engleski

Rotifers in small Mediterranean ponds

Mediterranean ponds have recently received increasing attention, because of their importance as reservoirs of biodiversity for aquatic invertebrates. They are among the most vulnerable and threatened habitats and thus these habitats have been identified as a priority in the various EU protection and conservation programs. During 2017, we sampled rotifers in zooplankton from ten small ponds situated on Dugi otok island (eastern Adriatic Sea, Croatia, Europe). According to their hydroperiod they can be classified as temporary long ponds. The main goal was to establish environmental drivers that shape rotifer assemblage in these ephemeral habitats. Altogether 40 species were found, among which prevailed Anuraeopsis fissa, Epiphanes senta, Keratella testudo, Lecane bulla, Lecane closterocerca and Trichocerca pusilla. Algal biomass positively correlated, while the fish presentence negatively correlated with rotifer abundance and diversity. High concentrations of organic matter increased rotifers abundance, but decreased diversity. Rotifers also showed a dual response to the presence of macrophytes: high abundance of different Lecane species indicated ponds with dense macrophyte stands, while planktonic species were more abundant in ponds with low macrophyte cover. Rotifer assemblages in small Mediterranean ponds clearly reflect environmental conditions, and revealed ephemeral ponds as habitats of high invertebrate diversity.

Adriatic Sea, ephemeral ponds, indicators, macrophytes, plankton/littoral

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