Epiphytic Rotifer Abundance and Diversity in Moss Patches in Bogs and Fens in the Polesie National Park (Eastern Poland)

Abstract

Moss-inhabiting rotifers were studied in 2 raised bogs, 2 poor fens (i.e. intermediate between raised bogs and typical fens), 1 typical fen, and 1 base-rich fen, located in the Polesie National Park (eastern Poland). Moss samples were collected from April till November 2007 in monthly intervals. In total, 42 taxa of Monogononta and 26 of Bdelloidea were found. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) detected highly significant differences between the habitats in conductivity (F = 37.19, P < 0.001), total organic content (F = 9.34, P < 0.001), total P (F = 51.71, P < 0.001), and nitrate N (F = 48.98, P < 0.001). The mean density of rotifers was the highest in a bog dominated by Sphagnum angustifolium JENSEN (Durne Bagno), and the lowest in the base-rich fen (Bubnów). In all the studied habitats, the Bdelloidea were the most abundant, accounting for 56 to 85% of the total rotifer density. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), made for selected physicochemical parameters and taxa, confirms strong relationships between abiotic conditions and selected rotifer taxa: Habrotrocha angusticolis, Dicranophorus capucinus, Ke ratella serrulata, and Lepadella elliptica. IntroductionPeatlands are systems composed of peat deposits and the specific vegetation that covers them (RADWAN, 2002). Various types of peatlands are distinguished depending on hydrological conditions, pH, nutrient concentrations, as well as vegetation type (BRINGHAM et al., 1996). Those habitats are characterized by continuous changes in environmental conditions, such as pH, temperature, and oxygen content (RADWAN, 1974). Low pH, concentrations of nutrients, and temperature, as well as oxygen deficits, make the environment of Sphagnum mats extremely unfavourable for many organisms ( VAN BREEMAN, 1995). In spite of the harsh environmental conditions in bogs and peatland ecosystems, rotifers are able to live in them. Several authors believe that low values of pH (below 5) greatly limit the distribution and abundance of many rotifer species (RADWAN, 1984;BERZINS and PEJLER, 1987). However, a large number of rotifer species show a broad range of pH tolerance and some bdelloid species are tolerant to a very broad pH spectrum (BERZINS and PEJLER, 1987). Another factor that limits the distribution of organisms in peatlands is the availability of water (MITCHELL et al., 2003). However, Sphagnum mats are able to store large amounts of water, so they create favourable living conditions for rotifers (BŁĘDZKI and ELLISON, 2003). Rotifers are most abundant in moss (SAYRE and BRUNSON, 1971), and that is why they are an excellent tool for epiphyton research in peatland ecosystems.There are many publications on rotifer diversity in lakes, ponds, artificial water bodies, and running waters, but few studies on rotifers in other aquatic habitats (FONTANETO et al., 2005). Particularly little is known about moss-dwelling rotifers in peatlands (BŁĘDZKI and ELLISON, 2003;BATEMAN and DAVIS, 1980). Many more studies have concerned aquatic habitats closely related to peatlands, i.e....

Hydrochemical and microbiological distinction and function of ombrotrophic peatland lagg as ecotone betweenSphagnumpeatland and forest catchment (Poleski National Park, eastern Poland)

“…Sphagnum acidifies its habitat, so rotifer diversity is limited to the species that tolerate a low pH (Berzins and Pejler, 1987). Similar relationships were observed in different types of peatlands in eastern Poland (Bielan´ska-Grajner et al, 2011). Such a high tolerance may be associated with their mode of reproduction, i.e., obligatory parthenogenesis (Berzins and Pejler, 1987), and -consequently -with its colonization strategy (Pejler and Berzins, 1993).…”

“…Although the relationship between testate amoebae and DWT-depth of water table and others variables are well documented, much less is known about ciliates and rotifers in peatlands. These micro-organisms are important consumers of pico-and nano-sized producers, as well as important food sources to others metazoan (Mieczan, 2010(Mieczan, , 2012Wilkinson and Mitchell, 2010;Bielan´ska-Grajner et al, 2011). Wilkinson and Mitchell (2010) suggested that protozoa, even if only a minor fraction of the total microbial biomass, could be responsible for a large proportion of nutrient recycling in peatland communities.…”

“…Wilkinson and Mitchell (2010) suggested that protozoa, even if only a minor fraction of the total microbial biomass, could be responsible for a large proportion of nutrient recycling in peatland communities. Metazoan grazing is important *Corresponding author: tomasz.mieczan@up.lublin.pl for recycling of nutrients and production of dissolved organic substrates for bacteria, but it is also a controlling factor for the protozoan community structure (Pierce and Turner, 1992;Mieczan, 2010Mieczan, , 2012Wilkinson and Mitchell, 2010;Bielan´ska-Grajner et al, 2011).…”

Structure of rotifer assemblages in shallow waterbodies of semi-arid northwest Iran differing in salinity and vegetation cover

“…Rotifera have been studied in a wide variety of aquatic ecosystems including rivers and estuaries (Neschuk et al, 2002;Wang et al, 2009), deep and shallow lakes (Branco et al, 2002;Š poljar et al, 2005), saline lakes , mining lakes (Bielańska-Grajner & Gładysz, 2010), bogs and peatlands (Bielańska-Grajner et al, 2011), and rice paddy and fish ponds (Segers & Sanoamuang, 2007). They have also been investigated across different geographical regions including tropical (Dagne et al, 2008), subtropical (Havens et al, 2007), and temperate (Kuczyńska-Kippen, 2005) areas globally.…”

“…These have included water depth (Bini et al, 2007), transparency (Angeler et al, 2010), nutrients and food resources (Branco et al, 2002;Obertegger et al, 2011), biotic interactions, i.e., predation and competition (Devetter & Seda, 2006), and substrate type and complexity (Pejler & Bērziņ ŝ, 1993;Stefanidis & Papastergiadou, 2010). However, the most common environmental factors that have been estimated in relation to rotifer richness and abundance are temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and salinity/electroconductivity (Branco et al, 2002;Neschuk et al, 2002;Bini et al, 2007;Wang et al, 2009;Bielańska-Grajner et al, 2011). This is most likely because of the general and elementary impacts of these factors on almost all other physico-chemical and biological parameters and the simplicity of their in situ and precise measurements.…”