Zooplankton Composition and Ecology in Western Boreal Shallow-water Wetlands

Abstract

Zooplankton are a functionally important but poorly studied component of western boreal forest (WBF) wetland ecosystems. To characterize patterns in zooplankton abundance and composition an exploratory study of 24 shallow-water wetlands in northern Alberta, Canada was carried out over the summers of 2001 and 2002. Results suggest zooplankton communities in WBF wetlands tend to exist as: (1) small-cladoceran dominated communities, (2) larger sized cladoceran (e.g. Daphnia) dominated communities, or (3) communities composed primarily of rotifers and/or other crustacean zooplankton. The presence/absence of brook stickleback (Culea inconstans) was the factor most strongly linked to zooplankton structure with small cladocerans tending to dominate in wetlands with stickleback. In fishless wetlands, communities dominated by medium-large sized cladocerans tended to correspond with low-chlorophyll/high-submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) conditions. Conversely, communities composed of rotifers and other crustaceans were associated with high-chlorophyll/low-SAV states. Macro-invertebrate predator abundance was not strongly linked to patterns in zooplankton composition suggesting macro-invertebrate predation is not a significant factor influencing zooplankton structure in fishless wetlands. Results suggest activities that spread stickleback (e.g. ditching) or inhibit development of macrophyte-dominated/clear-water conditions (e.g. nutrient loading) may seriously alter the zooplankton community structure, and thereby the functional ecology, of these valuable wetland ecosystems.

A review of potential methods for zooplankton control in wastewater treatment High Rate Algal Ponds and algal production raceways

“…Zooplankton provide the main trophic connection between bacteria, algae and higher consumers [42], with smaller organisms (bacteria, algae) eaten by the zooplankton, which, in turn, are food for aquatic insects and small fish. Zooplankton communities within any natural pond can be very complex, with hundreds of protozoan, 30-100 rotifer and 10-30 micro-crustacean species typically encountered in any one year [43][44][45][46]. Zooplankton are dispersed among natural habitats through reproduction via parthenogenetic or resting eggs, and transport of individuals by both natural (e.g., birds, animals, surface waters) and artificial (e.g., equipment) vectors [47].…”

The Impact of Water Chemistry on Zooplankton Occurrence in Two Types (Field versus Forest) of Small Water Bodies

“…Zooplankton densities are also known to be affected by the chlorophyll a concentration in water (NORLIN et al, 2006;HOGSDEN et al, 2009). Some freshwater organisms e.g., protozoans (PACE et al, 1998) reveal a positive correlation with the rates of primary production, however, other authors have not recorded such a relationship (KOBAYASHI, 1997;IRFANULLAH and MOSS, 2005) since zooplankton is usually able to control phytoplankton biomass.…”

Interaction between simulated dense Scenedesmus dimorphus (Chlorophyta) bloom and freshwater meta-zooplankton community

“…They feed on the bacteria and algae and become a source of food for aquatic insects and small fish (Turner, 2004(Turner, , 2014. The community of zooplankton within any natural pond can be very diverse, usually comprising hundreds of protozoa, several rotifers and 10 to 30 microcrustacean species (Norlin et al, 2006;Merrix-Jones et al, 2013). The composition of species within a habitat is influenced by local climate, diurnal cycles, water quality, trophic state, pH, direct predation, food composition (Guisande et al, 2003;Ban et al, 2008;Verschoor et al, 2009;Guo et al, 2011).…”