Effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes
<p>Complex interactions between zooplankton and microbial food webs are vital to the ecosystem ecology of shallow lakes. However, little is known about how horizontal changes in environmental conditions may influence microbial and metazoan communities in shallow lakes. The specific goals of th...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PAGEPress Publications
2015-12-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Limnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jlimnol.it/index.php/jlimnol/article/view/1338 |
| _version_ | 1819014118918586368 |
|---|---|
| author | Tomasz Mieczan Małgorzata Adamczuk Monika Tarkowska-Kukuryk Dorota Nawrot |
| author_facet | Tomasz Mieczan Małgorzata Adamczuk Monika Tarkowska-Kukuryk Dorota Nawrot |
| author_sort | Tomasz Mieczan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Complex interactions between zooplankton and microbial food webs are vital to the ecosystem ecology of shallow lakes. However, little is known about how horizontal changes in environmental conditions may influence microbial and metazoan communities in shallow lakes. The specific goals of the study were i) to describe environmental variables responsible for the distribution of bacteria, flagellates, ciliates and crustaceans in an adjacent canal, ecotone and reservoir (littoral-pelagic zone) in two different types of lakes (<em>Ceratophyllum</em>-dominated and <em>Potamogeton</em>-dominated lakes); ii) to determine whether the contact zone waters differ in hydrochemical and biological terms from the waters of the canal and the open water zone; iii) and to evaluate the influence of particular macro-habitats (canal, canal/reservoir, littoral and pelagic zone) on the interactions between components of the planktonic food web. We studied four shallow, eutrophic lakes in Polesie Lubelskie (eastern Poland). The highest diversity and abundance of microorganisms and crustaceans were observed in the canal-reservoir contact zone, while the lowest values were noted in the pelagic zone. Hence, the contact zone in the investigated lakes could fulfil the function of an ecotone, distinguished by a significant increase in biodiversity, abundance, and species specificity of micro- and macroorganisms. Weak relations between food web components were found in the <em>Ceratophyllum</em>-dominated lakes, where environmental variables explained the bulk of the total variance in plankton abundance, whereas in the <em>Potamogeton</em>-dominated lakes, where environmental variables had a minor role in the total variance in plankton abundance, strong predator-prey relations were noted. Spatial structure of habitats proved to be another important factor for relationships between food web components, as our study indicated that habitat complexity can reduce negative correlations between food web components. Our study contributes to knowledge of the functioning of eutrophic lakes in the current era of increasing eutrophication caused by climate change and human activity.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T02:10:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69959f5965d2428da0ba677cf6ed98ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1129-5767 1723-8633 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T02:10:46Z |
| publishDate | 2015-12-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Limnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-69959f5965d2428da0ba677cf6ed98ab2022-12-21T19:19:22ZengPAGEPress PublicationsJournal of Limnology1129-57671723-86332015-12-0175210.4081/jlimnol.2015.1338772Effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte-dominated shallow lakesTomasz Mieczan0Małgorzata Adamczuk1Monika Tarkowska-Kukuryk2Dorota Nawrot3University of Life Sciences in LublinUniversity of Life Sciences in LublinUniversity of Life Sciences in LublinUniversity of Life Sciences in Lublin<p>Complex interactions between zooplankton and microbial food webs are vital to the ecosystem ecology of shallow lakes. However, little is known about how horizontal changes in environmental conditions may influence microbial and metazoan communities in shallow lakes. The specific goals of the study were i) to describe environmental variables responsible for the distribution of bacteria, flagellates, ciliates and crustaceans in an adjacent canal, ecotone and reservoir (littoral-pelagic zone) in two different types of lakes (<em>Ceratophyllum</em>-dominated and <em>Potamogeton</em>-dominated lakes); ii) to determine whether the contact zone waters differ in hydrochemical and biological terms from the waters of the canal and the open water zone; iii) and to evaluate the influence of particular macro-habitats (canal, canal/reservoir, littoral and pelagic zone) on the interactions between components of the planktonic food web. We studied four shallow, eutrophic lakes in Polesie Lubelskie (eastern Poland). The highest diversity and abundance of microorganisms and crustaceans were observed in the canal-reservoir contact zone, while the lowest values were noted in the pelagic zone. Hence, the contact zone in the investigated lakes could fulfil the function of an ecotone, distinguished by a significant increase in biodiversity, abundance, and species specificity of micro- and macroorganisms. Weak relations between food web components were found in the <em>Ceratophyllum</em>-dominated lakes, where environmental variables explained the bulk of the total variance in plankton abundance, whereas in the <em>Potamogeton</em>-dominated lakes, where environmental variables had a minor role in the total variance in plankton abundance, strong predator-prey relations were noted. Spatial structure of habitats proved to be another important factor for relationships between food web components, as our study indicated that habitat complexity can reduce negative correlations between food web components. Our study contributes to knowledge of the functioning of eutrophic lakes in the current era of increasing eutrophication caused by climate change and human activity.</p>http://www.jlimnol.it/index.php/jlimnol/article/view/1338Eutrophicationmacrophytemicrobial loopcrustaceans. |
| spellingShingle | Tomasz Mieczan Małgorzata Adamczuk Monika Tarkowska-Kukuryk Dorota Nawrot Effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes Journal of Limnology Eutrophication macrophyte microbial loop crustaceans. |
| title | Effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes |
| title_full | Effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes |
| title_fullStr | Effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes |
| title_short | Effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes |
| title_sort | effect of water chemistry on zooplanktonic and microbial communities across freshwater ecotones in different macrophyte dominated shallow lakes |
| topic | Eutrophication macrophyte microbial loop crustaceans. |
| url | http://www.jlimnol.it/index.php/jlimnol/article/view/1338 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tomaszmieczan effectofwaterchemistryonzooplanktonicandmicrobialcommunitiesacrossfreshwaterecotonesindifferentmacrophytedominatedshallowlakes AT małgorzataadamczuk effectofwaterchemistryonzooplanktonicandmicrobialcommunitiesacrossfreshwaterecotonesindifferentmacrophytedominatedshallowlakes AT monikatarkowskakukuryk effectofwaterchemistryonzooplanktonicandmicrobialcommunitiesacrossfreshwaterecotonesindifferentmacrophytedominatedshallowlakes AT dorotanawrot effectofwaterchemistryonzooplanktonicandmicrobialcommunitiesacrossfreshwaterecotonesindifferentmacrophytedominatedshallowlakes |