engleski

Specificity of zooplankton communities inhabiting small water bodies in two regions of Europe: Poland vs. Croatia

In order to determine the regional specificity of zooplankton communities two groups of water bodies of different origin (glacial, oxbows, wetlands) from the nor thern part of Europe (Poland) and the southern Europe (Croatia) were compared. The distance between the two groups of investigated water bodies amounted to ca. 700 kilometers. In each water body the presence of fish was noticed. All ten investigated water bodies were typically shallow and polymictic with difference in the trophic level, physicochemical parameters and macrophyte cover during the vegetated season. Species that were common, dominant as well distinct for each region were analysed as to establish the level of similarity despite the variation in the prevailing climatic zones. Out of total 126 zooplankton species identified in both countries, only 11 taxa dominated in both countries (Bdelloidea, Brachionus angularis, Filinia longiseta, Ke ratella cochlearis, Keratella quadrata, Polyarthra ssp., Synchaeta pectinata, Bosmina longirostris, Ceriodaphnia quadrangula, Cyclops sp., Eudiaptomus gracilis). There was a group of species that dominated exclusively in Croatia (Colurella uncinata, Gastropus stylifer, Lepadella patella, Trichocerca porcellus, Alona costata, Daphnia longispina, Sida crystalina, Eucyclops serrulatus) or only in Poland (Brachionus quad ridentatus, Cephalodella catellina, Eosphora ehrenbergi, Keratella cochlearis f. tec ta, Notholca acuminate, Notholca squamula, Synchaeta lakowitziana, Ceriodaphnia pulchella, Chydorus sphaericus, Daphnia pulex, Eubosmina coregoni, Scapholeberis mucronata, Megacyclops viridis). Even though Croatia and Poland are subject to slight different climatic condition there was a considerably high share of species common for both countries (> 20% of the taxonomic structure). There were both. Typically littoral species such as e.g. Lecane closterocerca, Lecane lunaris, Lepadella patella, Simocephalus vetulus as well as pelagic species (Asplanchna priodonta, Brachionus angularis, Filinia longiseta, Keratella cochle aris, Polyarthra ssp.). All species that were found to be common for Croatia and Poland are cosmopolitan organisms, inhabiting a variety of water body types and habitats.

rotifers ; cladocerans ; copepods ; regional biodiversity

Zakład Ochrony Wód, Wydział Biologii, Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza, ul. Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań