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Use of aniline blue to distinguish live and dead crustacean zooplankton composition in freshwaters
Author(s) -
BICKEL SAMANTHA L.,
TANG Kam W.,
GROSSART HANSPETER
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
freshwater biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2427
pISSN - 0046-5070
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2008.02141.x
Subject(s) - zooplankton , eutrophication , crustacean , biology , ecology , plankton , environmental science , nutrient
Summary 1. Traditional zooplankton sampling methods do not account for the presence of zooplankton carcasses, which could lead to a biased understanding of the ecological role of zooplankton. 2. The aniline blue staining method for the differentiation between live and dead freshwater crustacean zooplankton was adapted for field application and the accuracy of the new protocol was tested in the laboratory. Detailed descriptions of the characteristic staining patterns of individuals are provided. The adapted staining method was subsequently applied in a field study to assess the live–dead zooplankton composition in the oligotrophic Lake Stechlin and the eutrophic Lake Dagow in Germany. 3. The modified aniline blue staining method accurately identified percentages of mixed live and dead crustacean zooplankton, making it suitable for quantifying live–dead compositions of copepods and cladocerans in freshwater samples. 4. On average 6% and 8% of the zooplankton were identified as dead in Lake Stechlin and Lake Dagow, respectively. Within each lake there were no significant spatial variations in the horizontal or vertical distribution of zooplankton carcasses. Nor did the percentage of dead zooplankton differ between day and night. 5. The aniline blue staining method provides an effective, simple and economical means for more systematic study of the occurrence and fate of crustacean zooplankton carcasses in freshwaters.