02612nas a2200157 4500008004100000245016200041210006900203300001000272490000800282520202800290653001202318100002202330700002302352700002302375856005602398 1989 eng d00aPlanktonic Rotifer Community Structure in Adirondack, New York, U.S.A. Lakes in Relation to Acidity, Trophic Status and Related Water Quality Characteristics0 aPlanktonic Rotifer Community Structure in Adirondack New York US a33-480 v1753 a

The structure of the mid-summer planktonic rotifer communities of 101 Adirondack lakes ranging in pH from 4.0 to 7.3 were characterized in relation to acidity and selected water quality parameters. More than 70 rotifer species were identified from collections in 1982 and 1984. None of the species collected could be considered acidobiontic or alkalibiontic.

Keratella taurocephala was the most commonly collected rotifer, occurring in 94 of the study lakes. It was abundant throughout the range of pH investigated but was particularly dominant in acidic waters, averaging > 85 % of the rotifers collected from waters of pH < 5.0.

Rotifer community structure can be related to three groups of water quality parameters. Community parameters (richness and diversity) are most highly correlated with parameters indicative of acidity status. Rotifer abundance correlates with trophic state indicators, i.e. chlorophyll a and total phosphorus, over the full range of pH investigated. However, in acidic lakes, rotifer abundance is related to true color and DOC, indicators of humic influences.

The rotifer communities of the Adirondacks can be classified into four broad types: 1) A diverse, productive community of the more alkaline lakes, generally with ∼ 13 species, and dominated by Conochilus unicornis, Kellicottia bostoniensis, Kellicottia longispina, and Polyarthra major; 2) Relatively diverse communities of productive, highly colored acid lakes, with ∼ 8 species, and often with very large populations (> 200 · 1−1) dominated by K. bostoniensis and K. taurocephala; 3) Depauperate (< 4 species) communities of clear water acid lakes with generally low density populations dominated by K. taurocephala (> 90 % of rotifers in each sample); and 4) Extremely depauperate (2–3 species) acid lake communities associated with small lakes with high flushing rates dominated by C. unicornis.

10abiology1 aSiegfried, C., A.1 aBloomfield, J., A.1 aSutherland, J., W. uhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00008473