ecological niches of Bythotrephes and Leptodora: lessons for predicting long-term effects of invasion

• Published in: Biological invasions Vol. 13; no. 11; pp. 2561 - 2572
• Main Authors: Hessen, Dag O, Bakkestuen, Vegar, Walseng, Bjørn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01-11-2011; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal populations; Aquatic ecology; Biological properties; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bythotrephes; Bythotrephes longimanus; Community composition; Crustaceans; Daphnia; Daphnia galeata; Developmental Biology; ecological invasion; Ecology; Freshwater; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Invasive species; invertebrates; Lakes; Leptodora; Leptodora kindtii; Life Sciences; long term effects; Niches; Nonnative species; Original Paper; physicochemical properties; Plant Sciences; Predation; Predators; prediction; Water quality; Zooplankton; Norway; Zooplankton community; Bythotrephes; Leptodora; Predation; Invasion
• ISSN: 1387-3547; 1573-1464
• DOI: 10.1007/s10530-011-0079-7

We here exploit two large datasets on zooplankton in Norwegian lakes, spanning a wide range of geographical, physical, chemical and biological properties, to assess the ecological niches and habitats of Bythotrephes longimanus and Leptodora kindtii. The species overlapped geographically, yet co-occurred only in a limited number of lakes. Bythotrephes inhabited virtually all types of lakes, except alpine localities and productive lakes dominated by cyprinid communities where the hyaline Leptodora was most abundant. The zooplankton communities also differed in Bythotrephes and Leptodora lakes, probably both reflecting different predatory regimes, but also water quality and other lake-specific properties. We found no evidence for species being excluded by the presence of Bythotrephes, rather the diversity in general was higher in lakes with these predators present compared with those without. We found, however, a very close association between Bythotrephes and Daphnia galeata and to some extent also between Bythotrephes and D. longispina, suggesting that these species also may benefit from Bythotrephes invasion. Both Bythotrephes and Leptodora species occur naturally in this region, and knowledge about the ecological preferences and the zooplankton community composition in Bythotrephes—and Leptodora lakes will provide valuable information about the long-term effects of Bythotrephes invasion and potential interaction with of Leptodora as top invertebrate predator.