Abstract
The species richness and seasonal development of planktonic ciliates were studied and compared in two shallow mesotrophic lakes, one covered with dense submerged macrophytes, the other macrophyte poor. Considerable differences in ciliate species composition, dominant taxa, abundance and biomass were observed. Ciliates were much more species rich in the macrophyte-rich lake, while they were more abundant numerically in the macrophyte-poor lake. Altogether, 96 species, included in 53 genera, 14 orders were identified. Among them, 80 species (included in 45 genera, 14 orders) observed from the macrophyte-rich lake, against 49 species (36 genera, 12 orders) were from the macrophyte-poor lake. In the macrophyte-rich lake, the mean abundance and biomass were 13.5 cells ml-1 and 547.10 μg l-1 f.w.; abundance and biomass were higher in spring and winter; naked oligotrichs dominated total ciliate abundance and Peritrichida dominated the biomass. In the macrophyte-poor lake, ciliate mean abundance and biomass were 35.5 cells ml-1 and 953.39 μg l-1 f.w.; abundances peaked in autumn; Scuticociliates dominated the abundance and Tintinnids dominated the biomass. Possible causes for the observed differences are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Public Health Association, 1985. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. Am. Public Health Assoc., Washington DC, 1193 pp.
Arndt, H., 1993. Rotifers as predators on components of the microbial web (bacteria, heterotrophic flagellates, ciliates)-a review. Hydrobiologia 255/256 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 83): 231–246.
Beaver, J. R. & T. L. Crisman, 1982. The trophic response of ciliated protozoans in freshwater lakes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 27(2): 246–253.
Beaver, J. R. & T. L. Crisman, 1989a. The role of ciliated protozoa in pelagic freshwater ecosystems. Microl. Ecol. 17: 111–136.
Beaver, J. R. & T. L. Crisman, 1989b. Analysis of the community structure of planktonic ciliated protozoa relative to trophic state in Florida lakes. Hydrobiologia 174: 177–184.
Corliss, J. O., 1979. The Ciliated Protozoa: Characterization, Classification, and Guide to the Literature. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 455 pp.
Detcheva, R. B., 1982. Caracteristiques ecologiques des ciliés de la rivière Maritza. Ann. Stat. Biol. Besse-en-Chandesse 16: 200–219.
Fenchel, T., 1987. Ecology of Protozoa. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 197 pp.
Finlay, B. J., 1978. Community production and respiration by ciliated protozoa in the benthos of a small eutrophic loch. Freshwat. Biol. 8: 327–341.
Foissner, W., H. Berger, H. Blatterer, & F. Kohmann, 1991–95. Taxonomische und okologische Revision der Ciliaten des Saprobiensystems.Band I-IV. Bayerisches Landesamt für Wasserwirstschaft, München, 471, 502, 548, 540 pp.
Gates, M. A. & U. T. Lewg, 1984. Contribution of ciliated protozoa to the planktonic biomass in a series of Ontario lakes: quantitative estimates and dynamical relationships. J. Plankton Res. 6(3): 443–456.
Green, J., 1994. The temprate-tropical gradient of planktonic Protozoa and Rotifera. Hydrobiologia 272: 13–26.
Hunt, G. W. & Shih Ming Chein, 1983. Seasonal distribution, composition and abundance of the planktonic Ciliata and Testacea of Cayuga Lake. Hydrobiologia 98: 257–266.
Kahl, A., 1930–35. Urtiere oder Protozoa. I. Wimpertiere oder Ciliata (Infusoria). In: F. Dahl (eds), Die Tierwelt Deutschlands. G. Fisher, Jena, 886 pp.
Lee, J. J., S. H. Hutner & E. C. Bovee (eds.), 1985. An Illustrated Guide to the Protozoa, Society of Protozoologists, Allen Press, Laurence, Kansas, 629 pp.
Laybourn-Parry, J., J. Olver, A. Rogerson & P. L. Duverge, 1990. The temporal and spatial patterns of protozooplankton abundance in a eutrophic temperate lake. Hydrobiologia 203: 99–110.
Madoni, P., 1987. Abundance, productivity and energy flow of a population of Coleps hirtus Nitzsch (Protozoa, Ciliophora) during the first stage of colonization in an experimental ricefield. Arch. Protistenkd. 132: 43–51.
Madoni, P. & P. F. Ghetti, 1980. Etude de la dynamique des populations de ciliés d'un torrent experimental pendam deux années.Hydrobiologia 74: 273–282.
Mathes, J. & H. Arndt, 1995. Annual cycle of protozooplankton (ciliates, flagellates and sarcodines) in relation to phyto-153 and meta-zooplankton in Lake Neumühler See (Mecklenburg, Germany). Arch. Hydrobiol. 134(3): 337–358.
Müller, H., A. Schone, R. M. Pinto-Coelho, A. Schweizer & T. Weisser, 1991. Seasonal succession of ciliates in Lake Constance. Microb. Ecol. 21: 119–138.
Nauwerck, A., 1963. Die Beziehungen zwischen Zooplankton und Phytoplankton im See Erken. Symb. Bot. Upsal. 17(5): 1–163.
Pace, M. L., 1982. Planktonic ciliates: their distribution, abundance and relationship to microbial resources in a monomictic lake. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 39: 1106–1116.
Psenner, R. & K. Schlott-Idt, 1985. Trophic relationships between bacteria and protozoa in the hypolimnion of a meromictic lake. Hydrobiologia 121: 111–120.
Porter, K. G., E. B. Sherr, B. F. Sherr, M. Pace & R. W. Sanders, 1985. Protozoa in planktonic food webs. J. Protozool. 32: 409–415.
Sherr, B. F. & E. B. Sherr, 1989. Trophic impacts on phagotrophic protozoa in pelagic foodwebs. In T. Hattori et al. (eds), Recent Advances in Microbial Ecology. Japan Scientific Societies Press, Tokyo, pp 388–393.
Schönberger, M., 1994. Planktonic ciliated protozoa of Neausiedler See (Austria/Hungary)-a comparison between the turbid open lake and a reedless brown-water pond. Marine microbial Food Webs 8(1–2): 251–263.
Simek, K., M. Macek, J. Pernthaler, V. Straskrabovva & R. Psenner, 1996. Can freshwater planktic ciliates survive on a diet of picoplankton? J. Plankton Res. 18: 597–613.
Song, B., M. Cao & P. Xie, 2000. The effects of restoration and disappearance of submerged macrophytes upon the structure and biodiversity of protozoan community. Acta Ecol. Sinica 20(2): 270–276 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Sorokin, J. I. & E. B. Paveljeva, 1972. On the quantitative characterisrics of the pelagic ecosystem of Dalnee Lake (Kamchatka). Hydrobiologia 40: 519–552.
Stella, E. & F. Margaritora, 1966. Studio faunistico ed ecologico di un lago-stagno del Lazio: il Lago di Monterosi. Arch. Zool. Ital. 51: 159–226.
Taylor, W. D. 1984. Phosphorus flux through epilimnetic zooplankton from Lake Ontario: relationship with body size and significance to phytoplankton. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 41: 1702–1712.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Biyu, S. A comparative study on planktonic ciliates in two shallow mesotrophic lakes (China): species composition, distribution and quantitative importance. Hydrobiologia 427, 143–153 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003963126254
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003963126254