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Seasonal Patterns of Abundance: Do Zooplankton in Small Ponds do the Same Thing Every Spring–Summer?

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Abstract

Small ponds ( ≤ 2 ha) are often a common landscape feature, but their ecology has been less well studied than that of lakes. Studies of some lakes and reservoirs show among-year repeatability in the seasonal abundance of different zooplankton (i.e., succession). For small ponds the seasonal dynamics of zooplankton community structure are relatively unstudied, as are any mechanisms underlying these dynamics. We took a community-level approach to studying the spring–summer abundance of zooplankton in two small Ohio ponds. In particular we wanted to know if repeatable patterns exist for zooplankton community structure in these ponds. We surveyed the spring–summer zooplankton communities in the ponds from 2001 to 2003 and used community-level ordination techniques (i.e., non-metric multidimensional scaling, NMDS) to characterize the assemblages. For both ponds the seasonal pattern of total zooplankton abundance differed significantly among years. We found that the proportional abundance of taxa across the season also varied among years. Elements of the zooplankton community, as described by the NMDS dimensions, showed among-year variation in the spring–summer trajectories that developed. Some of the variation in these zooplankton communities was associated with seasonal changes in water temperature. This among-year variation in the seasonal pattern of zooplankton community structure suggests that community dynamics in these small ponds may not be very repeatable. These complex dynamics of zooplankton thus challenges us to improve our characterization of zooplankton communities in small ponds such that we can better understand the factors that drive the patterns we observe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Denison University, Granville, OH , 43023, USA

    Jessica E. Rettig, Linda S. Schuman & James K. McCloskey

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  1. Jessica E. Rettig
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  2. Linda S. Schuman
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  3. James K. McCloskey
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Correspondence to Jessica E. Rettig.

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Rettig, J.E., Schuman, L.S. & McCloskey, J.K. Seasonal Patterns of Abundance: Do Zooplankton in Small Ponds do the Same Thing Every Spring–Summer?. Hydrobiologia 556, 193–207 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-005-1278-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-005-1278-y

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