A study of benthic communities in some shallow saline lakes of western Victoria, Australia

The summer benthos of 24 lakes ranging from 1-204 g l super(-1) salinity contained 27 species of macroinvertebrates. The worm Antipodrilus timmsi , the ostracod Mytilocypris splendida , the amphipod Austrochiltonia subtenus , the chironomids Procladius spp. and Chironomus duplex and the snail Coxiel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hydrobiologia 1983-09, Vol.105 (1), p.165-177
Main Author: Timms, B. V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brackish
Ceratopogonidae
Chironomidae
Marine
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Summary:The summer benthos of 24 lakes ranging from 1-204 g l super(-1) salinity contained 27 species of macroinvertebrates. The worm Antipodrilus timmsi , the ostracod Mytilocypris splendida , the amphipod Austrochiltonia subtenus , the chironomids Procladius spp. and Chironomus duplex and the snail Coxiella striata were common at lower salinities (3 -- ca. 30 g l super(-1)) while the crustaceans Australocypris robusta and Haloniscus searlei , the chironomid Tanytarsus barbitaris and a ceratopogonid larva dominated in salinities ca. 20-100 g l super(-1). Small ostracods were common from 40-150 g l super(-2). Diversity changed little with salinity. Mean dry biomass ranged from 0-3.94 g m super(-2); distribution between lakes was negatively skewed with a peak around 7 g l super(-1) salinity. Within many lakes, there was considerable spatial heterogeneity which in some cases seemed to result from different bottom characteristics or to point source enrichment. Many groups contributed to the standing crop at low to moderate salinities, and at high salinities crustanceans were important.
ISSN:0018-8158
1573-5117
DOI:10.1007/BF00025186