Response of cladoceran assemblages to restoration of riparian vegetation: A case study in a tropical reservoir of Brazil

In recent decades, riparian vegetation has been removed from important ecosystems around the world, in spite of its high ecological importance for aquatic biota. Nevertheless, the effects of catchment land use on zooplankton have been little studied. The present study investigated if replanting riparian vegetation in a tropical reservoir influences the richness and abundance of cladoceran communities, by addressing the question of whether cladocerans show differences in richness and abundance among four levels of riparian vegetation conditions: 1) native forest (NF); 2) 30 years after forest replanting (R1); 3) 10 years after forest replanting (R2); and 4) no forest (No-F). Zooplankton samples were obtained from 9 stations in the Volta Grande Reservoir, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Cladocerans in zones NF and R1 showed higher levels of richness and abundance than in zones No-F and R2. Ceriodaphnia reticulata, Ceriodaphnia laticaudata, and Diaphanosoma spinulosum showed higher abundances in zones NF and R1. Cladoceran community structure was influenced by the different levels of riparian vegetation. This study showed that the presence and age of riparian forest positively influence the abundance, richness and diversity of cladoceran assemblages. Furthermore, our results indicated that C. reticulata, C. laticaudata and D. spinulosum are more efficient than other cladocerans in exploiting allochthonous resources provided by riparian forest. Functional diversity was higher in zones NF and R1, suggesting that the trait composition of cladoceran assemblages responds positively to recovery of riparian forest. Overall, our research suggests that cladocerans are good indicators of riparian vegetation conditions and that restoration of riparian forest positively affects cladoceran assemblages of tropical reservoirs.     

Cladoceran community composition in tropical semi-arid highland reservoirs in Tigray (Northern Ethiopia): A metacommunity perspective applied to young reservoirs

A field survey of zooplankton communities was carried out in 32 recently established tropical semi-arid reservoirs in the highlands of Northern Ethiopia with the aim to identify to what extent environmental factors determine species composition of the cladoceran community in such isolated and young reservoirs. To address seasonal variation, the survey was carried out both at the beginning and the end of the dry season. A total of 15 species of cladocerans were identified. Daphnia was the most abundant cladoceran genus, and was present in all reservoirs. Using presence-absence data, no association between cladoceran community composition and geographic distance was found. RDA results indicate that the set of environmental variables that explained cladoceran community composition differed among seasons. Depth, altitude and fish biomass showed a significant association with cladoceran community composition during the wet season, whereas variation in cladoceran community structure was associated with phytoplankton biomass in the dry season. The relative abundance of Daphnia was much higher in the pelagic than in the littoral zone of our study systems. Two key groups of pelagic filter-feeding cladocerans, Diaphanosoma and Daphnia, showed a clear pattern, in which one or the other tended to strongly dominate the community. In addition, we observed a negative association between dominance of Daphnia in the zooplankton community and dominance of cyanobacteria in the phytoplankton community.     

食物质量和种间竞争对盔型溞(Daphnia galeata)和脆弱象鼻溞(Bosmina fatalis)种群增长的影响

竞争是调控水体浮游动物群落结构的生物因素之一.根据"大小效率假说",大型滤食性枝角类对小型枝角类有竞争优势.然而,大型滤食性枝角类体内磷含量通常高于小型枝角类,生长比小型枝角类更容易受食物磷缺乏的影响,食物的磷缺乏可能会改变大型枝角类和小型枝角类之间的竞争结果.本研究比较分析了食物碳磷比对两种常见枝角类（盔型溞（Daphnia galeata）和脆弱象鼻溞（Bosmina fatalis））的种群增长率、种群密度及种间竞争关系的影响.实验设计了3个食物质量处理组：高磷（碳：磷=105）、中磷（碳：磷=740）和低磷（碳：磷=2400）,食物浓度均为2 mg C/L蛋白核小球藻（Chlorella pyrenoidosa）;针对每一个食物质量处理组,盔型溞和脆弱象鼻溞分别单独培养或混合培养.盔型溞和脆弱象鼻溞平均最大种群密度分别为378~893和364~2399 ind./L;平均种群增长率分别为0.11~0.14和0.09~0.16 d^-1;平均体长分别为1.53~2.50和0.25~0.35 mm.种群增长率和体长均随着食物碳磷比的升高而显著下降,而最大种群密度在中磷处理组显著高于其它两个处理组.盔型溞种群增长率在单独培养和混合培养间无显著差异;脆弱象鼻溞种群增长率在混合培养时显著低于单独培养时.在高磷和中磷处理组,盔型溞最大种群密度在单独培养和混合培养间无显著差异,在低磷处理组,混合培养时最大种群密度显著低于单独培养时;在高磷处理组,脆弱象鼻溞最大种群密度在单独培养和混合培养间无显著差异,在中磷和低磷处理组,混合培养时显著低于单独培养时.结果表明,在食物碳不缺条件下,不管食物磷是否缺乏,盔型溞均比脆弱象鼻溞有竞争优势.     

Diet of Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774) from subtropical coastal lakes: Evidence from stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses

Freshwater gastropods, through their indiscriminate deposit feeding, provide an essential link between available benthic resources and higher trophic levels in a variety of aquatic habitats. Here we focus on the contribution of available sources to the diet of Melanoides tuberculata in different habitats within coastal subtropical lakes. Globally, this species is one of two dominant alien invasive thiarid gastropods that have established populations in diverse habitats across the New World. We assessed the dietary composition of M. tuberculata to provide insight on the ability of this species to utilize a range of resources under different environmental conditions as a factor that contributes towards its invasion success. Our results show that M. tuberculata exhibits a degree of trophic plasticity and that its diet is largely determined by the availability of resources. However, all sources were not consumed in equal proportions. Benthic microalgae and filamentous Cladophora sp. dominated the diet of snails inhabiting the shallow stream-fed habitats, with sedimentary organic matter making a significantly lower contribution. In contrast, detritus was the most important food source for individuals from the littoral zone of an oligotrophic lake. Although M. tuberculata exhibits trophic plasticity, there is evidence for specialization in diet between individuals within small spatial scales. These variations may contribute to the overall invasion success of this species, by reducing intraspecific competition for resources following introduction to new habitats.     

太湖不同生态型湖区枝角类组成和丰度长期变化的差异性

枝角类作为淡水湖泊生态系统中的初级消费者之一,对生存环境的改变极为敏感.本文分析了太湖西、中和东部等湖区的钻孔沉积物、表层沉积物以及春夏秋季活体枝角类的组成与丰度.结果表明:活体枝角类组成以象鼻溞(Bosmina spp.)为优势种,秋季枝角类属种数量最多.太湖不同生态型湖区表层沉积物枝角类组成均以象鼻溞为优势种,其中西部与中心湖区的枝角类组成与丰度较为相似,种类单一,枝角类绝对丰度高;东部湖区枝角类属种较为丰富,绝对丰度低,优势种由浮游种象鼻溞以及沿岸种圆形盘肠溞(Chydorus sphaericus sl)和西方笔纹溞(Graptoleberis testudinaria)等种属构成.百年以来,太湖枝角类组成与丰度随着营养水平增加而改变,富营养指示种(Bosmina longirostris)丰度的增加与贫营养指示种(Bosmina longispina)丰度的下降,响应了湖区生态环境的演变过程.1970s末期,太湖西部与中心湖区在进入富营养化阶段,枝角类组成单一,象鼻溞占有绝对优势,与东部湖区相比,沿岸种、底栖种稀少.东部湖区在1960s以后,枝角类属种数量增加,但丰度下降,响应了1960s以来该区域营养水平提高、沉水植被生物量增加以及沼泽化加剧的环境过程.     

Food Type Effects on the Population Growth Patterns of Littoral Rotifers and Cladocerans

Littoral rotifers and cladocerans feed on bacteria, phytoplankton, and detritus. In comparison to planktonic organisms their species diversity is high, yet little is known about their biology. In this study we present data on the functional response of the cladocerans Macrothrix triserialis and Alona rectangula, and the rotifer Brachionus macracanthus to different levels of the alga Chlorella vulgaris. Based on the incipient limiting level, we chose the food concentration and tested the population growth on four types of diets for three cladoceran species — Macrothrix triserialis, Alona rectangula, and Chydorus sphaericus — and three rotifer species — Brachionus macracanthus, Lecane quadridentata, and Platyias quadricornis. We studied growth rates of each of these species on diets of live Chlorella vulgaris, heat‐killed Chlorella vulgaris, baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and field collected detritus. The incipient limiting level was around 0.9 · 10⁶ cells mL^?1 of Chlorella for the tested zooplankton species. The population growth patterns showed that, in general, the cladocerans took 25…50 d to reach their peak population densities, which ranged from 10…75 ind. mL^?11. Among the rotifers L. quadridentata and B. macracanthus had equally high growth rates on live and heat‐killed forms of C. vulgaris while P. quadricornis grew best on detritus. The growth rates ranged from 0.03…0.21 d^?1. The similarities and differences between littoral and planktonic organisms in relation to food type and availability have been discussed.     

Study of the trophic web of San Simón Bay (Ría de Vigo) by using stable isotopes

Based on the stable isotope composition in ¹⁵N and ¹³C of different potential sources of organic matter and consumers of an intertidal Zostera marina meadow located in San Simón Bay (Ría de Vigo, NW of Spain), a simplified food web of this community was reconstructed. For this purpose, some alternatives in different steps of the most used methodology of stable isotope dietary analysis were developed that cope with some of the limitations associated to the interpretation of isotopic signals for food web analysis, those of uncertainty on the fractionation value, mathematical model to use for the diet resolution and shortage of the isotope number for discriminating many food sources. The application of this protocol to the studied community reported similar results to those from other studies based on similar trophic webs, emphasizing the importance of local primary producers, especially microphytobenthos, which could be available for several primary consumers through resuspension forced by tidal hydrodynamic. The good agreement with previous results suggests that the proposed protocol is a feasible alternative to elucidate the most plausible trophic relationships in complex trophic webs using stable isotopes analysis.     

Influence of food web structure on the biochemical composition of seston,zooplankton and recently deposited sediment in experimental freshwater mesocosms

The effects of food web structure on the quantity and biochemical composition of seston, zooplankton and recently deposited sediment in experimental freshwater mesocosms were examined. Food web structure was manipulated by addition of zooplanktivorous fish. Biochemical characterisations were carried out using lipid biomarkers (sterols, fatty acids, chlorophyll-derived compounds and long-chain alkanediols). Fish addition decreased zooplankton biomass and increased seston biomass and deposited sediment through a trophic cascade. Fish presence strongly influenced the biochemical characteristics of seston and sediment. In contrast, food web structure had a minor impact on the lipid biomarker composition of zooplankton. Although the relative abundance of sterols in the different compartments did not differ strongly between treatments, sterol profiles in seston and sediment depended on food web structure. The predominance of Δ⁷-sterols in seston and sediment in the fish treatment indicated a major contribution of Chlorophyceae. In contrast, the distribution of sterols in seston and sediment in the fishless treatment, dominated by cholesterol, indicated a major zooplanktonic input. The distribution of fatty acids and the relative abundance of chlorophyll-derived compounds and long-chain alkanediols agreed with the predominant contribution of phytoplankton or zooplankton to seston and sediment in the two treatments. The relative abundance of bacterial biomarkers suggested that the contribution of bacteria was rather low. The high relative abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and the absence of stanols in sediments suggested low microbial reworking of organic matter in the recently accumulated sediments. The trophic cascade, generated by the addition of fish, increased the relative abundance of PUFAs in deposited organic matter, thus enhancing sediment quality and potential degradability.     

Interactions between the rotifer Euchlanis dilatata and the cladocerans Alona glabra and Macrothrix triserialis in relation to diet type

We studied, separately, the effect of the cladocerans Alona glabra and Macrothrix triserialis on the population growth of the rotifer Euchlanis dilatata using three different food types (Chlorella and Scenedesmus, live or dead, offered on a comparable dry weight basis, 3.16 μg C ml⁻¹). Regardless of the presence or absence of competition, E. dilatata cultured using Chlorella (live or dead) showed a higher population growth as compared to Scenedesmus. Compared to heat-killed C. vulgaris, E. dilatata cultured alone and fed on live algae reached higher abundances. Both cladoceran species had an adverse effect on the population growth of Euchlanis, but did not eliminate the rotifers. Of the two cladocerans, M. triserialis had a far more adverse effect on the population densities of E. dilatata as compared to A. glabra. E. dilatata also influenced the population growth of A. glabra and M. triserialis, the former being more adversely affected than the latter. When the egg ratios of E. dilatata were plotted as a function of population density, a significantly inverse relation was obtained only in treatments containing Chlorella but not for other treatments. Statistically the rate of population increase (r) per day of E. dilatata was adversely affected by the diet type and the presence of competing species. The interaction of diet type X competition was also significant. For A. glabra, the presence of E. dilatata and the diet type, but not their interaction, significantly influenced the r. On the other hand for M. triserialis, only the diet type was significant. Our results suggest that the competitive outcome between rotifers and cladocerans was dependent on diet type.     

Biodiversity loss in benthic macroinfaunal communities and its consequence for organic mercury trophic availability to benthivorous predators in the lower Hudson River estuary, USA

Organic mercury such as methylmercury is not only one of the most toxic substances found in coastal ecosystems but also has high trophic transfer efficiency. In this study, we examined implications of chronically altered benthic macroinfaunal assemblages for organic mercury trophic availability (based on organic mercury intracellular partitioning) to their predators in the Arthur Kill-AK (New York, USA). Despite low species diversity, both density and biomass of benthic macroinvertebrates in AK were significantly higher than those at the reference site. Disproportionately high biomass of benthic macroinvertebrates (mostly polychaetes) in the northern AK resulted in a more than twofold increase (‘ecological enrichment’) in the trophically available organic mercury pool. These results suggest that altered benthic macroinfaunal community structure in AK may play an important role in organic mercury trophic availability at the base of benthic food webs and potentially in mercury biogeochemical cycling in this severely urbanized coastal ecosystem.     

A diurnal study on the distribution of filter feeding zooplankton: Effect of emergent macrophytes,pH and lake trophy

The objective of the present study was to investigate the importance of emergent macrophytes as refugia in lakes of different trophic status. Furthermore, the effect of water quality on diel changes in the distribution of littoral cladocerans was of interest, with special attention paid on diurnal fluctuations of filter feeder communities, induced by pH changes under a heavy phytoplankton bloom. The study was conducted by investigating littoral cladoceran populations in different zones (inside, at the edge and outside the macrophyte stands) in two basins with divergent water quality. No tendency towards diurnal migration related to emergent macrophytes was observed in the clear-water, mesotrophic Isontalonselkä basin. The dominating cladoceran, Daphnia spp., formed highest densities during daytime in the outer zone. Meanwhile, strong nocturnal cladoceran density peaks in all zones, simultaneous with lowered pH, were witnessed in the very turbid, hypertrophic Kirkkojärvi basin. Reverse horizontal migration was observed in large-bodied filter feeders, Limnosida frontosa and Sida crystallina, conceivably due to predation avoidance from young-of-the-year fish aggregating within the vegetation during the day.     

Altered energy flow pathways in a lake ecosystem following manipulation of fish community structure

We used carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses to assess the relative contributions from pelagic and littoral energy sources to higher trophic levels in a lake ecosystem before and after a major food web perturbation. The food web structure of the lake was altered when the population sizes of the most abundant fish species (small perch, roach and bream) were reduced during an attempt to improve water quality by biomanipulation. Fish removal was followed by dense year classes of young fish, which subsequently increased the utilisation of pelagic resources. This was reflected as a decrease in relative energy contribution from littoral sources and also led to more distinct pelagic and littoral food chains after fish removal. Community metrics calculated from stable isotope data indicated increased trophic diversity and occupied niche area, and reduced trophic redundancy in the food web. However, only minor changes were observed in fish trophic positions, although roach and pike occupied slightly lower trophic positions after fish removal. Despite the Jyväsjärvi ecosystem becoming more dependent on pelagic energy after fish removals, the littoral energy contribution was still substantial, particularly to certain fish species. Hence, our results support recent arguments for the importance of benthic production in lake ecosystems. More generally, our results illustrate how large-scale perturbations of food web structure can alter energy flow patterns through an entire ecosystem.     

Foraging Inhibition in Two Cladocerans Feeding on Microcystis aeruginosa

Bloom‐forming cyanobacteria are known to negatively affect their herbivores, but the possible reasons leading to the foraging inhibition of different cladoceran species are uncertain and controversial so far. Hence, in order to understand how cyanobacteria affect the feeding behavior of cladocerans with different body sizes, feeding rates (FR) of zooplankton cladocerans Daphnia carinata and Moina macrocopa on the mixture of toxic or non‐toxic Microcystis aeruginosa with Scenedesmus quadricauda during a 24‐h period was investigated. FR of M. macrocopa was found generally low in the mixed toxic Microcystis diets, except for the sudden increase after 8 h of exposure, while FR of D. carinata decreased continuously in the mixed toxic diets. The dynamics of FR of both cladocerans on specific algae was similar to that of the total FR. There is no apparent selectivity displayed for either of the two cladoceran species on the mixed diets. There is no significant difference between the strains of Microcystis, suggesting that the feeding pattern of M. macrocopa maybe more of avoiding Microcystis rather than feeding inhibition resulted from the toxicity of algae. Unlike M. macrocopa, there was a significant difference in D. carinata between the strains of Microcystis over time. The reason for feeding inhibition of D. carinata might be toxicity after continuous exposure to the toxic cyanobacteria.     

食物质量对盔形溞(Daphnia galeata)和脆弱象鼻溞(Bosmina fatalis)生活史参数的影响

枝角类体内氮磷比与生活史策略的选择密切相关,大型枝角类通常体内含磷量高、个体生长快、生殖率高,而小型枝角类体内含磷量低,个体生长相对较慢、生殖率低.由于大型枝角类对磷的需求比较高,我们假设大型枝角类生活史各参数对食物磷缺乏比小型枝角类更为敏感.本研究比较分析了食物碳磷比对流溪河水库两种枝角类（盔型溞（Daphnia galeata）和脆弱象鼻溞（Bosmina fatalis））生活史各参数的影响.实验设计了3个食物质量处理组：高磷（碳：磷=105）、中磷（400）和低磷（1450）,食物浓度均为2 mg C/L的蛋白核小球藻（Chlorella pyrenoidosa）.脆弱象鼻溞内禀增长率、幼溞生长速率、平均每窝产仔量和首次生殖时体长均随着食物碳磷比的升高而显著下降;首次生殖时间则随着食物碳磷比的升高而显著延长;新生幼溞体长在各食物处理中无显著差异.盔型溞幼溞生长速率、平均每窝产仔量和首次生殖时体长均随着食物碳磷比的升高而显著下降;内禀增长率和新生幼溞体长在高磷处理组显著高于中磷和低磷处理组,但在中磷和低磷处理组无显著差异;首次生殖时间在高磷处理组显著短于中磷和低磷处理组,但在中磷和低磷处理组无显著差异.结果表明,食物的磷缺乏降低了两种枝角类的内禀增长率和幼溞生长速率,并延长了性成熟时间;盔型溞的内禀增长率、首次生殖时间和平均每窝产仔量等生活史参数受食物磷限制的程度小于脆弱象鼻溞,导致盔型溞对脆弱象鼻溞有竞争优势.     

Horizontal and seasonal patterns of tropical zooplankton from the eutrophic Prado Reservoir (Colombia)

Zooplankton community analyses can reveal valuable information about the trophic status and secondary production in reservoirs. The zooplankton seasonal distribution and important physical and chemical parameters in Prado Reservoir (Tolima, Central Colombia) were studied in monthly surveys throughout a hydrological cycle (February 2000-January 2001) in order to establish seasonal patterns and the biotic and abiotic relationships for the reservoir. Surface zooplankton collections at 1 m depth were taken at six sampling stations with regard to reservoir morphometry, location of main tributaries and mixing areas of the incoming tributaries. Cladocerans numerically dominated (48.1%) the community throughout the study period followed by Copepoda (32.7%), Rotifera (19.1%), and Diptera larvae (0.01%). Among the cladocerans, there was a greater abundance of Bosmina longirostris (69.8%) than other crustaceans. Among the Rotifera, Brachionus falcatus was the most abundant with 23% and Keratella tropica was least abundant with 8%. The only cyclopoid species found was Thermocyclops decipiens. The phantom midge Chaoborus sp. was also part of the zooplankton community. Based on numbers, cladocerans represented a significant component of the zooplankton in both dry and rainy seasons. Four species (Brachionus spp., K. tropica, Diaphanosoma brachyurum, Ceriodaphnia cornuta, Moina sp., and T. decipiens) had never previously been found in the reservoir, but were recorded for other standing Colombian water bodies. The replacement of B. longirostris instead of Daphnia sp. as dominant species was observed. The results of the comparison of the different studies confirmed that the trophic state of this artificial lake may be classified as eutrophic, and in general, physical, and chemical homogeneity were observed both spatially and temporally.     

Trophic scaling of Percichthys trucha (Percichthyidae) in monospecific and multispecific lakes in western Patagonia

Percichthys trucha is a freshwater fish, endemic to southern South America and widely distributed in both, eastern and western sides of the Andes. P. trucha has been described as top native predator in lacustrine ecosystems, experimenting diet shifting during their life history development. Salmonid invasions have impacted their natural ecology through trophic niche interference and predation over alternative high quality prey. This study focuses on populations of P. trucha in western Patagonia, where its trophic ecology have been less understood. We hypothesised a diet shift between juveniles and adults from lower-trophic position prey towards higher-trophic position prey. Fish were collected from 7 lakes belonging to Puelo and Baker river basins, covering a high diversity of environmental conditions. Stomach content and δ¹⁵N stable isotope ratio of muscle tissues of 313 individuals were analysed. Results indicate significant differences in diet between juveniles and adults, shifting from planktonic/benthic preys towards benthic/piscivory, and concomitantly enrichment in heavier nitrogen isotope suggest trophic scaling. No trophic scaling was observed in populations inhabiting lakes with any other fish species present, essentially due to lack of Galaxias sp. as available prey and absence of cannibalism. Despite the fact that P. trucha and Galaxias sp. co-occur in studied river basins, no salmonid-free lakes harbouring this two native species were found, making it difficult to elucidate exact effects of salmonids on trophic scaling of P. trucha. Consumption of aquatic Odonata nymphs, however, arises as one of potential key mechanism for resilience of native food webs to salmonid invasion.     

Coastal habitat degradation and green sea turtle diets in Southeastern Brazil

To show the influence of coastal habitat degradation on the availability of food for green turtles (Chelonia mydas), we assessed the dietary preferences and macroalgae community at a feeding area in a highly urbanized region. The area showed low species richness and was classified as degraded. We examined stomach contents of 15 dead stranded turtles (CCL = 44.0 cm (SD 6.7 cm)). The diet was composed primarily of green algae Ulva spp. (83.6%). In contrast, the macroalgae community was dominated by the green alga Caulerpa mexicana. We found a selection for red algae, seagrass and Ulva spp., and avoidance for C. mexicana and brown alga Dictyopteris delicatula. The low diversity of available food items, possibly a result of environmental degradation, likely contributed to the low dietary diversity. The nutritional implications of this restricted diet are unclear.