Habitat architecture influencing microcrustaceans composition: a case study on freshwater Cladocera (Crustacea Branchiopoda)

Author(s)

Debastiani-Junior, J. R. ^[1] ; Elmoor-Loureiro, L. M. A. ^[2] ; Nogueira, M. G. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Dept Zool, Dist Rubiao Jr S-N, BR-18618970 Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Catolica Brasilia, Lab Biodiversidade Aquat, QS 7 Lote 1, Sala M204, BR-71966700 Taguatinga, DF - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Brazilian Journal of Biology; v. 76, n. 1, p. 93-100, FEB 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Abstract Environmental complexity is considered a key factor for diversity enhancement in aquatic ecosystems. Macrophyte stands are a major contributor for this complexity due to their differential architectures. Nevertheless, the influence of distinct aquatic habitat architectures (with different types of macrophytes or without them) on microcrustaceans’ taxa composition, usually found in macrophyte colonized water bodies, is underexplored in limnological studies. The main objective of this study was to analyze this influence by comparing the Cladocera composition among four habitat architectures: (1) fluctuant macrophytes, (2) rooted emergent macrophytes, (3) submerged macrophytes and (4) the limnetic zone of oxbow lakes associated to a large subtropical reservoir. Wide compositional variation was observed. Fluctuant macrophytes exhibited the richest Cladocera assemblage, dominated by Chydoridae. Submerged and rooted emergent macrophytes had the most similar assemblages between them. The most distinctive fauna was found in the limnetic zone, dominated by Bosminidae. Probable differences in resource availability in each sampled habitat architecture are considered as the driving factor for the Cladocera composition variation. We concluded that for a complete inventory of a given local fauna, it is imperative to take into account the aquatic habitat architecture, including macrophyte stands, in the data sampling design. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/00014-6 - Limnological studies of large reservoirs of the River de la Plata Basin (Brazil, Argentine, Paraguay and Uruguay): a spatial geographical approach and the influence of present and historical processes
• Grantee: Marcos Gomes Nogueira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 09/11781-8 - The importance of the wetlands associated to reservoirs in the Río de la Plata basin (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) to the Cladocera fauna diversity
• Grantee: Jose Roberto Debastiani Júnior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 11/23444-6 - Cladoceran (Crustacea, Branchipoda) assemblages diversity from lotic stretches adjacent areas of Rio de la Plata Basin (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay)
• Grantee: Jose Roberto Debastiani Júnior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)