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The role of zoobenthos in energy flow in deep, oligotrophic Lake Thingvallavatn, Iceland

  • Conference paper
The Dynamics and Use of Lacustrine Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 79))

Abstract

Macrozoobenthos in Thingvallavatn is dominated by 42 taxa. The vertical distribution delimits 5 communities: (1) the surf zone community from 0–2 m, (2) the upper stony littoral community from 2–6 m, (3) the lower stony littoral community from 6–10 m, (4) the Nitella zone community from 10–20 m, and (5) the profundal zone community from 20–114 m. Total mean lakewide production was 78 kJ m -2 yr -1. Herbivores, detritivores, and carnivores contributed 59%, 38% and 3%, respectively. Respiration and ingestion were estimated according to the literature. Net production efficiency averaged 0.50. Ingestion was dominated by herbivores in the littoral zones (46–81%), while detritivores made up 93% in the profundal zone. Total zoobenthic production averaged 6% of estimated available food with a range from 10–11% in the three upper littoral zones to only 2% in the Nitella zone. The profundal fauna converted 6% of the estimated sedimentation of organic matter to secondary production. On a lakewide basis the zoobenthos utilized one third of the estimated potential food resources. Zoobenthic production made up 32% of total secondary production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Freshwater Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, 51 Helsingørsgade, DK-3400, Hillerød, Denmark

    Claus Lindegaard

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  1. Claus Lindegaard
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Veijo Ilmavirta Roger I. Jones

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© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Lindegaard, C. (1992). The role of zoobenthos in energy flow in deep, oligotrophic Lake Thingvallavatn, Iceland. In: Ilmavirta, V., Jones, R.I. (eds) The Dynamics and Use of Lacustrine Ecosystems. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 79. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2745-5_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2745-5_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5218-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-2745-5

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