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Niche Structure in Freshwater Zooplankton: A Principal Components Approach
Author(s) -
Miracle Maria R.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1935458
Subject(s) - zooplankton , trophic level , niche , ecology , ecological niche , predation , biology , niche segregation , upwelling , niche differentiation , habitat
The niche structure of a zooplankton community is demonstrated by factor and principal components analyses performed on 895 samples collected at different depths during a 1—yr cycle in Banyolas Lake in Spain. Data on 17 species have been used. The first three principal components, equivalent to the first three factors, account for 58% of the variance in the data. These three components are associated respectively with (1) upwelling and diversity, (2) temperature, and (3) trophic factors (phytoplankton species composition) and nitrate concentration. The zooplankton species separate in the principal components space; they occupy different niches in the ecological space. The trophic basis of niche differention is for practically not considered, since only factors of niche separation that influence the distribution of species in space and time are detected. Congeneric species are far apart in ecological space, whereas predator and prey are closely associated. At any one time and depth coexistence of species is limited to one small particle feeder, one or two predators with different selected prey, and a few intermediate forms ranging from filtering to raptorial feeders.