Zooplankton community structure and dynamics in lakes of contrasting water clarity in Acadia National Park

Whitmore, Elizabeth; Webster, Katherine

Following from Introduction: ...'This research has three objectives: (1) characterize seasonal patterns and relationships in the zooplankton communities (e.g., cladoceran and copepods) in the eight Acadia National Park (ANP) eutrophication study lakes; (2) compare the size structure of zooplankton communities in ANP to a broader study of 75 Maine lakes; and (3) determine if UV-B radiation is affecting Daphnia in three clear-water ANP lakes. To accomplish the first objective, we counted and measured the body size of copepods and cladocerans in monthly samples taken from the ANP study lakes each month between June and August. For the second objective we will use a statistical model being developed as part of another research project to compare the ANP lakes to a broader set of lakes in Maine. Results from this objective will be provided in an addendum to this report. For the last objective we used visual inspection of melanin stripes to quantify the percentage of Daphnia responding to UV-B radiation in three clear lakes. We then compared these results to the amount of UV B radiation penetrating into the water column of the lakes for each month between June and August. Since producing malanin is a response to UV-B radiation, if Daphnia in clear water lakes are producing melanin then they are responding to UV-B radiation.' ----------------- Report describes results. Appendix A lists sampling dates and weather conditions; Appendix B lists sampling types and equipment used; Appendix C lists net types used; Appendix D illustrates microscope set-up and counting equipment; Appendix H contains images and characteristics of cladoceran genra and copepod groups found in the ANP lakes; and Appendix I graphs zooplankton community composition in each study lake. /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/Seal Cove Pond/Echo Lake/Long Pond/Upper Hadlock Pond/Witch Hole Pond/Bubble Pond/Jordan Pond/Eagle Lake