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A Comparison of Phytoplankton and Algae Growing on Plexiglas Slides in an Oligotrophic Lake
Author(s) -
Rodriguez Marco A.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
internationale revue der gesamten hydrobiologie und hydrographie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 0020-9309
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.19930780212
Subject(s) - periphyton , phytoplankton , plankton , ordination , diatom , ecology , algae , temperate climate , ephemeral key , environmental science , nutrient , ecological succession , trophic state index , mesocosm , biology , oceanography , geology
This study compares the composition and dynamics of phytoplankton communities and of periphyton communities growing on Plexiglas slides in a temperate oligotrophic lake. Ordination methods were used in the comparisons, which covered a three‐month period during the summer. Plankton and periphyton communities differed considerably, and shared only six common taxa. An ephemeral Dinobryon pulse occurred simultaneously in both communities, and represented the largest source of variability in community composition. Recovery from the pulse was faster in the phytoplankton than in the periphyton. Attachment to substrata, through its effect on cell turnover times and nutrient cycling, is hypothesized to provide a temporal refuge for plankton species during periods of unfavorable environmental conditions.