Abstract
Two oligochaete communities were sampled monthly during one year in two 35 m deep locations of Lake Geneva (Switzerland). Organic sedimentation was lower and less variable in station 1 than in station 2 (157 versus 214 g C m−2yr−1). The oligochaete community in station 1 was more diverse and more stable (persistent over time) than in station 2, as long as the organic sedimentation was low. Diversity and stability decreased in station 1 when the organic sedimentation increased, and during anOscillatoria bloom. The less diverse community in station 2 was more resistent to these changes. Diversity was associated with environmental stability, but resistance to perturbation was greater in the simpler community which is adapted to changing environmental conditions. The value of oligochaete communities as an indicator of the level of eutrophication was reassessed according to our present data. Changes in the structure of oligochaete communities were related to changes in sedimentation processes.
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Lang, C., Hutter, P. Structure, diversity and stability of two oligochaete communities according to sedimentary inputs in Lake Geneva (Switzerland). Schweiz. Z. Hydrologie 43, 265–276 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02502137
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02502137