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Plankton community cycling and recovery after drought — dynamics in a basin on a flood plain

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Abstract

Lake Merrimajeel, a shallow swamp, is part of the Murray-Darling, a flood plain river system with high plankton diversity. It fluctuates drastically in water level and often dries out. The dynamics and seasonality of zooplankton in the face of these fluctuations and the effects of a total drawdown and refilling were monitored between February 1977 and January 1980. During this period thirty species of rotifers, thirty four of microcrustacea and several other species were recorded. Despite erratic fluctuations in water level, temperature and turbidity a community cycle from dominance by rotifers in summer/autumn and crustacea in winter/spring was maintained. The drawdown disturbed this cycle but it was reestablished the following year. Diversity and density reached a maximum just before the drawdown, during hot, turbid conditions. During this drying phase the waters remained relatively fresh and well oxygenated. ‘Phyllopods’ were not recorded. The recovery phase was characterised by a group of rare species. It is postulated that these rare, colonising or successional species are dependent on a brief flush of rich organic material produced on flooding.

The generally depressive effect of increased turbidity does not hold in this lake and many limnetic species were abundant during periods of high turbidity. It is suggested that turbidity may be tolerated or even be advantageous to some species, depending on the nature of the suspended material.

The ability of species to lead a fugitive existence by temporarily colonising basins after drawdowns and refilling may be an important factor in producing the high diversity of plankton in flood plain river systems such as the Murray-Darling.

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Crome, F.H.J., Carpenter, S.M. Plankton community cycling and recovery after drought — dynamics in a basin on a flood plain. Hydrobiologia 164, 193–211 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005940

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005940

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