Interactions between Chaoborus spp. and Mysis relicta and their impact on pelagic crustacean zooplankton in mesocosms at the Experimental Lakes Area

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2009-04-13T16:48:22Z
Authors
Seckar, Dalila
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The objectives of this study were: 1) to compare and contrast the effects of variations in natural densities of two common freshwater predators of crustacean zooplankton, Chaoborus spp. and Mysis relicta; and 2) to determine whether the combined impacts of these predators together differed from their effects when alone. In deep (>10m) mesocosms, additions of Chaoborus and Mysis at natural densities did not result in large changes in zooplankton abundances, lengths, or biomass. Significant decreases in abundance were observed only for Bosmina longirostris and Daphnia spp. In small (~20L) enclosures, higher predator densities caused zooplankton declines over three days. Strong interactive effects between Chaoborus and Mysis were not detected in either the large or small enclosures. This suggests that the combined effects of these two predators can be predicted from their effects determined in isolation.
Description
Keywords
zooplankton, Canadian Shield, phantom midge, opposum shrimp, predation, species abundance, biomass, vertical migration, multiple predators, oligotrophic, Bosmina
Citation