of this aquatic ecosystem, and also to explore relationships between community dynamics and environmental factors.…”