Abstract
The vertical distributions and migrations are described of the most abundant flagellated phytoplankton species from the summer community of a small forest lake in southern Finland. The lake showed a steep and stable thermal stratification with a shallow oxygenated epilimnion. Horizontal variation of phytoplankton distribution within the lake was tested on two scales and found to be statistically significant only in the case of Mallomonas reginae. The vertical distribution of flagellated phytoplankton was assessed by reference to the distribution of a non-motile, neutrally buoyant species Ankyra judayi. Statistically significant, active vertical positioning was demonstrated for all the flagellates examined with the exception of Spiniferomonas bourrellyi. Diel vertical migrations were apparent for all species showing active positioning and the pattern of an evening descent and a morning ascent was ubiquitous. The extent and timing of diel migrations varied between species. The most extensive migrations were by Cryptomonas marssonii which crossed a temperature gradient of 14 °C and penetrated far into the anoxic hypolimnion. Several categories of competitive advantage can be gained by species undertaking such diel vertical migrations.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Arvola, L., 1983. Primary production and phytoplankton in two small, polyhumic forest lakes in southern Finland. Hydrobiologia 101: 105–110.
Arvola, L., 1984. Diel variation in primary production and the vertical distribution of phytoplankton in a polyhumic lake. Arch. Hydrobiol. 101: 503–519.
Arvola, L., K. Salonen, R. I. Jones, I. Bergström & A. Heinänen, 1987. A three day study of the diel behaviour of plankton in a highly humic and steeply stratified lake. Arch. Hydrobiol. 109: 89–106.
Blakar, I. A., 1979. A close interval water sampler with minimal disturbance properties. Limnol. Oceanogr. 24: 983–988.
Burns, N. M. & F. Rosa, 1980. In situ measurement of the settling velocity of organic particles and 10 species of phytoplankton. Limnol. Oceanogr. 25: 855–864.
Cullen, J. J. & S. G. Horrigan, 1981. Effects of nitrate on the diurnal vertical migration, carbon to nitrogen ratio and the photosynthetic capacity of the dinoflagellate Gymnodium splendens. Mar. Biol. 62: 81–89.
Elliott, J. M., 1977. Some Methods for the Statistical Analysis of Samples of Benthic Invertebrates, 2nd Edn. Sci. Publ. Freshwat. Biol. Ass. U.K., 160 pp.
Eppley, R. W., O. Hohn-Hansen & J. D. H. Strickland, 1968. Some observations on the vertical migration of dinoflagellates. J. Phycol. 4: 333–340.
Fee, E. J., 1976. The vertical and seasonal distribution of chlorophyll in lakes of the Experimental Lakes Area, north western Ontario: implications for primary production estimates. Limnol. Oceanogr. 21: 767–783.
Frempong, E., 1981. Diel variation in the abundance, vertical distribution and species composition of phytoplankton in a eutrophic English lake. J. Ecol. 69: 919–939.
Ganf, G. G. & R. L. Oliver, 1982. Vertical separation of light and available nutrients as a factor causing replacement of green algae by blue-green algae in the plankton of a stratified lake. J. Ecol. 70: 829–844.
Happey Wood, C. M., 1976. Vertical migration patterns in phytoplankton of mixed species composition. Br. phycol. J. 11: 355–369.
Heaney, S. I., 1976. Temporal and spatial distribution of the dinoflagellate Ceratium hirundinella O. F. Muller within a small productive lake. Freshwat. Biol. 6: 531–542.
Heaney, S. I. & R. W. Eppley, 1981. Light, temperature and nitrogen as interacting factors affecting diel vertical migrations of dinoflagellates in culture. J. Plankton Res. 3: 331–344.
Heaney, S. I. & T. I. Furnass, 1980. Laboratory models of diel vertical migration in the dinoflagellate Ceratium hirundinella. Freshwat. Biol. 10: 163–170.
Heaney, S. I. & J. F. Talling, 1980. Dynamic aspects of dinoflagellate distribution patterns in a small, productive lake. J. Ecol. 68: 75–94.
Ilmavirta, V., 1974. Diel periodicity in the phytoplankton community of the oligotrophic lake Pääjärvi, southern Finland. I. Phytoplanktonic primary production and related factors. Ann. bot. fern. 11: 136–177.
Irish, A. E. & R. T. Clarke, 1984. Sampling designs for the estimation of phytoplankton abundance in limnetic environments. Br. phycol. J. 19: 57–66.
Jones, R. I. & L. Arvola, 1984. Light penetration and some related characteristics in small forest lakes in southern Finland. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 22: 811–816.
Kamykowski, D. & S.-J. Zentara, 1977. The diurnal vertical migration of motile phytoplankton through temperature gradients. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22: 148–151.
Klemer, A. R., 1976. The vertical distribution of Oscillatoria agardhii var. isothrix. Arch. Hydrobiol. 78: 343–362.
Nauwerck, A., 1963. Die Beziehungen zwischen Zooplankton and Phytoplankton in See Erken. Symb. Bot. Upsal. 17 (5): 1–163.
Platt, T. & K. L. Denman, 1980. Patchiness in phytoplankton distribution. In I. Morris (ed.), The Physiological Ecology of Phytoplankton. Blackwell, Oxford: 413–431.
Raven, J. A. & K. Richardson, 1984. Dinophyte flagella: a costbenefit analysis. New. Phytol. 98: 259–276.
Reynolds, C. S., 1980. Phytoplankton assemblages and their periodicity in stratifying lake systems. Holarct. Ecol. 3: 141–159.
Reynolds, C. S., 1984. The ecology of freshwater phytoplankton. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 384 pp.
Reynolds, C. S. & S. W. Wiseman, 1982. Sinking losses of phytoplankton in closed limnetic systems. J. Plankton Res. 4: 489–522.
Reynolds, C. S., J. M. Thompson, A. J. D. Ferguson & S. W. Wiseman, 1982. Loss processes in the population dynamics of phytoplankton maintained in closed systems. J. Plankton Res. 4: 561–600.
Salonen, K., L. Arvola & M. Rask, 1984a. Autumnal and vernal circulation of small forest lakes in southern Finland. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 22: 103–107.
Salonen, K., R. I. Jones & L. Arvola, 1984b. Hypolimnetic phosphorus retrieval by diel vertical migrations of lake phytoplankton. Freshwat. Biol. 14: 431–438.
Salonen, K., K. Kononen & L. Arvola, 1983. Respiration of plankton in two small, polyhumic lakes. Hydrobiologia 101: 65–70.
Sandgren, C. D. & J. V. Robinson, 1984. A stratified sampling approach to compensating for non-random sedimentation of phytoplankton cells in inverted microscope settling chambers. Br. phycol. J. 19: 67–72.
Soeder, C. J., 1967. Tagesperiodische Vertikalwanderung bei begeisselten Planktonalgen. Umschau 12: 388.
Sokal, R. R. & F. J. Rohlf, 1981. Biometry, 2nd Edn. Freeman, San Francisco, 859 pp.
Sournia, A., 1974. Circadian periodicities in natural populations of marine phytoplankton. Adv. mar. Biol. 12: 325–389.
Taylor, R. J. R., 1980. Basic biological features of phytoplankton cells. In I. Morris (ed.), The Physiological Ecology of Phytoplankton. Blackwell, Oxford: 3–55.
Taylor, L. R., 1986. Synoptic dynamics, migration and the Rothamstead Insect Survey. Presidential Address to the British Ecological Society, December 1984. J. anim. Ecol. 55: 1–38.
Tilzer, M. M., 1973. Diurnal periodicity in the phytoplankton assemblage of a high mountain lake. Limnol. Oceanogr. 18: 15–30.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jones, R.I. Vertical distribution and diel migration of flagellated phytoplankton in a small humic lake. Hydrobiologia 161, 75–87 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044102
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044102