Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of water-depth and water-level fluctuations on the macroinvertebrate community structure in the littoral zone of Lake Constance

  • WATER-LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS
  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In a 2-year field study, abundance, biomass and community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates and their seasonal dynamics were assessed along the depth gradient in the stony littoral zone of Lake Constance, Central Europe. The macroinvertebrate community patterns differed significantly between the depth zones, partly because of species turnover, but mostly as a result of different dominance structures. These distinct differences should be considered when designing surveys of benthic invertebrates also for applied purposes, since sources of variation should be kept small and particularly on hard substrates, extensive efforts are required to obtain sufficient data for a powerful statistical analysis. A large seasonal variability in the macroinvertebrate communities of the eulittoral zone indicates a strong influence of physical disturbances, particularly of water-level fluctuations. The community pattern of the drift line samples was influenced by the previous development of the water level. The cumulated water-level fluctuations and their net tendency accounted for three quarters of the variation in a PCA. Since Lake Constance is the only large pre-alpine lake whose water level is not extensively regulated, the uniqueness of the littoral community should have implications for nature conservation measures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bailey, R. C., K. E. Day, R. H. Norris & T. B. Reynoldson, 1995. Macroinvertebrate community structure and sediment bioassay results from nearshore areas of North American Great Lakes. Journal of Great Lakes Research 21: 42–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumgärtner, D., 2004. Principles of Macroinvertebrate Community Structure in the Littoral Zone of Lake Constance. Verlag Regionalkultur, Heidelberg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumgärtner, D. & K. O. Rothhaupt, 2003. Predictive length-dry mass regressions for freshwater invertebrates in a pre-alpine lake littoral. International Review of Hydrobiology 88: 453–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brodersen, K. P., P. C. Dall & C. Lindegaard, 1998. The fauna in the upper stony littoral of Danish lakes: macroinvertebrates as trophic indicators. Freshwater Biology 39: 577–592.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, M. G. & A. J. Underwood, 1999. Ecological patterns in multivariate assemblages: information and interpretation of negative values in ANOSIM tests. Marine Ecology Progress Series 180: 257–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, K. R., 1993. Non-parametric multivariate analyses of changes in community structure. Australian Journal of Ecology 18: 117–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, K. R. & M. Ainsworth, 1993. A method of linking multivariate community structure to environmental variables. Marine Ecology Progress Series 92: 205–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, K. R. & R. H. Green, 1988. Statistical design and analysis for a “biological effects” study. Marine Ecology Progress Series 46: 213–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cobb, S. E. & M. C. Watzin, 1998. Trophic interactions between yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and their benthic prey in a littoral zone community. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 55: 28–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connell, J. H., 1961. The influence of interspecific competition and other factors on the distribution of the barnacle Chthamalus stellatus. Ecology 42: 710–723.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dall, P. C., C. Lindegaard, E. Jonsson, G. Jonsson & P. M. Jonsson, 1984. Invertebrate communities and their environment in the exposed littoral zone of Lake Esrom, Denmark. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement 69: 477–524.

    Google Scholar 

  • Death, R. G., 1995. Spatial patterns in benthic invertebrate community structure: products of habitat stability or are they habitat specific? Freshwater Biology 33: 455–467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diehl, S., 1992. Fish predation an benthic community structure—the role of omnivory and habitat complexity. Ecology 73: 1646–1661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrenberg, H., 1957. Die Steinfauna der Brandungsufer ostholsteinischer Seen. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 53: 87–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, P. & R. Eckmann, 1997. Spatial distribution of littoral fish species in a large European lake, Lake Constance, Germany. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 140: 91–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilinsky, E., 1984. The role of fish predation and spatial heterogeneity in determining benthic community structure. Ecology 65: 455–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, S. S. C. & A. G. Hildrew, 1998a. Patterns in the epilithic community of a lake littoral. Freshwater Biology 39: 477–492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, S. S. C. & A. G. Hildrew, 1998b. Distribution dynamics of epilithic insects in a lake littoral. Archiv für Hydrobiologie: 143: 275–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, S. S. C. & A. G. Hildrew, 2001. Epilithic communities and habitat heterogeneity in a lake littoral. Journal of Animal Ecology 70: 692–707.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayne, D. W. & R. C. Ball, 1956. Benthic productivity as influenced by fish predation. Limnology and Oceanography 1: 162–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann, H., A. Lorke & F. Peeters, 2008. Temporal scales of water level fluctuations in lakes and their ecological implications. Hydrobiologia. doi:10.1007/s10750-008-9474-1.

  • Internationale Gewässerschutzkommission für den Bodensee (IGKB), 1994. Limnologischer Zustand des Bodensees. Jahresbericht der Internationalen Gewässerschutzkommission Bodensee 9.

  • Jackson, D. A. & H. H. Harvey, 1993. Fish and benthic invertebrates: community concordance and community-environment relationships. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 50: 2641–2651.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joehnk, K. D., D. Straile & W. Ostendorp, 2004. Water level variability and trends in Lake Constance in the light of the 1999 centennial flood. Limnologica 34: 15–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, D. M., T. H. Martin, P. H. Crowley & L. B. Crowder, 1996. Link strength in lake littoral food webs: net effects of small sunfish and larval dragonflies. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 15: 271–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, R. K., 1998. Spatiotemporal variability of temperate lake macroinvertebrate communities: detection of impact. Ecological Applications 8: 61–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, R. K. & W. Goedkoop, 2002. Littoral macroinvertebrate communities: spatial scale and ecological relationships. Freshwater Biology 47: 1840–1854.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kruskal, J. B. & M. Wish, 1978. Multidimensional Scaling. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macan, T. T., 1966. The influence of predation on the fauna of a moorland fishpond. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 61: 432–452.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morin, P. J., 1999. Community Ecology. Blackwell Science.

  • Muckle, R., 1942. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Uferfauna des Bodensees. Beiträge zur naturkundlichen Forschung im Oberrheingebiet 7: 1–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn, G. P., P. S. Lake & E. S. G. Schreiber, 1998. A comparative study of colonization by benthos in a lake and its outflowing stream. Freshwater Biology 39: 623–635.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, R. A., K. M. Somers & S. M. David, 1995. Spatial and temporal variation in littoral-zone benthic invertebrates from three south-central Ontario lakes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 52: 1406–1420.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siessegger, B., 1969. Vorkommen und Verbreitung von Dreissena polymorpha Pallas im Bodensee. Wasser-Abwasser 110: 814–815.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolonen, K. T., H. Hämäläinen, I. J. Holopainen & J. Karjalainen, 2001. Influences of habitat type and environmental variables on littoral macroinvertebrate communities in a large lake system. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 152: 39–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toomey, M. B., D. McCabe & J. E. Marsden, 2002. Factors affecting the movement of adult zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Journal of the North American Benthological Society 21: 468–475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wacker, A. & E. von Elert, 2003. Settlement pattern of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, as a function of depth in Lake Constance. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 58: 289–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werner, S., M. Mörtl, H. -G. Bauer & K. -O. Rothhaupt, 2005. Strong impact of wintering waterbirds on zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) populations at Lake Constance, Germany. Freshwater Biology 50: 1412–1426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wesenberg-Lund, C., 1908. Die littoralen Tiergesellschaften unserer größerer Seen. Internationale Revue der Gesamten Hydrobiologie 1: 574–609.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winnell, M. H. & D. J. Jude, 1987. Benthic community structure and composition among rocky habitats in the Great Lakes and Keuka Lake, New York, USA, Canada. Journal of Great Lakes Research 13: 3–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, A. H. K., D. D. Williams, D. J. McQueen, E. Demers & C. W. Ramcharan, 1998. Macroinvertebrate abundance in two lakes with contrasting fish communities. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 141: 283–302.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank C. Fiek, the members of the scientific diving group of the Limnological Institute of the University of Konstanz (P. Fischer, O. Walenciak, T. Jankowski, M. Wolf, E. Gross and K. Pohlmann), and H. Goldschmidt, S. Röck, C. Kienle, M. Korn, and C. Danzer for assistance in the field and in the laboratory. Many thanks to Karen Brune for editing the English and to Eva Leu and Karl-Matthias Wantzen for comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. This study was supported by the DFG within the collaborative research centre 454 “Lake Constance Littoral”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department for Environment, Regional Council, 76247, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Daniel Baumgärtner

  2. Department of Biology, Limnological Institute, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany

    Martin Mörtl & Karl-Otto Rothhaupt

Authors
  1. Daniel Baumgärtner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Martin Mörtl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Karl-Otto Rothhaupt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karl-Otto Rothhaupt.

Additional information

Guest editors: K.M. Wantzen, K.-O. Rothhaupt, M. Mörtl, M. Cantonati, L.G.-Tóth & P. Fischer

Ecological Effects of Water-Level Fluctuations in Lakes

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Baumgärtner, D., Mörtl, M. & Rothhaupt, KO. Effects of water-depth and water-level fluctuations on the macroinvertebrate community structure in the littoral zone of Lake Constance. Hydrobiologia 613, 97–107 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-008-9475-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-008-9475-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation