[Effect of abiotic and biotic factors on the structural and functional organization of the saline lake ecosystems in Crimea]

Zh Obshch Biol. 2009 Nov-Dec;70(6):504-14.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

Decrease of both zooplankton and zoobenthos species richness and a trend toward decrease of their biomass with the salinity increase was recorded in the hypersaline lakes of Crimea. The most of structural and functional characteristics of macrobenthos is positively correlated with abiotic and biotic characteristics of those lakes. Abundance, biomass, productivity of macrobenthos and ration of non-predating macrozoobenthos decrease with salinity increase, while they increase with the depth and growth of amount of chlorophyll a and primary production. Macrozoobenthos portion in the total zooplankton and macrozoobenthos biomass decreases with both salinity and depth increase. Zooplankton community is less controlled by abiotic factors as compared to macrozoobenthos, while the former's species number significantly decrease with salinity increase. Effect of salinity on zooplankton biomass is slightly significant, unlike that of macrozoobenthos. Comparison of total amount of rations of zooplankton and macrozoobenthos with amount of primary production indicates intense trophic interactions in the lakes under study.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biodiversity*
  • Biomass
  • Ecosystem*
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Fresh Water* / chemistry
  • Invertebrates / classification
  • Invertebrates / growth & development
  • Population Dynamics
  • Salts / analysis*
  • Species Specificity
  • Ukraine
  • Zooplankton / classification
  • Zooplankton / growth & development*

Substances

  • Salts