Spatial and Seasonal Distribution of Planktonic Cladocera in a Small Reservoir

Abstract

A planktonic cladoceran community composed of 4 species (Bosmina longirostris, Daphnia parvula, Diaphanosoma leuchtenbergianum, and Ceriodaphia quadrangula) was studied over a 3-year period in a small man-made lake in southwestern Ohio. Plankton samples were collected from 3 stations and 4 depths (surface, 3-, 6-, and 9-meters). B. longirostris was the numerically dominant species at all stations and in all seasons, except for a short period in the spring, when D. parvula was dominant. D. parvula was a vernal species, persisting only in small numbers during the summer and autumn. D. leuchtenbergianum was classed as a polythermic species, being present in significant numbers, only during the warmest periods. C. quadrangula appeared as a significant member of the community only during the final year of the study.