Using the Diversity, Taxonomic and Functional Attributes of a Zooplankton Community to Determine Lake Environmental Typology in the Natural Southern Boreal Lakes (Québec, Canada)

Abstract

Herein, we used zooplankton as a study model for determining how biodiversity components as well as taxonomic and functional attributes reflect lake typology in the natural southern boreal lakes. We estimated the regional and local variation in zooplankton diversity and the community structure across a set of fourteen lakes within a national park. Regional diversity (γ diversity) accounted for 40 species including 20 rotifers, 10 cladocerans and 8 copepods. Local diversity (α diversity) averaged 15 species per lake. Spatial variation in β diversity was inversely related to spatial variation in α diversity. Inter-lake variation in zooplankton communities based on taxonomy, functional traits and biotic indices was explained by two major limnological gradients: namely lake trophic status and fish community. The community structure reflected a gradient of rotifer to calanoid copepod dominance in response to trophic status. Several key species of rotifers (Kellicottia longispina and Conochilus unicornis) and of small (Bosmina and Diaphanosoma birgei) or large (Daphnia catawba and Holopedium gibberum cf glacialis) cladocerans were good indicators of lake zooplankton typology, as in other boreal lakes. We distinguished two main groups of lakes: (1) oligotrophic lakes inhabited by brook trout and dominated by the calanoid copepods and (2) mesotrophic lakes inhabited by northern pike and dominated by rotifers. Overall, our study can help managers better define monitoring and conservation strategies for lake ecosystems in natural parks.