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Shifts in zooplankton communities in high-mountain lakes induced by singular events (fish stocking, earthquakes): evidence from a 20-year survey in Slovenia (Central Europe)

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Abstract

Thirteen mountain lakes, originally fishless, at 1325 and 2150 m a.s.l., with the maximum depths ranging from two to 15 m, and areas of 0.3 to 4.5 ha, were monitored between 1991 and 2012 in the Triglav National Park (Slovenia, Central Europe). The lakes are located on limestone bedrock, with no surface inflow or outflow. They range from ultra-oligotrophic to hypertrophic. They were stocked with fish between late 1920s and 1996. The zooplankton samples were collected as composites from the bottom to the surface at the deepest point of the lake, for both qualitative and quantitative analyses. In situ physical parameters in the water column were measured, and the samples for chemical analyses were collected in parallel with the zooplankton sampling. Thirty-two species, including Copepoda, Cladocera, Rotifera and Ciliata, were recorded. They belonged to three ecological groups: (1) constitutive, (2) scout and (3) benthic species. In some of the lakes, the species composition remained stable over the study period, but in lakes stocked with fish, significant changes occurred, in both species composition and biomass. Large-bodied species of Copepoda and Cladocera were eliminated by fish allowing small-bodied planktonic species of Copepoda, Cladocera and Rotifera to dominate the community, along with benthic species, associated with algal mats. The lake, stocked with fish in the 1920s, was hit by two strong consecutive earthquakes, in 1998 and 2004, after which a significant change in species composition and biomass was recorded.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge all his colleagues at the National Institute of Biology for their assistance during heavy field work in the period 1992–2012, especially Olga Urbanc-Berčič†, Tina Leskošek, Nataša Gorjanc, Milijan Šiško, Davorin Tome, Gregor Muri, Tadej Mezek and Simon Lukančič. Andreja Jerebic carried out the analysis of the water samples in the laboratory and Milijan Šiško helped with some statistical analysis. The research was conducted with the financial support from European Union funded projects (AL:PE 2 (1993–1995)—EU contract EV5V-CT92-0205; MOLAR (1996–1999)—EU contract ENV4-CT95-0007; EMERGE: 2000–2003—EU contract EVKI-CT-1999-0003; as well as the national program P1-0255 (Communities, relations and communications in ecosystems), financed by the Slovenian Ministry of Science and Education (ARRS). The office of the Triglav National Park granted us the permission to sample the lakes and use their resorts during field work. Thanks to Henri Dumont, Lee Knight and three anonymous reviewers for the linguistic improvements and comments on the text.

Funding

This study was funded by national and international projects; European Union funded projects (AL:PE 2 (1993–1995)—EU contract EV5V-CT92-0205; MOLAR (1996–1999)—EU contract ENV4-CT95-0007; EMERGE: 2000–2003—EU contract EVKI-CT-1999–0003; the national program P1-0255 (Communities, relations and communications in ecosystems), financed by the Slovenian Ministry of Science and Education (ARRS).

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  1. Department of Organisms and Ecosystem Research, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Anton Brancelj

  2. University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska cesta 13, 5000, Nova Gorica, Slovenia

    Anton Brancelj

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A. Brancelj organized and participate field work, work in the laboratory, made zooplankton analyses and write the paper. For contribution of participants during field and laboratory work, see Acknowledgements.

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Correspondence to Anton Brancelj.

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Brancelj, A. Shifts in zooplankton communities in high-mountain lakes induced by singular events (fish stocking, earthquakes): evidence from a 20-year survey in Slovenia (Central Europe). Aquat Ecol 55, 1253–1271 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-021-09858-1

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