Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology: Intrapopulation Variability of Cladocerans (Cladocera, Daphniiformes) in Lake Baikal

Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology / Intrapopulation Variability of Cladocerans (Cladocera, Daphniiformes) in Lake Baikal

Issue: Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology. 2009 2 (3)
Authors: Pitulko, Sergey I.
Contact information: Pitulko, Sergey I. : Limnological Institute of Siberian branch of Russian Academy of Sciences; 3 Ulan-Batorskaya st., Irkutsk, 664033 Russia, e-mail:
Keywords: daphnia; cyclomorphosis; morphological variability; body length; height of helmet; tail spine length; fertility
Abstract: In lake Baikal (Eastern Siberia, Russia) cladocerans play an important role in the zooplankton of bays and coastal shallows. Populations of D. galeata Sars, 1863 and D. hyalina Leydig, 1860 are characterized by high local variability of size-age structure, morphological properties, life history, and other adaptive strategies related to the influence of abiotic factors, and response to predation. Daphnia are subjected to predation in bays with abundant feeding reserves and have strong defensive structures, grow in fertility and size of the brood. Such variability of adaptive traits can only be attained in terms of sufficient food supply. Daphnia collected in the open parts of pelagic systems showed such adaptive variations typical of cold environments with food deficiency as a larger body size and lower fertility.
Pages: 327-336
Paper at repository of SibFU: https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/1545