Abstract
Examination of two 90 cm sediment cores from Front Lake, a shallow (1 m) eutrophic habitat, revealed a chironomid community consisting of at least 24 species prior to the destruction of the fauna by an intrusion of salt water resulting from the high tides associated with the Saxby Gale of 1869. With the withdrawal of the salt water and a return to freshwater conditions, 23 species recolonized the lake. Of these, 22 were also found in the preintrusion community. The three species not common to both freshwater periods constituted only 2.3% of the head capsules recovered. Consequently, the chironomid community established in Front Lake both before and after the salt water intrusion had essentially identical species compositions, relative abundances of each species, and species diversity indices.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Alhomen, P. & Haavisto, M. 1969. The biostratigraphical history of Lake Otalampi in southern Finland, with special reference to the remains of subfossil midge fauna. Bull. Geol. Soc. Finland 41: 157–164.
Deevey, E. S. Jr. 1941. Limnological studies in Connecticut. IV. The quantity and composition of the bottom fauna of thirty-six Connecticut and New York lakes. Ecol. Monogr. 11: 413–455.
Deevey, E. S. Jr. 1942. Studies on Connecticut lake sediments. III. The biostratonomy of Linsley Pond. Amer. J. Sci. 240: 233–264.
Frey, D. G. 1964. Remains of animals in Quaternary lake and bog sediments and their interpretation. Arch. Hydrobiol., Beih, Ergebn. Limnol. 2: 1–114.
Hamilton, A. L., Saether, O. A. & Oliver, D. R. 1969. A classification of the Nearctic Chironomidae. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. Tech. Rept. 124, 42 pp.
Harmsworth, R. V. 1968. The developmental history of Blelham Tarn (England) as shown by animal microfossils, with special reference to Cladocera. Ecol. Monogr. 38: 223–241.
Machum, L. A. 1965. A history of Moncton town and city 1855–1965. Moncton Publ. Co. Ltd., 447 pp.
Nusall, J. R. 1952. The early development of a bottom fauna in a new power reservoir in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Can. J. Zool. 30: 387–409.
Odum, E. P. 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. 3rd Ed. W. B. Saunders Co. Lond. 574 pp.
Paterson, C. G. & Fernando, C. H. 1969a. The macroinvertebrate colonization of a small reservoir in Eastern Canada. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 17: 126–136.
Paterson, C. G. & Fernando, C. H. 1969b. Macro-invertebrate colonization of the marginal zone of a small impoundment in Eastern Canada. Can. J. Zool. 47: 1229–1238.
Paterson, C. G. & Fernando, C. H. 1970. Benthic fauna colonization of a new reservoir with particular reference to the e Chironomidae. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 27: 213–232.
Stahl, J. B. 1959. The developmental history of the chironomid and Chaoborus fauna of Myers Lake. Invest. Ind. Lakes Streams 5: 47–102.
Stahl, J. B. 1969. The uses of chironomids and other midges in interpreting lake histories. Mitt. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 17: 111–125.
Weerekoon, A. C. J. 1956. Studies on the biology of Loch Lomond. I. The benthos of Auchentullich Bay. Ceylon J. Sci. (c) 7: 1–94.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Clair, T., Paterson, C.G. Effect of a salt water intrusion on a freshwater chironomidae community: A paleolimnological study. Hydrobiologia 48, 131–135 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040165
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040165