DISPERSAL-LIMITED ZOOPLANKTON DISTRIBUTION AND COMMUNITY COMPOSITION IN NEW PONDS

Twelve new experimental ponds were constructed identically, filled sim ultaneously, had similar physical and chemical properties, and were ma intained with minimal manipulation. Colonizing zooplankton communities were sampled bi-weekly for one year. Rotifers dominated zooplankton c ommunities in densities, biomass, and species number (47 of 61 observe d species were rotifers). Only 14 species were observed in all 12 pond s; 9 were rotifers. Twenty-nine species (26 rotifers) were recorded in less than or equal to 6 ponds. Species with high vagility exhibited g reater viability. Ponds differed in zooplankton community composition throughout the year, due to differences in both vagility and viability among colonizing species.