Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Zooplankton dynamics in a gypsum karst lake and interrelation with the abiotic environment

  • Section Zoology
  • Published:
Biologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Zooplankton species composition and abundance variation was studied in Lake Amvrakia, which is a deep, temperate, gypsum karst lake situated in the western Greece. The two year survey of zooplankton revealed 33 species (23 rotifers, five cladocerans, four copepods and one mollusc larva). The mean integrated abundance of the total zooplankton ranged between 83.6 and 442.7 ind. L−1, with the higher density to be recorded in the surface 0–20 m layer. Small numbers of specimens of almost all species were found also in the hypoxic or anoxic hypolimnion. Copepods and especially the calanoid Eudiaptomus drieschi dominated the zooplankton community throughout the sampling period, followed by Dreissena polymorpha larvae, rotifers and cladocerans. Seasonal succession among the cladocerans and the most abundant rotifer species was observed. The concentration of chlorophyll-a was the most important factor for the variation of total zooplankton, as well as for the rotifers’ community. Dissolved oxygen affected copepods and cladocerans, water level correlated mainly with the molluscs larvae of D. polymorpha, while temperature influenced the variation of several rotifers, the cladoceran Diaphanosoma orghidani and the mollusc larvae. Negative correlation of conductivity with the cladoceran Daphnia cucullata and the copepods E. drieschi and Macrocyclops albidus was found. The differences in species composition found in Lake Amvrakia in comparison to the nearby lakes are probably ought to the geographical isolation and perhaps to its particular chemistry (e.g., elevated conductivity).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abrantes N., Antunes S.C., Pereira M.J. & Gonçalves F. 2006. Seasonal succession of cladocerans and phytoplankton and their interactions in a shallow eutrophic lake (LakeVela, Portugal). Acta Oecol. 29(1): 54–64. DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2005.07.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akbulut N., Akbulut A. & Park Y-S. 2008. Relationship between zooplankton (Rotifera) distribution and physico-chemical variables in Uluabat Lake (Turkey). Fresenius Environ. Bull. 17(8): 947–955.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • APHA, AWWA & WPCF. 1998. Standard Methods for the Examination ofWater andWastewater. American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association and Water Pollution Control Federation, Washington D.C. 17th ed. 1624 pp. ISBN: 087553161X

  • Beaver J.R. & Havens K.E. 1996. Seasonal and spatial variation in zooplankton community structure and their relation to possible controlling variables in Lake Okeechobee. Freshwater Biol. 36(1): 45–56. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2427.1996.00071.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bielánska-Grajner I. & Gładysz A. 2011. Planktonic rotifers in mining lakes in the Silesian Upland: Relationship to environmental parameters. Limnologica 40(1): 67–72. DOI:10.1016/j.limno.2009.05.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson R.E. 1977. A trophic state index for lakes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22(2): 361–369.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danielidis D.B., Spartinou M. & Economou-Amilli A. 1996. Limnological survey of Lake Amvrakia, western Greece. Hydrobiologia 318(3): 207–218. DOI: 10.1007/BF00016682

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeMott W.R. & Kerfoot W.C. 1982. Competition among Cladocerans: nature of the interaction between Bosmina and Daphnia. Ecology 63(6): 1949–1966. DOI: 10.2307/1940132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devetter M. 1998. Influence of environmental factors on the rotifer assemblage in an artificial lake. Hydrobiologia 387/388: 171–178. DOI: 10.1023/A:1017050011995

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doulka E. 2010. Contribution to the study of the zooplankton community of Lake Trichonis (Greece). PhD Thesis, University of Ioannina, Greece, 308 pp. [in Greek with English abstract]

    Google Scholar 

  • Doulka E. & Kehayias G. 2008. Spatial and temporal distribution of zooplankton in Lake Trichonis (Greece). J. Nat. Hist. 42(5–8): 575–595. DOI: 10.1080/00222930701835555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doulka E. & Kehayias G. 2011. Seasonal vertical distribution and diel migration of zooplankton in a temperate stratified lake. Biologia 66(2): 308–319. DOI: 10.2478/s11756-011-0023-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrara O., Vagaggini D. & Margaritora F.G. 2002. Zooplankton abundance and diversity in Lake Bracciano, Latium, Italy. J. Limnol. 61(2): 169–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • García R.P, Nandini S., Sarma S.S.S., Robles Valderrama E., Cuesta I. & Hurtado M-D. 2002. Seasonal variations of zooplankton abundance in the freshwater reservoir Valle de Bravo (Mexico). Hydrobiologia 467(1–3): 99–108. DOI: 10.1023/A:1014953119507

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geller W. & Müller H. 1985. Seasonal variability in the relationship between body length and individual dry weight as related to food abundances and clutch size in two coexisting Daphnia species. J. Plankton Res. 7(1): 1–18. DOI: 10.1093/plankt/7.1.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gliwicz Z.M. & Pijanowska J. 1989. The role of predation in zooplankton succession, pp. 253–296. In: Sommer U. (ed.) Plankton Ecology: Succession in Plankton Communities, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 369 pp. ISBN-10: 3540513736

    Google Scholar 

  • Halvorsen G., Dervo B.K. & Papinska K. 2004. Zooplankton in Lake Atnsjøen 1985-1997. Hydrobiologia 521(1–3): 149–175. DOI: 10.1023/B:HYDR.0000026357.80231.d2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansson L.-A., Gustafsson S., Rengefors K. & Bomark L. 2007. Cyanobacterial chemical warfare affects zooplankton community composition. Freshwater Biol. 52(7): 1290–1301. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2007.01765.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann W. 1977. The influence of abiotic environmental factors on population dynamics in planktonic rotifers. Arch. Hydrobiol. Beih. 8: 77–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huber V., Adrian R. & Gerten D. 2010. A matter of timing: heat wave impact on crustacean zooplankton. Freshwater Biol. 55(8): 1769–1779. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2010.02411.x

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson P.D. & McMahon R.F. 1998. Effects of temperature and chronic hypoxia on survivorship of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 55(7): 1564–1572. DOI: 10.1139/cjfas-55-7-1564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kehayias G., Chalkia E., Chalkia S., Nistikakis G., Zacharias I. & Zotos A. 2008. Zooplankton dynamics in the upstream part of Stratos reservoir (Greece). Biologia 63(5): 699–710. DOI: 10.2478/s11756-008-0129-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koussouris T. 1978. Plankton observations in three lakes ofWestern Greece. Thalassographica 2(1): 115–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuznetsova M.A. & Bayanov N.G. 2001. On the classification of aquatic communities: An example of zooplanktonic cenoses of karst lakes in the north of European Russia. Russ. J. Ecol. 32(4): 255–260. DOI: 10.1023/A:1011362505206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lair N. 1990. Effect of invertebrate predation on the seasonal succession of a zooplankton community: a two year study in Lake Aydat, France. Hydrobiologia 198(1): 1–12. DOI: 10.1007/BF00048618

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lampert W. & Sommer U. 1997. Limnoecology — the Ecology of Lakes and Streams. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 382 pp. ISBN: 0195095928

    Google Scholar 

  • Maguran AE. 1988. Ecological Diversity and its Measurement. Croom Helm, London, 179 pp. ISBN: 0709935390

    Google Scholar 

  • Matveev V.F. 1987. Effect of competition on the demography of planktonic cladocerans-Daphnia and Diaphanosoma. Oecologia 74(3): 468–477. DOI: 10.2307/4218496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaloudi E. & Kostecka 2004. Zooplankton of Lake Koroneia (Macedonia, Greece). Biologia 59(2): 165–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michaloudi E., Zarfdjian M. & Economidis P.S. 1997. The zooplankton of Lake Mikri Prespa. Hydrobiologia 351(1–3): 77–94. DOI: 10.1023/A:1003008306292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore M.V., Folt C.F. & Stemberger R.S. 1996. Consequences of elevated temperatures for zooplankton assemblages in temperate lakes. Arch. Hydrobiol 135(3): 289–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Overbeck J., Anagnostidis K. & Economou-Amilli A. 1982. A limnological survey of three Greek lakes: Trichonis, Lyssimachia and Amvrakia. Arch. Hydrobiol. 95: 365–394.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Preston N.D. & Rusak J.A. 2010. Homage to Hutchinson: does inter-annual climate variability affect zooplankton density and diversity? Hydrobiologia 653: 165–177. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-010-0352-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soucek D. J. 2007. Bioenergetic effects of sodium sulfate on the freshwater crustacean, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Ecotoxicology 16(3): 317–325. DOI: 10.1007/s10646-007-0133-5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spartinou M. 1992. The microflora of lake Amvrakia, Western Greece. A systematic and ecological approach. PhD Thesis, University of Athens, Greece, 354 pp. [in Greek with English abstract]

    Google Scholar 

  • Stánczykowska A. & Lewandowski K. 1993. Thirty years of studies of Dreissena polymorpha ecology in Mazurian lakes of northeastern Poland, pp. 3–37. In: Nalepa T.F. & Schloesser D.W. (eds), Zebra Mussels: Biology, Impacts, and Control. Lewis, Boca Raton, 810 pp. ISBN: 0873716965

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanković I., Ternjej I., Mihaljević Z., Furač L. & Kerovec M. 2010. Crustacean plankton community (Crustacea: Copepoda and Cladocera) in gypsum karst lakes and their relation to abiotic parameters. Hydrobiologia 666(1): 145–153. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-010-0098-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoeckmann A.M. & Garton D.W. 2001. Flexible energy allocation in zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in response to different environmental conditions. J. North Am. Benthol. Soc. 20(3): 486–500. DOI: 10.2307/1468043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tátrai I., Mátyás K., Korponai J., Paulovits G., Pomogyi P. & Héri J. 2003. Regulation of plankton by omnivore cyprinids in a shallow lake in the Kis-Balaton Reservoir System. Hydrobiologia 504(1–3): 241–250. DOI: 10.1023/B:HYDR.0000008524.29013.48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanderploeg H.A, Ludsin S.A., Cavaletto J.F., Höök T.O., Pothoven S.A., Brandt S.B., Liebig J.R. & Lang G.A. 2009. Hypoxic zones as habitat for zooplankton in Lake Erie: Refuges from predation or exclusion zones? J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 381: S108–S120. DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2009.07.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanni M.J. & Layne C.D. 1997. Nutrient recycling and herbivory as mechanisms in the ”top-down” effect of fish on algae in lakes. Ecology 78(1): 21–40. DOI: 10.1890/0012-9658(1997)078[0021:NRAHAM]2.0.CO;2

    Google Scholar 

  • Vardaka E., Moustaka-Gouni M., Cook C.M. & Lanaras T. 2005. Cyanobacterial blooms and water quality in Greek waterbodies. J. Appl. Phyco. 17(5): 291–401. DOI: 10.1007/s10811-005-8700-8

    Google Scholar 

  • Verginis S. & Leontaris S. 1978. Beitrage zur Morphologie and Entwicklung des Semipoljes Amvrakia (Limni Amvrakia), West-Griecheland. Int. Rev. Ges. Hydrobiol. 63(6): 831–839. DOI: 10.1002/iroh.19780630615

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang S., Xie P. & Geng H. 2010. The relative importance of physicochemical factors and crustacean zooplankton as determinants of rotifer density and species distribution in lakes adjacent to the Yangtze River, China. Limnologica 40(1): 1–7. DOI: 10.1016/j.limno.2009.03.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wetzel R.G. 2001. Limnology. Lake and River Ecosystems. Third Edition. Academic Press, San Diego, 1006 pp. ISBN: 978-0-12-744760-5

    Google Scholar 

  • Zacharias I., Bertachas I., Skoulikidis N. & Koussouris Th. 2002. Greek lakes: limnological overview. Lakes Reserv. Res. Manage. 7(1): 55–62. DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1770.2002.00171.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Żurek R. 2006. Zooplankton of a flooded opencast sulphur mine. Aquat. Ecol. 40(2): 177–202. DOI: 10.1007/s10452-005-9002-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, Seferi 2, 30 100, Agrinio, Greece

    Ekaterini Chalkia, Ierotheos Zacharias, Anna-Akrivi Thomatou & George Kehayias

Authors
  1. Ekaterini Chalkia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ierotheos Zacharias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anna-Akrivi Thomatou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. George Kehayias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Kehayias.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chalkia, E., Zacharias, I., Thomatou, AA. et al. Zooplankton dynamics in a gypsum karst lake and interrelation with the abiotic environment. Biologia 67, 151–163 (2012). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0147-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0147-6

Key words

Search

Navigation