Associations between epiphyton species composition and macrophyte diversity in a shallow tropical reservoir

Autor(es)

Pellegrini, Barbara Golebski ^[1] ; Ferragut, Carla ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Inst Bot, Nucleo Pesquisas Ecol, Caixa Postal 68041, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Fundamental and Applied Limnology; v. 191, n. 2, p. 111-122, JAN 2018.
• Citações Web of Science: 2

Resumo

Macrophytes play a significant role in structuring the habitat for periphyton communities in aquatic ecosystems, especially shallow lakes and reservoirs. We evaluated the seasonal taxonomic structure changes of the algae community in epiphyton on Nymphaea spp. at sites with differences in macrophyte richness in a shallow reservoir. Nymphaea, which has a wide global distribution, has large floating leaves that do not favor a high biomass accumulation due to shading. We hypothesized that, despite the negative influence of Nymphaea, the epiphytic algae taxonomic structure is associated with spatial heterogeneity changes. Variations of macrophyte community structure and abiotic variables are used to analyze the spatial heterogeneity and its effects on the epiphyton. Water and epiphyton sampling was performed in Nymphaea monospecific and plurispecific sites (2-4 macrophytes species) in all four seasons. Epiphytic algae structure was significantly influenced by seasonality, macrophyte richness and by the interaction of these factors. We find diatom density more closely associated to a lower macrophyte richness, but flagellate density to a higher richness. Descriptor species composition primarily changed with the seasonal variation in nutrient and light availability. We conclude that the epiphytic algae community structure on rooted macrophyte (Nymphaea spp.) is sensitive to changes in spatial heterogeneity, which is mainly represented by the water chemistry and macrophyte structure (richness and coverage). (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/05177-0 - Influência da heterogeneidade espacial sobre a estrutura e estado nutricional (N, P, C) da comunidade perifítica em substrato natural
• Beneficiário: Barbara Golebski Pellegrini
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 09/52253-4 - Influência da heterogeneidade espacial sobre a estrutura e estado nutricional (C, N, P) da comunidade perifítica, fitoplanctônica e metafítica no Lago das Ninfeias em dois períodos climáticos
• Beneficiário: Carla Ferragut
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular