The effect of habitat complexity on the contribution of some littoral–benthic Cladocera to the pelagic food web
Małgorzata Adamczuk
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
Department of Hydrobiology, University of Life Sciences, Bogdana Dobrzańskiego 37, 20-262 Lublin, Poland. Email: malgorzata.adamczuk@up.lublin.pl
Marine and Freshwater Research 64(11) 1049-1057 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF12357
Submitted: 21 December 2012 Accepted: 3 May 2013 Published: 19 July 2013
Abstract
Littoral zones of lakes are settled by typical littoral animals, but they are also explored by mobile vertebrate and invertebrate predators. The relative importance of habitat complexity on the availability of littoral–benthic species of Cladocera, including Alonella exigua, A. excisa and A. nana (Chydoridae), to planktonic predators (Leptodora and cyclopoid copepods) was investigated in a series of laboratory experiments and under natural conditions (Lake Piaseczno, eastern Poland). The laboratory experiments showed that invertebrate predators influenced the density of cladocerans, but that predatory success was related to spatial complexity. A treatment imitating a habitat of water milfoil provided the highest survival rate, whereas a treatment imitating a habitat of macroalgae provided the lowest survival rate of the Alonella species, independently of the type of predators. Leptodora showed a higher predation pressure than did the cyclopoid copepods in a treatment imitating a habitat of common reed. In the field research, inverse correlations between the density of Alonella and potential invertebrate predators in distinct habitats were found. The species most strongly preyed on under the experimental conditions showed the highest fecundity, thus suggesting that the predation pressure by planktonic invertebrates influences the demography and life-history trade-offs of juvenile Alonella individuals in the lake. The obtained results extend our knowledge on the type and magnitude of interactions between the littoral–benthic and pelagic food webs.
Additional keywords: Alonella, Chydoridae, food-web interactions, microbenthos.
References
Adamczuk, M. (2012). The development and reproductive output of three species of Cladocera (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) with different size spectra as the result of vertebrate and invertebrate predation impact. Invertebrate Reproduction & Development 56, 293–298.| The development and reproductive output of three species of Cladocera (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) with different size spectra as the result of vertebrate and invertebrate predation impact.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Anthoni, U., Christophersen, C., Øgård Madsen, J., Wium-Andersen, S., and Jakobsen, N. (1980). Biologically active sulphur compounds from the green alga Chara globularis. Phytochemistry 19, 1228–1229.
| Biologically active sulphur compounds from the green alga Chara globularis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL3cXmtlGjurY%3D&md5=5beee0d81c6a63a9817146773d8003e0CAS |
Bjørn, W., Hessen, D. O., Halvorsen, G., and Schartau, A. K. (2006). Major contribution from littoral crustaceans to zooplankton species richness in lakes. Limnology and Oceanography 51, 2600–2606.
| Major contribution from littoral crustaceans to zooplankton species richness in lakes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Blindow, I. (1987). The composition and density of epiphyton on several species of submergerd macrophytes – neutral substrate hypothesis tested. Aquatic Botany 29, 157–168.
| The composition and density of epiphyton on several species of submergerd macrophytes – neutral substrate hypothesis tested.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Blindow, I., Hargeby, A., and Andersson, G. (2002). Seasonal changes of mechanisms maintaining clear water in a shallow lake with abundant Chara vegetation. Aquatic Botany 72, 315–334.
| Seasonal changes of mechanisms maintaining clear water in a shallow lake with abundant Chara vegetation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Branstrator, D. K., and Lehman, J. T. (1991). Invertebrate predation in Lake Michigan: regulation of Bosmina longirostris by Leptodora kindtii. Limnology and Oceanography 36, 483–495.
| Invertebrate predation in Lake Michigan: regulation of Bosmina longirostris by Leptodora kindtii.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Browman, H., Kruse, S., and O'Brien, W. J. (1989). Foraging behavior of the predaceous cladoceran, Leptodora kindtii, and escape responses of their preys. Journal of Plankton Research 11, 1075–1088.
| Foraging behavior of the predaceous cladoceran, Leptodora kindtii, and escape responses of their preys.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Carpenter, S. C., Kitchell, J. F., and Hodgson, J. R. (1985). Cascading trophic interactions and lake productivity. Bioscience 35, 634–639.
| Cascading trophic interactions and lake productivity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
de Eyto, E., Irvine, K., and Free, G. (2002). The use of members of the family Chydoridae (Anomopoda, Branchiopoda) as an indicator of lake ecological quality in Ireland. Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 102, 81–91.
| The use of members of the family Chydoridae (Anomopoda, Branchiopoda) as an indicator of lake ecological quality in Ireland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fryer, G. (1968). Evolution and adaptative radiation in the Chydoridae (Crustacea: Cladocera): a study in comparative functional morphology and ecology. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 254, 221–384.
| Evolution and adaptative radiation in the Chydoridae (Crustacea: Cladocera): a study in comparative functional morphology and ecology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fryer, G., and Forshaw, O. (1979). The freshwater Crustacea of the island of Rhum (Inner Hebrides) – a faunistic and ecological survey. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. Linnean Society of London 11, 333–367.
| The freshwater Crustacea of the island of Rhum (Inner Hebrides) – a faunistic and ecological survey.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gotceitas, V., and Colgan, P. (1989). Predator foraging success and habitat complexity: quantitative test of the threshold hypothesis. Oecologia 80, 158–166.
Goulden, C. E. (1971). Environmental control of the abundance and distribution of the chydorid Cladocera. Limnology and Oceanography 16, 320–331.
| Environmental control of the abundance and distribution of the chydorid Cladocera.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hovenkamp, W. (1989). Instar-dependent mortalities of coexisting Daphnia species in lake Vechten, The Netherlands. Journal of Plankton Research 11, 487–502.
| Instar-dependent mortalities of coexisting Daphnia species in lake Vechten, The Netherlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johnson, D. M., and Crowley, P. H. (1980). Odonate ‘hide and seek’ habitat-specific rules? In ‘Evolution and Ecology of Zooplankton Communities’. (Ed. W. C. Kerfoot.) pp. 569–579. (University of New England: Hanover, NH.)
Johnson, D. M., Crowley, P. H., Bohanan, R. E., Watson, C. N., and Martin, T. H. (1985). Competition among larval dragonflies: a field enclosure experiment. Ecology 66, 119–128.
| Competition among larval dragonflies: a field enclosure experiment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Karabin, A. (1974). Studies on the predatory role of the cladoceran, Leptodora kindtii (Focke), in secondary production of two lakes with different trophy. Ekologia Polska 22, 295–310.
Kelly, N. E., Norman, D. J., Walseng, B., and Hessen, D. O. (2012). Differential short- and long-term effects of an invertebrate predator on zooplankton communities ininvaded and native lakes. Diversity & Distributions 18, 1–15.
Lazzaro, X. (1987). A review of planktivorous fishes: their evolution, feeding behaviours, selectivities, and impacts. Hydrobiologia 146, 97–167.
| A review of planktivorous fishes: their evolution, feeding behaviours, selectivities, and impacts.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lunte, C. C., and Luecke, C. (1990). Trophic interactions of Leptodora in lake Mendota. Limnology and Oceanography 35, 1091–1100.
| Trophic interactions of Leptodora in lake Mendota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Manatunge, J., and Asaeda, T. (1999). Optimal foraging as the criteria of prey selection by two centrarchid fishes. Hydrobiologia 391, 223–240.
Persson, L. (1993). Predator-mediated competition in prey refuges: the importance of habitat dependent prey resources. Oikos 68, 12–22.
| Predator-mediated competition in prey refuges: the importance of habitat dependent prey resources.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Santer, B. (1992). Do cyclopoid copepods control Daphnia populations in early spring thereby protecting their juvenile instar stages from food limitation? Verhandlungen – Internationale Vereinigung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 25, 634–637.
Schindler, D. E., and Scheuerell, M. D. (2002). Habitat coupling in lake ecosystems. Oikos 98, 177–189.
| Habitat coupling in lake ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shurin, J. B., Havel, J. E., Leibold, M. A., and Alloul, B. P. (2000). Local and regional zooplankton species richness: a scale-independent test for saturation. Ecology 81, 3062–3073.
| Local and regional zooplankton species richness: a scale-independent test for saturation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stibor, H., and Lampert, W. (1993). Estimating the size at maturity in field populations of Daphnia galeata (Cladocera). Freshwater Biology 30, 433–438.
| Estimating the size at maturity in field populations of Daphnia galeata (Cladocera).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Uimonen-Simola, P., and Tolonen, K. (1987). Effects of recent acidification on Cladocera in small clear-water lakes studied by means of sedimentary remains. Hydrobiologia 145, 343–351.
| Effects of recent acidification on Cladocera in small clear-water lakes studied by means of sedimentary remains.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXktFant74%3D&md5=f43b195cc39cbb6161a6fed8fc1a2612CAS |
Uusitalo, L., Horppila, J., Eloranta, P., Liljendahl-Nurminen, A., Malinen, T., Salonen, M., and Vinni, M. (2003). Leptodora kindtii and flexible foraging behaviour of fish – factors behind the delayed biomass peak of cladocerans in Lake Hiidenvesi. International Review of Hydrobiology 88, 34–48.
| Leptodora kindtii and flexible foraging behaviour of fish – factors behind the delayed biomass peak of cladocerans in Lake Hiidenvesi.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van de Bond, W. J., Davids, C., and Spaas, S. J. H. (1995). Seasonal dynamics and spatial distribution of chydorid cladocerans in relation to chironomid larvae in the sandy littoral zone of an oligo-mesotrophic lake. Hydrobiologia 229, 125–138.
Scheffer, M., van den Berg, M. S., Breukelaar, A. W., Breukers, C., Coops, H., Doef, R. W., and Meijer, M.-L. (1994). Vegetated areas with clear water in turbid shallow lakes. Aquatic Botany 49, 193–196.
| Vegetated areas with clear water in turbid shallow lakes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Whiteside, M. C. (1970). Danish chydorid Cladocera: modern ecology and core studies. Ecological Monographs 40, 79–118.
| Danish chydorid Cladocera: modern ecology and core studies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Williamson, C. E. (1986). The swimming and feeding behaviour of mesocyclops. Hydrobiologia 134, 11–19.
| The swimming and feeding behaviour of mesocyclops.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wium-Andersen, S., Anthoni, U., and Houen, G. (1982). Allelopathic effects on phytoplankton by substances isolated from aquatic macrophytes (Charales). Oikos 39, 187–190.
| Allelopathic effects on phytoplankton by substances isolated from aquatic macrophytes (Charales).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wojtal, A., Frankiewicz, P., and Zalewski, M. (1999). The role of the invertebrate predator Leptodora kindtii in the trophic cascade of a lowland reservoir. Hydrobiologia 416, 215–223.
| The role of the invertebrate predator Leptodora kindtii in the trophic cascade of a lowland reservoir.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
