Some Interstitial Rotifera from a Florida, U.S.A., Beach

Rotifera should be especially suited for an analysis of habitat relations because this group contains such a high number of species, inhabiting diverse environments . Furthermore, rotifers are to a large extent cosmopolitan, implying that ecological barriers, rather than geographical, are decisive of their distribution . In this review a short characterization of the rotifer fauna in different habitats is given, whereby macroenvironments and microenvironments are reported separately . The macroenvironments are classified as follows : `harmonious' lakes and ponds, arctic and antarctic waters, hot springs, hypertrophic-saprobic environments, mires, strongly acidic waters, saline waters, temporary water bodies, subterranean waters, running waters, oceans, terrestrial environments . The following microenvironments are distinguished : macrophytes (housing periphytic rotifers), open water (with planktic forms), minerogenous sediments (with psammon and hyporheos), organogenous sediments, other organisms (i .e . parasites and epizoans) .Many rotifers are more or less euryecious, while relatively few are strongly restricted in their choice of habitat . In extreme environments a low number of species is found, but often a high number of individuals within these species . These rotifers are usually primary consumers, and for natural reasons extreme environments are characterized by a low number of trophic levels .In environments with a high species number the separate species differ very much in their morphology, making it difficult to find common traits which may be interpreted as adaptations to the respective habitats . The most apparent adaptations ought to be found among the planktic rotifers, and these adaptations seem to constitute largely a protection against predators . Rotifers in extreme environments are usually not very apart in a morphological or taxonomical respect, with their most close relatives living in `normal' habitats and sometimes euryecious (an apparent exception from this rule is formed by the class Seisonidea) . Adaptations to deviating chemical and physical environments may develop relatively rapidly (seen from a geological perspective), while the more fundamental changes (occurring during a longer period of time) seem to be a response to biotic factors (e .g ., the development of different types of trophi for facilitating food collection) .

“…Some studies have been made on the psammic rotifers in the sea (see Tzschaschel, 1983and Turner, 1990 . The number of species seems here to be lower than in freshwater psammon .…”

Section: Minerogenous Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The number of species seems here to be lower than in freshwater psammon . Some taxa occur in other marine environments as well, but Turner (1990) classifies three of them as psammobionts .…”

Section: Minerogenous Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relation to habitat in rotifers

Pejler¹

1995

“…Although psammic rotifers have been investigated for many years ( Wiszniewski, 1932( Wiszniewski, , 1934aNeiswestnowa-Shadina, 1935) more attention has been paid to rotifers inhabiting marine beaches (Turner, 1990(Turner, , 1993Tzschaschel, 1983;SaundersDavies, 1998;Sørensen, 1998). Many papers have also been published on the sand and interstitial rotifers of rivers and streams (Zullini & Ricci, 1980;Pennak & Ward, 1986;Schmid-Araya, 1994, 1995Turner, 1996;Turner & Distler, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The Influence of Biotic and Abiotic Factors on Psammic Rotifers in Artificial and Natural Lakes

Bielańska-Grajner

2005

The effect of sand grain size, porosity and the abundance of algae on the community structure of psammic rotifers was tested in three anthropogenic lakes (Upper Silesia) and compared with three natural ones (West Pomerania). The structure of grain size in the studied beaches of artificial and natural lakes was similar but differences were found in the abundance of algae. The structure of the psammic rotifer community in Upper Silesian lakes was different from natural lakes in West Pomerania. The structure of psammic rotifer communities in anthropogenic reservoirs and lakes (West Pomerania) differed in numbers of species and numbers of psammobiont species, and also diversity index. The most altered structure of rotifer assemblages was observed in the psammon rotifers of the strongly contaminated Dzier_ zno Du_ ze Lake.

“…Studies for those for species living in the littoral or periphyton are rare . Those that have been made have usually referred to the interstitial habitat (Pennak, 1951 ;Turner, 1990) . This paper is part of an ongoing qualitative and quantitative study, both spacial and temporal, of the littoral and benthic Rotifera of a large marine lagoon in Southern England .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting the distribution of benthic and littoral rotifers in a large marine lagoon, together with the description of a new species

Saunders-Davies

1995

The Fleet, Dorset, UK is a large macro tidal marine lagoon which carries a significant population of rotifers living in the algae present along its length . Some of the physical and chemical characteristics of the lagoon were examined and related to rotifer total abundance and species richness . A preliminary list of species found at different sampling stations is given . A strong negative correlation between salinity and total abundance was found . A similar negative correlation between species richness and salinity was also found . A description of Proales fleetensis sp . nov. i s given .