<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Zooplankton is studied in the ancient, tectonic, oligomictic and oligotrophic Lake Ohrid (Macedonia, South Eastern Europe). The main aim of this study was to assess the seasonal and spatial patterns of the zooplankton functional feeding guilds in relation to the environmental conditions. Metalimnion of the lake was detected as the most productive environment, where biomass of the phytoplankton and abundance of the zooplankton reached their maxima. Pelagial zooplankton of low abundance (25 ± 22 ind. L<sup>−1</sup>) consisted of 16 species including two endemic copepods, <italic>Arctodiaptomus steindachneri</italic> (Richard, 1897) and <italic>Cyclops ochridanus</italic> (Kiefer, 1932). Copepods obtained remarkable share (60%) in the zooplankton assemblage. Microphagous zooplankton was mainly comprised of the most abundant rotifer <italic>Kellicottia longispina</italic> (Kellicott, 1879) in summer, and copepod nauplii during the spring <italic>Eudiaptomus gracilis</italic> (Sars, 1862) and <italic>C.ochridanus,</italic> and autumn <italic>C.ochridanus</italic>. Due to their requirements for the bacterio-detritus suspension, this microphagous zooplankton occupied aphotic hypolimnion during the entire study period. Raptorials were typically represented by copepodites and adult copepods in the metalimnion, and were significantly and positively affected by temperature (<italic>r</italic> = 0.417, <italic>p</italic> = 0.001), dissolved oxygen (<italic>r</italic> = 0.463, <italic>p</italic> = 0.0001) and, particularly, phytoplankton biomass (<italic>r</italic> = 0.708, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.00001). This is the first study in which the link between the lower and higher trophic levels is investigated in Lake Ohrid.</p></abstract>

Zooplankton is studied in the ancient, tectonic, oligomictic and oligotrophic Lake Ohrid (Macedonia, South Eastern Europe). The main aim of this study was to assess the seasonal and spatial patterns of the zooplankton functional feeding guilds in relation to the environmental conditions. Metalimnion of the lake was detected as the most productive environment, where biomass of the phytoplankton and abundance of the zooplankton reached their maxima. Pelagial zooplankton of low abundance (25 ± 22 ind. L−1) consisted of 16 species including two endemic copepods, Arctodiaptomus steindachneri (Richard, 1897) and Cyclops ochridanus (Kiefer, 1932). Copepods obtained remarkable share (60%) in the zooplankton assemblage. Microphagous zooplankton was mainly comprised of the most abundant rotifer Kellicottia longispina (Kellicott, 1879) in summer, and copepod nauplii during the spring Eudiaptomus gracilis (Sars, 1862) and C.ochridanus, and autumn C.ochridanus. Due to their requirements for the bacterio-detritus suspension, this microphagous zooplankton occupied aphotic hypolimnion during the entire study period. Raptorials were typically represented by copepodites and adult copepods in the metalimnion, and were significantly and positively affected by temperature (r = 0.417, p = 0.001), dissolved oxygen (r = 0.463, p = 0.0001) and, particularly, phytoplankton biomass (r = 0.708, p < 0.00001). This is the first study in which the link between the lower and higher trophic levels is investigated in Lake Ohrid.

Zooplankton in Ancient and Oligotrophic Lake Ohrid (Europe) in Association with Environmental Variables

Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of)

Department of Biology, Zoology, Faculty of Science

Department of Physical and Chemical Research of Water

Croatian Journal of Fisheries

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Zooplankton is studied in the ancient, tectonic, oligomictic and oligotrophic Lake Ohrid (Macedonia, South Eastern Europe). The main aim of this study was to...

Zooplankton in Ancient and Oligotrophic Lake Ohrid (Europe) in Association with Environmental Variables

Pubblicato online: 10 ott 2017

Pagine: 95 - 103

Ricevuto: 24 lug 2017

Accettato: 29 ago 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cjf-2017-0013

Parole chiave
Copepods, Rotifers, Microphgous, Raptorials, Metalimnion Oligomictic lake

© 2017 Orhideja Tasevska et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Zooplankton in Ancient and Oligotrophic Lake Ohrid (Europe) in Association with Environmental Variables

Pubblicato online: 10 ott 2017

Pagine: 95 - 103

Ricevuto: 24 lug 2017

Accettato: 29 ago 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cjf-2017-0013

Parole chiaveCopepods, Rotifers, Microphgous, Raptorials, Metalimnion Oligomictic lake

© 2017 Orhideja Tasevska et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Parole chiave
Copepods, Rotifers, Microphgous, Raptorials, Metalimnion Oligomictic lake