J. Sarkka, DIVERSITY OF MEIOFAUNA IN THE LACUSTRINE PROFUNDAL ZONE - BATHYMETRICDIFFERENCES AND INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL-FACTORS, Aquatic sciences, 55(3), 1993, pp. 197-205
Citations number
26
Categorie Soggetti
Water Resources",Limnology,"Marine & Freshwater Biology
The diversity and species richness of total meiofauna, Harpacticoida a
nd Oligochaeta in relation to depth and other environmental variables
were studied at nine stations and in two profundal depth zones in Lake
Paijanne which includes both oligotrophic and eutrophicated or organi
cally loaded areas. Diversity was on average higher in the upper part
of the profundal zone than at maximum depths. This may show that the g
reater temporal stability in temperature at greater depths does not su
rpass the effect of the lower temporal stability in oxygen content. Th
e productivity factor may be a more important reason for the bathymetr
ic difference in diversity than the stability factor. Diversity in the
lower profundal zone shows a negative correlation with variables indi
cating pollution while in the upper profundal zone a positive one with
those variables, thus emphasizing the importance of the production fa
ctor in determining diversity in the upper profundal. Diversity was hi
gher within the oligochaetes than within the harpacticoids, which may
imply that oligochaetes have a longer evolutionary history as part of
the lacustrine benthic system. Of the environmental variables, phytopl
ankton biomass had the highest influence on total diversity in the low
er profundal zone, oxygen being next in importance. The sedimentation
of organic matter was most important in the upper part of the profunda
l zone, where oxygen did not have any significant effect on diversity.
Some explaining factors determining bathymetric diversity differences
are discussed in relation to the theoretical expectations.