Biotic interactions, energy pathways and trigger factors of ecosystem dynamics in shallow saline lakes

• Authors: Golubkov Sergei , Golubkov Mikhail , Balushkina Evgenia , Litvinchuk Larisa
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Environmental variables, food-web dynamics and energy pathways were investigated in ecosystems of six shallow lakes of the Crimea with salinity ranging from 24 to 340 ‰. There were considerable inter- and intra-annual fluctuations in the abiotic characteristics of the lakes. All the lakes had a very high concentration of total phosphorus in the water (up to 5.6 gP m-3) due to a great influence of the watershed on the lakes. A high level of primary production (up to 14.9 gC m-2 d-1) was found in the most of the lakes. The lowest primary production was found in the most saline lake with a dense population of the filtrator, Artemia urmiana. Grazing benthic energy pathways were dominant at salinities between 24 and 58 ‰. Greater levels of salinity led to a gradual reduction of benthic and increase of planktonic energy pathways. A fast shift from turbid to clear-water regime was observed in one of the lakes, caused by annual variations in weather conditions

Keywords

EN

saline lakes; primary production; secondary production; zooplankton; zoobenthos; energy pathways; regime shift

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie
• Journal: Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 83-113

Contributors

author

Golubkov Sergei

• Russian Academy of Sciences, Zoological Institute

author

Golubkov Mikhail

• Russian Academy of Sciences, Zoological Institute

author

Balushkina Evgenia

• Russian Academy of Sciences, Zoological Institute

author

Litvinchuk Larisa

• Russian Academy of Sciences, Zoological Institute