Full Title
Development of zooplankton comunities along a decreasing salinity gradient
Student
Dannielle Smith
Supervisors
Daryl Nielsen, Rochelle Petrie
Funding Body
MDFRC vacation scholarship
Duration
completed summer 2005-2006
Outcomes
Details
Summary
Freshwater ecosystems in Australia are becoming increasingly threatened by salinity as a result of increasing salinisation and modification of water regimes. This paper investigates the response of zooplankton communities along a gradient from high salinity (15000 mg L-1) to fresh (<300 mg L-1). As part of a large mesocosm experiment, sediment from Macquarie Marshes had been exposed to high salinity levels of 15000 mg L‾¹ for a period of two years and zooplankton communities consisted of Ostracoda, Copepod Naupii and six rotifer taxa. Over a two month period salinity was decreased along a gradient to fresh and changes to the zooplankton community were examined. Results show that zooplankton dormant eggs are capable of surviving extended periods in a highly saline environment without hatching. Once salinity was below 1000 mg L-1 many taxa were able to hatch and taxon rich and abundant communities developed.
