THE ZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITY IN AN ACIDIC CENTRAL FLORIDA LAKE

Since Florida's sandy soils have low buffering capacities, many of Florida's lakes are susceptible to acid rain effects. The objective of this study was to provide a portrait of the zooplankton community within Lake Ruby, an acidic, central Florida lake. Water chemistry and zooplankton were monitored during January - December, 1989. Mean pH ranged from 3.72 to 5.08 (annual mean = 4.35). Low nutrient concentrations (phosphorous, nitrogen, carbon) and high water clarity were characteristically oligotrophic. The zooplankton community contained an average of three species of rotifers, three species of cladocerans and four species of copepods. Annual mean zooplankton abundance was 60 individuals/L. Species diversity of the zooplankton community was low; its annual mean was 1.81; monthly mean values ranged from 1.08 (February, 1989) to 2.24 (November, 1989).