Premium
Spatial Heterogeneity in Freshwater Zooplankton: Variation with Body Size, Depth, and Scale
Author(s) -
Pinel-Alloul Bernadette,
Downing John A.,
Perusse Martin,
Codin-Blumer Gabriella
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1941636
Subject(s) - zooplankton , spatial heterogeneity , replicate , spatial variability , ecology , spatial ecology , spatial distribution , biology , community structure , population , fauna , geography , statistics , mathematics , remote sensing , demography , sociology
The effects of body size, depth, and sampling scale on spatial heterogeneity were examined in the zooplankton community of a small lake. Analyses were performed by regression analysis of 27 sets (3 scales ° 3 depths ° 3 dates) of replicate (n = 4) samples of the natural zooplankton (cladocerans, copepods, rotifers) community of Lake Cromwell, Quebec, Canada. Spatial heterogeneity was measured as the variance among the four randomly arranged replicate samples of taxa taken at each scale—depth—date combination. The spatial distribution of populations of zooplankton in this community was found to be typical of the spatial heterogeneity encountered in other freshwater and marine ecosystems. The effect of population density on spatial heterogeneity was comparable to that found for other flora and fauna. Small animals were more heterogeneous than large ones, and populations sampled on large spatial scales or at greater depths showed greatest spatial variability. These effects were stable over the season. Few taxa or life stages diverged significantly from these trends.