The use of null models to explain crustacean zooplankton associations in shallow water bodies of the Magellan region, Chile
The use of null models to explain crustacean zooplankton associations in shallow water bodies of the Magellan region, Chile
Authors
De los Ríos Escalante, Patricio
Rivera, Nelson R.
Galindo, M.
Rivera, Nelson R.
Galindo, M.
Authors
Date
2012-02-23
Datos de publicación:
10.1163/156854008X374540
Keywords
Zooplankton - Crustáceos - Ecología
Collections
Abstract
Southern Patagonia is characterized by the presence of numerous shallow ponds with variable trophic and conductivity conditions, and a relatively high species richness of Crustacea. In the present study, published information and data collected in field work on shallow ponds in the Magellan region was reviewed and analysed using co-occurrence of null models, with the aim to determine potential random factors as regulators on crustacean zooplankton assemblages, using a presence-absence matrix. The results of C-score analysis revealed the existence of non-random effects mainly in data collected in 1989-1990 for Torres del Paine National Park, and in data on coastal shallow ponds close to Punta Arenas, collected in October 2006. A different situation is reported for shallow ponds located in other zones of the Magellan region, including also some in the Torres del Paine National Park collected in October 2001, and for shallow ponds close to Porvenir on Tierra del Fuego Island, collected in April 2007. The existence of non-random effects was probably due to markedly different zooplankton assemblages, assumed to be caused mainly by the conductivity gradient and trophic level. Random effects can probably be explained by the condition that a few species occur practically at all localities studied, in many of which species richness is very low. This obviously means the variability in species composition is very limited, yielding similar zooplankton assemblages in the many ponds sampled. Ecological and biogeographical topics are also discussed.