Abstract
‘Oxiclinal’ rotifer species show high concentrations just above the oxic-anoxic interface in the hypolimnion of some lakes. The stratification of their populations is best shown by sampling at close depth intervals and quantifying their densities by the Utermöhl technique. With this technique we were able to count males which otherwise pass through filters and more accurately count egg production. We evaluated female, male and egg numbers of the two main oxiclinal species of lake Arcas-2: Filinia hofmanni and Anuraeopsis fissa, during two annual cycles (1990–91). F. hofmanni was an exclusive oxiclinal species. It had an exponential growth phase at the onset of stratification giving a distinct spring peak. The population then maintained a high density during summer, but was almost absent the rest of the year. This cycle is repeated annually but population density can vary among years, depending on winter-spring circulation. Sexuality was always observed when the animal was present in the samples, with a maximum of males and resting eggs at the peak of the population. Resting eggs were always inside females. The annual cycle of A. fissa is displaced with respect to that of F. hofmanni: A. fissa attained greatest densities during summer, until the autumn overturn. Mixis in A. fissa was restricted to the end of the stratification period. Moreover, A. fissa occured throughout the vertical profile and secondarily occupied the oxicline.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armengol, J., A. Esparcia, E. Vicente & M. R. Miracle, 1993. Vertical distribution of planktonic rotifers in a karstic meromictic lake. Hydrobiologia 255/256 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 83): 381–388.
Bogaert, G. & H. J. Dumont, 1989. Community structure and coexistence of rotifers of an artificial crater lake. Hydrobiologia 186/187 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 52): 167–179.
Esparcia, A., J. Armengol, E. Vicente & M. R. Miracle, 1991. vertical distribution of Anuraeopsis species as related to oxygen depletion in two stratified lakes. Verh. int. Ver. Limnnol. 24: 2745–2749.
Finlay, B. J., K. J. Clarke, E. Vicente & M. R. Miracle, 1991. Anaerobic ciliates from a sulphide-rich solution lake in Spain. Europ. J. Protistol. 27: 148–159.
Gasol, J. M., J. Garcia-Cantizano, R. Massana, F. Peters, R. Guerrero & C. Pedrós-Alió, 1991. Diel changes in the microstratification of the metalimnetic community in lake Cisó. Hydrobiologia 211: 227–240.
Gasol, J. M., F. Peters, R. Guerrero & C. Pedrós-Alió, 1992. Community structure in lake Cisó: Biomass allocation to trophic groups and differing patterns of seasonal succession in the meta- and epilimnion. Arch. Hydrobiol. 123: 275–303.
Hofmann, W., 1982. On the coexistence of two pelagic Filinia species (Rotatoria) in Lake Plußsee I. Dynamics of abundance and dispersion. Arch. Hydrobiol. 95: 125–137.
Hofmann, W., 1987. Population dynamics of hypolimnetic rotifers in the Plußsee (North Germany). Hydrobiologia 147 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 42): 197–201.
Koste, W., 1980. Uber zwei Plankton-Rodertiertaxa Filinia austrahensis n. sp. und Filinia hofinanni n. sp., mit Bermerkungen zur Taxonomie tier longiseta-terminalis-Gruppe. Genus Filinia Bory de St. Vincent, 1824, Familie Filiniidae Bartos 1959, (Uberordnung Monogononta). Arch. Hydrobiol. 90: 230–256.
Mikschi, E., 1989. Rotifer distribution in relation to temperature and oxygen content. Hydrobiologia 186/187 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 52): 209–214.
Miracle, M. R., 1976. Distribution en el espacio y en el tiempo de especies del zooplancton del lago de Banyoles. ICONA Monografias 5, 270 pp.
Miracle, M. R. & E. Vicente, 1983. Vertical distribution and rotifer concentrations in the chemocline of meromictic lakes. Hydrobiologia 104 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 14): 259–267.
Miracle, M. R., E. Vicente, R. L. Croome & P. A. Tyler, 1991. Microbial microcosms of the chemocline of a meromictic lake in relation to changing levels of PAR. Verh. Int. Ver. Limnol. 24: 1139–1144.
Miracle, M. R., E. Vicente & C. Pedrós-Alió, 1992. Biological studies of spanish meromictic and stratified karstic lakes. Limnetica 8: 59–77.
Miracle, M. R. & M. T. Alfonso, 1993. Rotifer vertical distributions in a meromictic basin of lake Banyoles (Spain). Hydrobiologia 255/256 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 83): 371–380.
Ruttner-Kolisko, A., 1974. Planktonic rotifers, biology and taxonomy. Die Binnengewasser (Supplement) 26: 1–146.
Ruttner-Kolisko, A., 1989. Problems in taxonomy of rotifers exemplified by the Filinia longiseta-terminalis complex. Hydrobiologia 186/187 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 52): 291–298.
Sanoamuang, L., 1993. Comparative studies on scanning electron microscopy of trophi of the genus Filinia Bory de St. Vincent (Rotifera). Hydrobiologia 264: 115–128.
Schaber, P. & A. Schrimpf, 1984. On morphology and ecology of the Filinia terminalis-longiseta group (Rotatoria) in Bavarian and Tyrolean lakes. Arch. Hydrobiol. 101: 247–257.
Vicente, E., M. A. Rodrigo, A. Camacho & M. R. Miracle, 1991. Phototrophic procaryotes in a karstic sulphate lake. Verh. Int. Ver. Limnol. 24: 998–1004.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miracle, M.R., Armengol-Díaz, X. Population dynamics of oxiclinal species in lake Arcas-2 (Spain). Hydrobiologia 313, 291–301 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025961
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025961