Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology / Interannual Variability of Secondary Production Based on Long-Term Zooplankton Studies in a Subarctic Lake

Full text (.pdf)
Issue
Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology. 2026 19 (1)
Authors
Litvinchuk, Larisa F.; Maximov, Alexey A.
Contact information
Litvinchuk, Larisa F.: Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences (Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation); ORCID: 0000-0001-9624-1359; Maximov, Alexey A.: Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences (Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation); ; ORCID: 0000-0002-8581-6994
Keywords
water ecosystems; climate variability; small lakes; long-term dynamics; North Atlantic Oscillation; northern lakes
Abstract

Despite a long tradition of production studies in freshwater ecosystems, the interannual dynamics of secondary production remains poorly understood, because long-term monitoring programs focus mainly on structural changes. This study estimates the interannual variability of zooplankton abundance, biomass and production in a small subarctic lake using observations from 2002 to 2023, and examines its relationship with primary production (chlorophyll “a”) and meteorological drivers. Samples were collected during the open-water period (May–October), typically three times per year: May–June, July and September. Production was calculated using the physiological method. The zooplankton community comprised 31 species across three groups: rotifers (11 species), copepods (6 species) and cladocerans (14 species). Abundance and biomass varied widely, with maximum and minimum values differing by a factor of three. No clearly expressed long- term trend was detected in any quantitative zooplankton parameter over the study period. Peak biomass and production coincided with the mass development of the rotifer Asplanchna priodonta in 2011. Zooplankton production negatively correlated with air temperature during freeze-up and with the North Atlantic Oscillation index (1-year lag) and positively correlated with chlorophyll “a” concentration (2-year lag). The productivity increase following severe winters is likely linked to more favourable overwintering conditions for planktonic organisms, as early ice formation prevents water cooling. A 1–2-year delay in zooplankton response to environmental changes may reflect internal community processes, such as interspecific competition and predator-prey relationships

Pages
153–169
EDN
RDONTS
Paper at repository of SibFU
https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/158250

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