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Habitat Characteristics of Eurytemora lacustris (Poppe, 1887) (Copepoda, Calanoida): The Role of Lake Depth, Temperature,Oxygen Concentration and Light Intensity
Author(s) -
Kasprzak Peter,
Reese Claudia,
Koschel Rainer,
Schulz Michael,
Hambaryan Lusine,
Mathes Jürgen
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
international review of hydrobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 1434-2944
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.200410769
Subject(s) - calanoida , hypolimnion , copepod , ecology , diel vertical migration , habitat , epilimnion , oceanography , biology , crustacean , environmental science , eutrophication , nutrient , geology
Field observations, laboratory experiments and a literature survey were conducted to evaluate the habitat characteristics of Eurytemora lacustris ( Poppe 1887), a freshwater calanoid copepod species. Combined effects of temperature and oxygen concentration in the deep water of thermally stratifying lakes seem to be the ultimate factors governing the occurrence of the species throughout its home‐territory. E. lacustris is largely restricted to relatively deep lakes (>30 m) providing a hypolimnetic refuge characterised by low temperatures (<∼10 °C) and oxygenated water during summer. Therefore, although the species is spread over much of Europe it was only found in a small number of lakes. Long‐term records in different lakes revealed E. lacustris to be perennial with relatively high biomasses occurring from May to September. During thermal stratification on average 87% of the nauplii and 72% of the copepodite biomass was found in hypolimnetic waters colder than 10 °C. Diurnal vertical migration was observed for the copepodid stages, but the migration amplitude clearly decreased from May to September. The migration amplitude was significantly related to light intensity. According to its special habitat requirements, E. lacustris might be considered a glacial relict sensitive to temperature increase and oxygen depletion. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)