Diel and lateral patterns of zooplankton distribution in the St. Lawrence River

Abstract While the four‐dimensional nature of river ecosystems has been recognized for nearly two decades, the role of lateral complexity has rarely been factored into studies of zooplankton ecology. We examined the importance of hydrologic retention areas (slackwaters) near islands and embayments of the St. Lawrence River for densities, fecundity, and diel migration of planktonic microcrustaceans. Densities of cladocera and copepods (nauplii and adult stages of cyclopoids and calanoids) were sampled from surface and deeper layers both at night (2100–0100 h, near the new moon) and during the day (1000–1400 h) for channel (deep‐fast), offshore (shallow‐slower), and inshore (shallow‐stagnant) habitats. Average zooplankton densities increased laterally from the main channel into the slackwaters with the exception of calanoid copepods, which peaked in the intermediate depths and flows of the offshore habitats. Although the ratio of males to females for the calanoid Eurytemora affinis and the cladoceran Bosmina spp. did not differ among habitats, a greater percentage of ovigerous cladoceran females were present in slackwaters than in channel habitats. Densities of microcrustaceans were generally greater during the night than day, suggesting diel vertical migration. By demonstrating both lateral and diel differences in the spatial distribution of riverine zooplankton, we refute the view of large rivers as well‐mixed homogenous systems. To the contrary, the two non‐random patterns that we document imply that there is an abiotic template that at least microcrustacean potamoplankton can exploit. In turn this suggests more research into the ecological significance of the pelagic structure of other large rivers like the St. Lawrence is justified. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.