Periphytic Ciliates in Three Shallow Lakes in Eastern Poland: A Comparative Study between a Phytoplankton-Dominated Lake, a Phytoplankton-Macrophyte Lake and a Macrophyte-Dominated Lake

Tomasz Mieczan (2009) Periphytic ciliates in three shallow lakes in eastern Poland: a comparative study between a phytoplankton-dominated lake, a phytoplankton-macrophyte lake, and a macrophyte-dominated lake. Zoological Studies 49(5): 589-600. The aim of this investigation was to determine the abundance and taxonomic composition of periphytic ciliates in relation to selected physical, chemical, and biological factors in 3 shallow lakes in eastern Poland, classified according to the alternate stable state theory as a phytoplankton-dominated lake, a phytoplankton-macrophyte lake, and a macrophyte-dominated lake. Sampling from the reed stems was done on a monthly basis from Apr. to Nov. during 3 yr. Numbers of periphytic ciliates of the reed surface significantly differed among the studied lakes, with the lowest numbers in the macrophyte-dominated lake (37 species), a little higher number in the phytoplankton-macrophyte lake (43 species), and the highest number in the phytoplankton-dominated lake (50 species). The same distribution pattern was observed for ciliate abundances. Generally, the abundance of ciliates was positively correlated with temperature, total organic carbon, nutrients, chlorophyll a, and the biomass of periphyton. However, the number of significant correlations between the numbers of ciliates and environmental variables differed in the studied lakes. In the phytoplankton-dominated lake, the density of ciliates was strongly correlated with the periphyton biomass, and concentrations of chlorophyll a and total organic carbon; whereas in the phytoplankton-macrophyte and macrophyte-dominated lakes, the density of ciliates was correlated with concentrations of ammonium-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, and total phosphorus. http://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/49.5/589.pdf