Differential response of invasive malacostracan species to lake level fluctuations

Abstract

The water level of Lake Balaton (a large, shallow lake) was extremely low in 2003, after a dry period of several years. Due to the intensive precipitation in 2004, a regeneration period commenced. Stones of the littoral zone were sampled near the water surface and from the lake bottom four times in both years at four sampling stations. Malacostraca in the encrustation of the stones were represented by Ponto-Caspian immigrants: the invasive amphipods Chelicorophium curvispinum and Dikerogammarus spp. (D. haemobaphes and D. villosus), the mysid Limnomysis benedeni and the isopod Jaera istri. The amphipods dominated in both years. Species of the amphipod genus Dikerogammarus were relatively less abundant than the amphipod C. curvispinum in the regeneration period as compared to the drought period of 2003. Maximal density of Malacostraca (ind. m -2 stone surface) was 69,953 in 2003 and 82,465 in 2004. Vertical stratification of animal numbers and specific taxa occurred in May 2003 and throughout the year in 2004, with some exceptions. Many more Malacostraca individuals were recorded at the lake bottom than near the water surface.

Mutual predation between and cannibalism within several freshwater gammarids: Dikerogammarus villosus versus one native and three invasives

“…This hypothesis, however, must be tested in further experiments. Investigations in Lake Balaton suggest that both species can co-exist when sufficient spatial niches are present (Musko 1990;Musko et al 2007). …”

Current velocity shapes co‐existence patterns among invasive Dikerogammarus species

“…was proved (Muskó & Leitold, ). In 1997, D. bispinosus was still abundant and D. villosus was not found in the lake (Müller et al ., ), whereas in 2003–04, D. villosus was the dominant species in the nearshore zone, D. haemobaphes occurred in relatively low densities mostly in the deeper parts and D. bispinosus was present only sporadically (Muskó et al ., ; I. B. Muskó, pers.…”

Impact of Dreissena fouling on the physiological condition of native and invasive bivalves: interspecific and temporal variations

“…In the last decades one of the most important ecological changes in the lake has involved the successful establishment of Ponto-Caspian species (e.g. D. polymorpha and Chelicorophium curvispinum) (Muskó et al 2007;Balogh et al 2008). The zebra mussel, D. polymorpha, appeared and spread throughout Lake Balaton in the 1930s (Sebestyén 1934(Sebestyén , 1937, and it has remained dominant since its introduction.…”

“…m -2 , Balogh et al 2008). The number of successful introductions of invasive species in Lake Balaton has increased since the 1930s, leading to further changes in ecosystem functions and services (Bíró 1997;Muskó et al 2007;Majoros 2009). Over the last decade, three other invasive bivalves were introduced, potentially increasing the pressure on native unionid survival.…”