How planktonic microcrustaceans respond to environment and affect ecosystem: a functional trait perspective

Abstract

Functional traits are ecologically relevant characteristics of species. They are relevant to community structuring in face of environmental drivers (response traits) and to ecosystem processes (effect traits). For planktonic microcrustaceans, the link between functional traits and their responses or effects is not always clear. Our objective was to review the literature on linking functional traits to environmental drivers and ecosystem processes for planktonic cladocerans and copepods. Response traits are discussed in four categories: morphological, life history, behavioral, or physiological. Temperature, predation, resources, and stressors are important drivers of morphological and life-history traits. Body size, a morphological trait, is probably the most important trait, because it responds to several environmental characteristics and is correlated with physiological traits and to zooplankton impact on ecosystems functions. In an ecosystem perspective, zooplankton is an important energy link between primary producers and secondary consumers. In trophic webs, it may control phytoplankton biomass and productivity, with consequences for whole lakes. Its influence on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles is expected to increase with body size. Other traits may be important, but there is a lack of information. We point out the need of more functional trait research, especially with freshwater copepods and neglected tropical species. For a better understanding of natural systems, an integrative approach of multiple traits with multiple environmental drivers and ecosystem functions is necessary.

Functional responses of zooplankton communities to depth, trophic status, and ion content in mine pit lakes

“…For example Obertegger & Manca (2011) and Oh et al (2017) positively correlated the morphological traits (trophi type) of the genera Keratella and Brachionus and Polyarthra and Trichocerca with high trophic-level parameters and productivity (Chl-a). In turn, the smaller body size of Cladocera and Copepoda indicator species (Bosmina, Eubosmina, Chydorus, Thermocyclops) were previously correlated with higher lake trophy (Barnett & Beisner, 2007;Sodré & Bozelli, 2019). Therefore, high water trophy in PRZ led to the prevalence of species characterized by small size and different trophic type, and it also supported colonization by many eutrophic species, confirmed by RDA analysis.…”

“…Functional traits are used to explain variation in the structure and function of zooplankton communities in aquatic ecosystems. The application and interpretation of functional traits requires a comprehensive ecosystem approach, where the diversity and distribution of traits in communities of co-existing species are associated with ecosystem structure and environmental processes (Barnett & Beisner, 2007;Vogt et al, 2013;Pomerleau et al, 2015;Obertegger & Flaim, 2018;Sodré & Bozelli, 2019;Simões et al, 2020). The functional diversity of zooplankton is usually analyzed by grouping species with similar morphological, physiological and ecological traits.…”

“…Unlike conventional analyses of taxonomic diversity, this approach does not focus on individual species (Naeem & Wright, 2003;Boersma et al, 2016). Therefore, communities with similar functionalities are not necessarily composed of the same species, but they are characterized by the same pattern of functional traits, such as body size, feeding strategy and habitat utilisation (Barnett & Beisner, 2007;Oh et al, 2017;Sodré & Bozelli, 2019;Simões et al, 2020).…”

Trophic Structure of Neuston Across Tropical and Subtropical Oceanic Provinces Assessed With Stable Isotopes

“…Zooplankton are partially responsible for the active energy flux between superficial and deep layers of the ocean (Turner, 2002;Jónasdóttir et al, 2015;Hernández-León et al, 2020). Zooplankton species composition, biomass, and secondary production influence a wide range of trophic levels in marine communities, as they constitute a link between primary production and secondary consumers (Litchman et al, 2013;Benedetti et al, 2016;de Oliveira Sodré and Bozelli, 2019). Copepods constitute the most abundant zooplankton taxon in terms of biomass and diversity worldwide (Kiørboe, 2011;Neumann-Leitão et al, 2018); therefore, changes in their community composition can thus impact the biogeochemical cycles (Bianchi and Mislan, 2016) and might be indicative of climate variability impacts on ecosystem functioning (Hooff and Peterson, 2006).…”

“…This allows individuals to be classified into types characterized by the presence/absence of certain alleles of a gene, into size classes, ecological guilds, or functional groups (FGs; Tuomisto, 2010). Functional traits are phenotypes affecting organism fitness, growth, survival, and reproductive ability (Violle et al, 2007;de Oliveira Sodré and Bozelli, 2019). These are regulated by the expression of genes within species, and the expression of traits regulate, in turn, the species fitness under contrasting biotic and abiotic circumstances (Barton et al, 2013).…”