Zooplankton dynamics during autumn circulation in a small, wind-sheltered, Mediterranean lake

Abstract

Few studies have been undertaken on zooplankton dynamics during the transition from late stratification to early mixing in lakes. The Plankton Ecology Group (PEG) model of plankton seasonality only considers water temperature, edible phytoplankton and fish predation as zooplankton-controlling factors during that period. The water-column edible algal and bacterial fractions, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, ciliates, rotifers, cladocerans and copepods were studied during 93 consecutive days of mixing-transition in a wind-sheltered, Mediterranean lake without planktivorous fish. Abundances of all zooplankton populations except ciliates, Daphnia longispina and copepodites, were related to water temperature. In addition to PEG controlling factors, time series analysis indicated competition between ciliates and Ceriodaphnia reticulata and Polyarthra dolichoptera and D. longispina, predation of Arctodiaptomus salinus on ciliates, herbivory of adult copepods on the 5–20 μm phytoplanktonic size and delayed effects shorter than one week. The remaining zooplankton populations did not show any edible size preference. Ceriodaphnia reticulata showed evidence of herbivory on bacteria and picoplankton and competition with Hexarthra fennica in shorter periods. Phyto- and zooplankton production were decoupled. These results, and others from warmer periods and latitudes, suggest that the current model of lake plankton seasonality must be reviewed.