A Decade of Change in the Floodplain Lake: Does Zooplankton Yield or Resist?
2025
Anita Galir | Filip Stević | Karla Čmelar | Dubravka Špoljarić Maronić | Tanja Žuna Pfeiffer | Nikolina Bek
Natural ecosystems, especially those regulated by floods, are sensitive to prolonged temperature fluctuations that affect hydrology and the lateral connection between the river and its floodplain. Here, we analyzed a series of zooplankton data collected monthly from 2007 to 2016 during the ice-free period in Kopač:ki Rit Nature Park in the Middle Danube, an area important as a food source and nursery area for fish stocks in the Danube. The aim was to find out how the long-term change in temperature and fluctuating environmental parameters affect the succession of zooplankton in the warmer (from April to September) and colder parts of the year (from October to March). Throughout the decade, total nitrogen concentrations showed significant differences between years, with an increase since 2012. Despite the increase in nitrogen levels and the expected increase in primary production, the higher nitrogen levels were accompanied by lower zooplankton biomass. A significant difference was found between the values of the zooplankton geometric mean index, with 73% of the variance explained by the difference between groups. In general, a trend toward a significant decrease in zooplankton biomass, with a simultaneous increase in the number of species and high turnover rates, was observed throughout the decade.
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