Abstract
We analysed subfossil death assemblages of aquatic invertebrate communities in a salinity series of 35 western Uganda maar-crater lakes to evaluate their potential as biological indicators of past habitat conditions in paleo-environmental research. The study region encompasses the climatological and hydrological gradient between the dry floor and moist shoulders of the Edward-George branch of the East African Rift Valley, and includes mesotrophic to hyper-eutrophic, and shallow unstratified to deep meromictic lakes with a surface-water salinity range between 101 and 135 400 μS/cm. Focusing on non-chironomid aquatic invertebrates with good fossil preservation, we found that fossil larval remains of the Dipteran families Culicidae, Ephydridae, and Stratiomyidae are good indicators of saline environments. Our data further suggest that the abundances of Bryozoan statoblasts and Chaoboridae are indicative of, respectively, the fraction of the littoral zone covered by aquatic macrophytes and of lake trophic state, but a lake reference data set more specifically designed to cover variation in these environmental factors will be needed to determine the strength of these relationships. In these small, simple lake basins, recent death assemblages recovered from a single mid-lake surface-sediment sample provides a more complete inventory of local aquatic invertebrate communities and the distribution of species among lakes than exploratory live sampling of those taxa in a selection of littoral, benthic and pelagic habitats.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
J. Balogh (1972) Oribatid Genera of the World Akdémiai kiadó Budapest 188
I.A.E. Bayly (1972) ArticleTitleSalinity tolerance and osmotic behavior of animals in athalassic saline and marine hypersaline waters Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 3 233–263 Occurrence Handle10.1146/annurev.es.03.110172.001313
L.E. Beadle (1932) ArticleTitleScientific results of the Cambridge Expedition to the east African lakes, 1930-1-4 The waters of some east African lakes in relation to their fauna and flora The Journal of the Linnean Society of London (Zoology) 38 157–211
L. Bengtsson M. Enell (1986) Chemical analysis B. E. Berglund (Eds) Handbook of Holocene Paleoecology and Paleohydrology John Wiley, Sons Chichester 423–451
F. Borg (1936) ArticleTitleUeber die Süsswasser-Bryozoen Afrikas Senckenbergiana 18 20–36
L. Brener WC. Sloan (1954) ArticleTitleThe occurrence of a mayfly nymph in brackish water Ecology 35 98
R. Burks E. Jeppesen D.M. Lodge TL. Lauridsen (2002) ArticleTitleDiel horizontal migration of zooplankton: costs and benefits of inhabiting littoral zones Freshwater Biology 47 343–365 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2427.2002.00824.x
R.E. Carlson (1977) ArticleTitleA trophic state index for lakes Limnology and Oceanography 22 361–368 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE2sXktFWhtbs%3D Occurrence Handle10.4319/lo.1977.22.2.0361
M.A. Chadwick JW. Feminella (2001) ArticleTitleInfluence of salinity and temperature on the growth and production of a freshwater mayfly in the Lower Mobile River, Alabama Limnology and Oceanography 46 532–542 Occurrence Handle10.4319/lo.2001.46.3.0532
Chardez, D., 1964. Thécamoebiens (Rhizopodes Testacés). In Symoens, J. J. (ed.), Exploration Hydrobiologique du Bassin du Lac Bangweolo et du Luapula 10(2): 1–77
Claessens I. (2002). Morphological, physical and chemical features of crater lakes in western Uganda. Masters Thesis, Ghent University, Ghent, 33 pp
A.S. Cohen R. Dussinger J. Richardson (1983) ArticleTitleLacustrine paleochemical interpretations based on eastern and southern African ostracodes Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 43 129–151 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0031-0182(83)90051-2 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL3sXls1Wrsb8%3D
T.L. Crisman U.A.M. Crisman MW. Binford (1986) ArticleTitleInterpretation of bryozoan microfossils in lacustrine sediment cores Hydrobiologia 143 113–118 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00026652 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXhtVOmsbs%3D
D.C. Currie IR. Walker (1992) ArticleTitleRecognotion and palaeohydrologic significance of fossil black fly larvae, with a key to the Neartic genera (Diptera: Simuliidae) Journal of Paleolimnology 7 37–54 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00197030
Deevey, E. S., H. Vaughan, Deevey GB., 1977. Lakes Yaxha and Sacnab, Peten, Guatemala: planktonic fossils and sediment focusing. In Golterman, H. R. (ed.), Interactions Between Sediments and Fresh Water. Junk, The Hague: 189–196
G. Demoulin (1981) ÉEphéméroptères J. R. Durand C. Leveque (Eds) Flore et Faune aquatiques de l’Afrique sahelo-soudanienne Orstom Press Paris 407–443
M. Dethier (1981) Hétéroptères J. R. Durand C. Leveque (Eds) Flore et Faune aquatiques de l’Afrique sahelo-soudanienne Orstom Press Paris 661–685
S. I. Dodson DG. Frey (1991) Cladocera and other Branchiopoda J. H. Thorp A. P. Covich (Eds) Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates Academic Press Toronto 723–786
G. F. Edmunds SuffixJr (1984) Ephemeroptera R. W. Merrit K. W. Cummins (Eds) An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America Kendall/Hunt Dubuque 94–125
Eggermont H. (2004). Fossil Chironomidae (Insecta, Diptera) as biological indicators for past salinity variation in African lakes. Ph.D. Dissertation, Ghent University, Ghent, 497 pp
D.R. Francis (1997) ArticleTitleBryozoan statoblasts in the recent sediments of Douglas Lake, Michigan Journal of Paleolimnology 17 255–261 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1007951019572
D. R. Francis (2001) Bryozoan statoblasts J. P. Smol H. J. B. Birks W. M. Last (Eds) Tracking Environmental Change Using Lake Sediments. Zoological Indicators, Vol. IV Kluwer Academic Publishers Dordrecht 105–123
D.G. Frey (1964) ArticleTitleRemains of animals in Quaternary lake and bog sediments and their interpretation Archiv für Hydrobiologie Ergebnisse der Limnologie 2 1–114
D.G. Frey (1988) ArticleTitleLittoral and offshore communities of diatoms, cladocerans and dipterous larvae, and their interpretation in paleolimnology Journal of Paleolimnology 1 179–191
S.C. Fritz (1996) ArticleTitlePaleolimnological records of climatic change in North America Journal of Freshwater Ecology 11 882–889
F. Gasse J.F. Talling P. Kilham (1983) ArticleTitleDiatom assemblages in East Africa: classification, distribution and ecology Revue d’Hydrobiologie Tropicale 116 3–34
F. Gasse S. Juggins L. Ben Khelifa (1995) ArticleTitleDiatom-based transfer functions for inferring past hydrochemical characteristics of African lakes Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 117 31–54 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0031-0182(94)00122-O
M.J. Håkanson M. Jansson (1983) Lake Sedimentology Springer-Verlag Berlin 316
U.T. Hammer (1986) Saline Lake Ecosystems of the World Junk Publishers Dordrecht 616
B.J. Hann P.R. Leavitt P.S.S. Chang (1994) ArticleTitleCladocera community response to experimental eutrophication in Lake 227 as recorded in laminated sediments Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 51 2312–2321
Herbst, D. B., 1986. Comparative studies of the population ecology and life history patterns of an alkaline salt lake insect: Ephydra (Hydropyrus)hians Say (Diptera: Ephydridae). Ph.D Thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, 206 pp
Iovino, A. J., 1975. Extant chironomid larval populations and the representativeness and nature of their remains in lake sediments. Ph.D. Dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington, 54 pp
Kizito, Y. S., Nauwerck A., L. J. Chapman, Koste W., 1993. A limnological survey of some Western Uganda Crater Lakes. Limnologica 23: 335–347
S. Lamontagne DW. Schindler (1994) ArticleTitleHistorical status of fish populations in Canadian Rocky Mountain lakes inferred from subfossil Chaoborus mandibles Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 51 1376–1383
W. Lampert (1993) ArticleTitleUltimate causes of diel vertical migration of zooplankton: new evidence for the predator avoidance hypothesis Archiv für Hydrobiologie Ergebnisse der Limnologie 39 79–88
L.M. McGowan (1972) ArticleTitleDescription of the larvae of Chaoborus (Neochaoborus) anomalus Edwards and Chaoborus (Sayomyia) ceratopogenes Theobald (Diptera Chaoboridae) from Lake George, Uganda, and their morphological variation in other African Lakes Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaine 85 357–368
J.M. Melack (1978) ArticleTitleMorphometric, physical and chemical features of the volcanic crater lakes of western Uganda Archiv für Hydrobiologie 84 430–453 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE1MXht1Oht7k%3D
J. C. Morse RW. Holzenthal (1984) Trichoptera Genera R. W. Merritt K. W. Cummins (Eds) An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America Kendall/Hunt Dubuque 312–347
H. Mumm (1997) ArticleTitleEffects of competitors and Chaoborus predation on the cladocerans of a eutrophic lake: an enclosure study Hydrobiologia 360 253–264 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1003177622210
H. D. Newson (1984) Culicidae R. W. Merritt K. W. Cummins (Eds) An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America Kendall/Hunt Dubuque 515–533
R.W. Pennak (1978) Fresh-water Invertebrates of the United States EditionNumber2 John Wiley, Sons Mew York 803
B.V. Peterson (1984) Simuliidae R. W. Merritt K. W. Cummins (Eds) An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America Kendall/Hunt Dubuque 534–550
B. Philippon (1981) Simuliidae J. R. Durand C. Leveque (Eds) Flore et Faune aquatiques de l’Afrique sahelo-soudanienne Orstom Press Paris 643–659
J. T. Polhemus (1984) Aquatic and Semiaquatic Hemiptera R. W. Merritt K. W. Cummins (Eds) An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America Kendall/Hunt Dubuque 231–260
A. Rickenbach (1981) Culicidae J. R. Durand C. Leveque (Eds) Flore et Faune aquatiques de l’Afrique sahelo-soudanienne Orstom Press Paris 570–581
H.E. Rine DH. Kesler (2001) ArticleTitleA long-term study of larval Chaoborus punctipennis (Diptera: Insecta) vertical migration and the role of critical oxygen concentration Journal of Freshwater Ecology 16 145–150
D.M. Rosenberg (1993) Freshwater Biomonitoring and Benthic Macroinvertebrates Chapman, Hall New York 488
K.L. Seip H. Sas S. Vermij (1992) ArticleTitleChanges in Secchi disk depth with eutrophication Archiv für Hydrobiologie 124 149–165
I. M. Smith DR. Cook (1991) Water mites J. H. Thorp A. P. Covich (Eds) Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates Academic Press Toronto 523–592
J.P. Smol I.R. Walker PR. Leavitt (1991) ArticleTitlePaleolimnology and hindcasting climate trends Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für Limnologie 24 1240–1246
O. Solem HH. Birks (2000) ArticleTitleLate-glacial and early-Holocene Trichoptera from Kråkenes Lake, western Norway Journal of Paleolimnology 23 49–56 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1008064831048
I.W. Sølhoy T. Sølhoy (2000) ArticleTitleThe fossil oribatid mite fauna (Acari: Oribatida) in late-glacial and early-Holocene sediments in Kråkenes Lake, western Norway Journal of Paleolimnology 23 35–47
Sreenivasa, B. A., 1973. Paleoecological studies of Sunfish lake and its environs. Ph.D Dissertation, University of Waterloo, Ontario, 185 pp
D.W. Stephens (1990) ArticleTitleChanges in lake levels, salinity and the biological community of Great Salt Lake (Utah, USA), 1847–1987 Hydrobiologia 197 139–146 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00026946 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXivFKmsA%3D%3D
H. J. Teskey (1984) Larvae of aquatic Diptera R. W. Merritt K. W. Cummins (Eds) An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America Kendall/Hunt Dubuque 448–466
B.V. Timms (1983) ArticleTitleA study of benthic communities in some shallow saline lakes of western Victoria Australia. Hydrobiologia 105 165–178
R.M. Timms B. Moss (1984) ArticleTitlePrevention of growth in Daphnia populations: co-action in perspective Memorie del’Istituto Italiano di Idrobiologia 45 413–423
C. Tudorancea A.D. Harrison CH. Fernando (1989) ArticleTitleA comparative limnological study of zoobenthic associations in lakes of the Ethiopian Rift Valley Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement 83 121–174
A.J. Uutala (1990) ArticleTitleChaoborus (Diptera: Chaoboridae) mandibles – paleolimnological indicators of the historical status of fish populations in acid-sensitive lakes Journal of Paleolimnology 4 139–151 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00226321
A.J. Uutala JP. Smol (1996) ArticleTitlePaleolimnological reconstructions of long-term changes in fisheries status in Sudbury area lakes Canandian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 53 174–180
J. Verbeke (1957) ArticleTitleChaoboridae (Diptera Nematocera) stades immatures et adultes Résultats scientifiques de l’exploration hydrobiologique ( 1952 IssueID-1954 des lacs Kivu, Edouard et Albert 3 183–201
D. Verschuren (1997) ArticleTitleTaxonomy and ecology of subfossil Chironomidae (Insecta, Diptera) from Rift Valley lakes in central Kenya Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement 107 467–512
Verschuren D., Cumming B.F., Laird KR., in press. Quantitative reconstruction of past salinity variations in African lakes: assessment of chironomid-based inference models (Insecta: Diptera) in space and time. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
I.R. Walker CG. Paterson (1985) ArticleTitleEfficient separation of subfossil Chironomidae from lake sediments Hydrobiologia 122 189–192
I.R. Walker C.H. Fernando CG. Paterson (1984) ArticleTitleThe chironomid fauna of four shallow, humic lakes and their representation by subfossil assemblages in the surficial sediments Hydrobiologia 112 61–67 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00007667
I.R. Walker S.E. Wilson JP. Smol (1995) ArticleTitleChironomidae (Diptera): quantitative palaeosalinity indicators for lakes of western Canada Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 52 950–960 Occurrence Handle10.1139/f95-094
B. G. Warner (1990a) Testate Amoebae (Protozoa) B. G. Warner (Eds) Methods in Quaternary Ecology Love Printing Service Ltd. Stittsville 65–74
B.G. Warner (1990b) Other Fossils B. G. Warner (Eds) Methods in Quaternary Ecology Love Printing Service Ltd. Stittsville 149–162
M. J. Westfall (1984) Odonata R. W. Merritt K. W. Cummins (Eds) An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America Kendall/Hunt Dubuque 126–176
F. Wiebach (1970) ArticleTitleSüswasser-Bryozoen aus Brasilien und Zentralafrika Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines 81 IssueID1–2 62–69
F. Wiebach (1980) Lophophoriens (Bryozoaires et Kamptozoaires) J. R. Durand C. Leveque (Eds) Flore et Faune aquatiques de l’Afrique sahelo-soudanienne Orstom Press Paris 273–282
N.E. Williams (1988) ArticleTitleThe use of caddisflies (Trichoptera) in palaeoecology Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 62 493–500 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0031-0182(88)90069-7
B. Wissel N.D. Yan CW. Ramcharan (2003) ArticleTitlePredation and refugia: implications for Chaoborus abundance and species composition Freshwater Biology 48 1421–1431 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2427.2003.01100.x
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rumes, B., Eggermont, H. & Verschuren, D. Representation of aquatic invertebrate communities in subfossil death assemblages sampled along a salinity gradient of western Uganda crater lakes. Hydrobiologia 542, 297–314 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-004-1873-3
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-004-1873-3