Distribution of Rotifers of High Mountain Lakes in the Eastern Black Sea Range of Turkey
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Turkish Journal of Zoology Turk J Zool (2017) 41: 674-685 http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/ © TÜBİTAK Research Article doi:10.3906/zoo-1602-32 Distribution of rotifers of high mountain lakes in the Eastern Black Sea Range of Turkey Didem ÖZDEMİR MİS, Mustafa Ruşen USTAOĞLU* Section of Limnology, Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Fisheries, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey Received: 16.02.2016 Accepted/Published Online: 27.01.2017 Final Version: 17.07.2017 Abstract: Six expeditions were conducted in 2005–2007 on the rotifer fauna of 59 high mountain lakes of the Eastern Black Sea Range. All of the lakes are located at altitudes between 2530 and 3370 m except Uzungöl (1100 m). A total of 63 rotifer taxa were identified. All of the taxa that were identified are new records for their localities except Notholca squamula and Cephalodella gibba. Dissotrocha macrostyla, Hexarthra jenkinae, Lecane clara, Lecane kluchor, and Lecane latissima are new records for the Turkish inland water fauna. The trophic classification based on the orthophosphate includes 22 lakes as ultraoligotrophic and 37 lakes as oligotrophic; by Secchi depth, 20 lakes are ultraoligotrophic, 12 lakes oligotrophic, and 27 lakes mesotrophic. Rotifer species richness showed a decrease with altitude (20 species in Lake Uzungöl with an altitude of 1100 m and 4 species in Lake Deniz with an altitude of 3370 m). We propose that 80% of the rotifer taxa were indicators of oligotrophic conditions and the remaining 20% were indicators of mesotrophic conditions. Key words: Zooplankton, biodiversity, eutrophication, Kaçkar Mountain, glacial lakes 1. Introduction the elevation, we find alpine lakes at all latitudes; they Turkey is a natural museum, with a harmonious geography are comparable worldwide and have many common containing a wide variety of topographical structures. characteristics. 2) Remote: Because of their distance from Glacial lakes, which exist in places close to summits of human settlements and activities, alpine lakes are only high mountain chains in this harmonious geographical affected by global impacts, such as air pollution or climate structure, are important areas drawing the attention of change. 3) Simple: High mountain lakes are usually small, scientists who are currently studying the bioecological not very deep, species-poor, and characterized by a simple diversity of the fauna and flora of these areas. food web. 4) Extreme: Physicochemical conditions, such High mountain lakes and alpine lakes, which are as temperature, UV radiation, ice cover, and nutrient difficult to access with little human activity in their status are usually more extreme than in lakes at lower catchment areas, are considered the least disturbed elevations. 5) Sensitive: Because of extreme conditions and freshwater ecosystems in Europe (Galas, 2004). their immediate response to change, high mountain lakes Although situated far from local sources of pollution, are very much at risk from global impacts (Psenner, 2003). these lakes are threatened by the deposition of atmospheric Early studies on alpine lakes took far from an ecological pollutants (acidity and air pollutants) and by climate and geographical approach and focused on taxonomy change. The high mountain lakes are sensitive to these (Marchetto, 1998). Recent studies have focused particularly threats because of the poor buffering capacities of soil and on the bioecology, acidification, and eutrophication rocks in the watershed for neutralizing acidic deposition processes of these lakes; the effects of global-scale climatic (Mosello, 1986). and meteorological changes; and the effects of a high level Although alpine lakes and mountain lakes have some of UV light on the biota (Halac et al., 1997; Brancelj et al., similarities, there are differences between them. For 2000; Tolotti et al., 2006). instance, alpine lakes are located above the treeline at the Only a few studies of high mountain lakes are available top of the mountains. Mountain lakes are those located for Turkey. Among these, a pioneering study by Ustaoğlu below the treeline (Sturm, 2007). et al. (2005) investigated the zooplankton fauna of some Five properties (uniform, remote, simple, extreme, mountain lakes in the Taurus range; a second study by and sensitive) make high mountain lakes ideal indicators Ustaoğlu et al. (2008) investigated the limnology and fauna of global climate changes. 1) Uniform: Depending on of glacial lakes and streams on Mount Uludağ in western * Correspondence: [email protected] 674 ÖZDEMİR MİS and USTAOĞLU / Turk J Zool Anatolia. Aygen et al. (2009) investigated zooplankton Kaçkar Mountain (3937 m), and the plateaus at about 3000 composition and abundance in Lake Eğrigöl in the Taurus m a.s.l. are the highest part of the range. The mountains Mountains. are glaciated and alpine in character, with steep rocky More recently, Aygen et al. (2012) presented the peaks and numerous lakes (Yıldız et al., 2012). Locality results of their study on the biodiversity of Crustacea information for the 59 lakes in the 6 drainage basins of the (Branchiopoda, Maxillopoda, and Ostracoda), and studied project and the characteristics of the sampling sites Yıldız et al. (2010, 2012) presented their results on on those lakes are presented in Figure 1 and Table 1. littoral oligochaete (Lumbriculidae and Enchytraeidae) When the altitudes of the lakes are taken into account, communities and distribution of aquatic oligochaetes in all the lakes are situated between 2530 and 3370 m except the high mountain lakes of the Eastern Black Sea Range Uzungöl (1100 m). The lakes are small in size (areas of of Turkey. 0.03–8.9 ha) and mostly shallow (maximum depths of Rotifera is a group of primary freshwater invertebrates. 0.5–49 m) (Sarı et al., 2015) (Table 1). Rotifers play a pivotal role in many freshwater ecosystems. 2.2. Environmental variables They are ubiquitous, occurring in almost all types of Water samples were taken from the littoral zone of each freshwater habitats (Segers, 2008). Rotifer species richness lake. Five environmental variables, water temperature, shows a monotonic decrease with altitude, related to the dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and interplay of habitat diversity, productivity, heat content, Secchi depths, were measured in situ with a WTW pH and human influence (Obertegger et al., 2010). meter (model 330), WTW oxygen meter (model 330), YSI This study was conducted in order to obtain insight SCT meter (model 30), and Secchi disk. Other variables into the composition of the rotifer fauna of high mountain (alkalinity, temporary hardness, total hardness, HCO3-, 2+ 2+ - - - 3- - lakes in the Eastern Black Sea Range of Turkey. Ca , Mg , NO2 -N, NO3 -N, NH4 -N, PO4 -P, SiO2 , and chlorophyll a) were measured in the laboratory following 2. Materials and methods the standard methods of the APHA (1989). 2.1. Study area 2.3. Zooplankton collections and identification The Eastern Black Sea Mountains are a range rising along In order to the study the rotifer fauna of 59 mountain lakes the Black Sea coast in northern Turkey. The highest peak is in the Eastern Black Sea range, 6 excursions were taken Figure 1. Map of 59 sampling stations associated with 6 drainage basins in the Eastern Black Sea Range in Turkey. Ç = Çoruh River Basin, F = Fırtına Stream Basin, İ = İyidere Stream Basin, K = Kabisra Stream Basin, S = Solaklı Stream Basin, M = Maçka Stream Basin. 675 ÖZDEMİR MİS and USTAOĞLU / Turk J Zool Table 1. Investigated localities and sampling dates of high mountain lakes in the Eastern Black Sea Range of Turkey (A = Surface area, Zm = Maximum depth). Basin code Sampling dates Locality Basin Elevation (m) A/Zm (ha/m) Coordinates 40°30′36″N Ç01 30.07.2007 Lake Göloba (Göloba valley) Çoruh River 2540 0.79/3.00 40°19′12″E 40°37′02″N Ç02 19.08.2005 Lake Dağbaşı (Ovit valley) Çoruh River 2710 2.63/2.90 40°46′47″E 40°39′13″N Ç03 04.08.2006 Lake Batıaksu (Aksu valley) Çoruh River 3050 2.55/7.50 40°50′39″E 40°39′19″N Ç04 04.08.2006 Lake Kuzeyaksu (Aksu valley) Çoruh River 3070 1.36/3.00 40°50′57″E 40°39′09″N Ç05 04.08.2006 Lake Doğuaksu (Aksu valley) Çoruh River 3120 1.44/20.00 40°51′06″E 40°38′51″N Ç06 26.07.2007 Lake Ortagöl (Ovit Yedigöller – Küçükovit) Çoruh River 2960 2.21/10.00 40°52′09″E 40°38′51″N Ç07 19.08.2005 Lake Üstgöl (Mor yayla Yedigöller) Çoruh River 3030 3.28/4.40 40°52′54″E 06.07.2005 40°38′43″N Ç08 Lake Adalıgöl (Mor yayla Yedigöller) Çoruh River 3020 8.90/8.10 19.08.2005 40°53′10″E 06.07.2005 40°38′53″N Ç09 Lake Ortagöl (Mor yayla Yedigöller) Çoruh River 3010 0.36/4.10 19.08.2005 40°53′18″E 06.07.2005 40°38′45″N Ç10 Lake Büyükgöl (Mor yayla Yedigöller) Çoruh River 2980 4.11/0.96 19.08.2005 40°53′36″E 40°38′53″N Ç11 19.08.2005 Lake Altgöl (Mor yayla Yedigöller) Çoruh River 2950 2.01/2.80 40°53′40″E 40°49′07″N Ç12 23.08.2006 Lake Deniz (Bahral valley) Çoruh River 3370 8.38/49.00 41°09′39″E 40°50′20″N Ç13 24.08.2006 Lake Kartal (Bahral valley) Çoruh River 2940 1.63/2.80 41°18′04″E 40°50′22″N Ç14 24.08.2006 Lake Devise (Bahral valley) Çoruh River 2935 0.11/1.00 41°18′12″E 40°44′25″N F01 22.08.2005 Lake Keçi (Çermeş valley) Fırtına Stream 3070 1.79/12.30 40°51′50″E 40°44′37″N F02 22.08.2005 Lake Çermeş Karagöl (Çermeş valley) Fırtına Stream 2990 4.60/32.70 40°52′04″E 09.07.2005 40°44′58″N F03 Lake Çermeş (Çermeş valley) Fırtına Stream 2780 4.77/6.20 22.08.2005 40°52′09″E 40°49′17″N F04 25.08.2007 Lake Kayakaynak (Ambarlık valley) Fırtına Stream 3080 1.02/1.00 40°52′43″E 40°49′28″N F05 25.08.2007 Lake