Journal
WETLANDS
Volume 36, Issue 1, Pages 85-100Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s13157-015-0718-3
Keywords
Community composition; Disturbance; Habitat heterogeneity; Littoral and pelagic species
Categories
Funding
- Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica [PICT 536]
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Argentina [PIP 5355]
- Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [M 1700] Funding Source: researchfish
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We analyzed zooplankton colonization and succession following a temporary drought in a vegetated lake from a floodplain wetland of the Lower Parana River (Argentina). We took samples of zooplankton and phytoplankton at four habitats of the lake characterized by the presence-absence of emergent or free-floating macrophytes along a 18-month period after the drought. Microzooplankton dominated along the study and macrozooplankton showed seasonal increments in cold seasons. Temporal patterns of broad taxonomic zooplankton groups were associated to hydrology-driven factors, like changes in water depth, conductivity and edible phytoplankton and seasonal changes and not related with free-floating plants. Nevertheless, spatial and temporal patterns of species composition were closely linked to the dynamics of free-floating plants. A clear shift from pelagic to littoral zooplankton taxa was registered when free-floating plants colonized. This study expands the knowledge on the composition and dynamics of zooplankton from floodplain lakes after the disturbance caused by a severe drought. Our results highlight the influence of water level fluctuations as drivers of zooplankton abundance and the joint effect of seasonal changes and free-floating plant dynamics on zooplankton species composition and richness.
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