Ref ID : 1843
David G. Jenkins; Dispersal-limited zooplankton distribution and community composition in new ponds. Hydrobiologia 313/314:15-20, 1995
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Twelve new experimental ponds were constructed identically, filled simultaneously, had similar physical and chemical properties, and were maintained with minimal manipulation. Colonizing zooplankton communities were sampled bi-weekly for one year. Rotifer dominated zooplankton communities in densities, biomass, and species number (47 of 61 observed species were rotifers). Only 14 species were observed in all 12 ponds; 9 were rotifers. Twenty-nine species (26 rotifers) were recorded in < ponds. Species with high vagility exhibited greater viability. Ponds differed in zooplankton community composition throughout the year, due to differences in both vagility and viability among colonizing species.