Food Web in an Artificial Basin of Southern Italy: Lake Angitola of Calabria

The Angitola lake is an artificial basin (created in 1966) located in the southern Italy. The basin is protected by the international Ramsar Convention, “Natura 2000” Network and specific Regional acts. There are few scientific data concerning the lake characteristics, its wildlife and environmental health. In the present study, we examined biodiversity presence and environmental interactions with focus on benthic macro-invertebrates community. We observed an oscillation in water level with a maximum in May and a minimum in December. The visibility ranging from 70 to 40 cm. This study do not focus on quantitative data about mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Fishing sampling showed a high amount of Carassius carassius, a small number of Perca fluviatilis and Squalius cephalus (Lake sampling points); a large number of Gambusia spp., a good presence of Salaria fluviatilis and a few presence of Cobitis bilineata (River sampling points). Spring and summer samplings show the highest number of insects; autumn and winter samplings a higher presence of mollusk, segmented and round worms. Seasonal variation within classes did not result significant in all sampling stations. Taxa numerosity in the lake differed between each class over time (P = 0.0024) and time did not show any effect (P = 0.98). Interaction of classes over time resulted significant (P = 0.03). Similar results were recorded for the river (class difference P < 0.0001; time effect P = 0.1; interaction of class over time P = 0.006). In the lake, a strong negative correlation resulted between Insects and either Mollusks (ρ = – 0.9, P < 0.0001) or Worms (ρ = – 0.99, P < 0 0001); a strong positive correlation resulted between Worms and Mollusks (ρ = 0.87, P = 0.0003). In the river, a strong negative correlation between Insects and either Mollusks (ρ = – 0.85, P = 0 0005) or Worms (ρ = – 0.97, P < 0.0001) was confirmed, whereas no correlation existed between Mollusks and Worms. This paper is the first approach about food web of Lake Angitola with the objective of. The biodiversity analysis and the identification of the critical points allow us to identify preliminary relationships, the food web and the main energy input in the Angitola environments. On such premises, it is therefore essential to monitor the chemical, physical and biological trends over years.