Comparative study of periphytic ciliate communities and succession on natural and artificial substrata in two shallow lakes (Eastern Poland)

• Published in: Annales de limnologie 2007, Vol.43 (3), p.179-186
• Main Author: Mieczan, T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; ciliates community; colonization; Fresh water ecosystems; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; natural and artificial substrata; Phragmites australis; shallow lakes; Synecology; Typha; Typha Iatifolia
• ISSN: 0003-4088; 2100-000X
• DOI: 10.1051/limn:2007012

The colonization and succession of periphytic ciliate communities on the natural (Phragmites australis and Typha Iatifolia) and artificial (glass slides) substrata were studied in 2 shallow lakes (Polesie Lubelskie, Eastern Poland). Sampling was done on a monthly basis from April to November 2003-2004. During each sampling occasion 6 periphton samples were collected from each type of substrata at 3 sites: the land/water contact zone, among emergent macrophytes, and at the emergent macrophytes/open water border. Irrespective of the type of substrate and trophic state, species number and densities of periphytic ciliates reached the highest value in the land/water contact zone and decreased in the direction of the area of emergent macrophytes/open water zone. In land/water contact zone, the biggest factors limiting the ciliate communities were temperature, conductivity, concentrations of total organic carbon and nutrient (Ptot and N-NH4). In turn, in the other 2 zones, the influence of chlorophyll a concentration increased.