Abstract

Eutrophic temperate and sub-tropical lakes often exhibit a marked vertical structure during the warm season that involves important spatial differences of physical, chemical and biological variables. Therefore, zooplankton is exposed to a highly heterogeneous environment in the vertical dimension. In this work, We analyze the depth-distribution of the cladoceran Daphnia ambigua in the eutrophic, monomictic lake El Plateado at midday and midnight, along with its relationship with the vertical distribution of water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration. We also attempt to define whether or not this population exhibits a diel vertical migration. The results show significant changes in the day/night vertical distribution of D. ambigua during its growing season, with the exception of the last date. Also, the data revealed that average depth selected by D. ambigua becomes shallower with time, and the amplitude of the vertical migration decreases throughout the season. During the period of lake stratification, temperature appears positively correlated, and oxygen negatively correlated to the frequency of D. ambigua. It is suggested that oxygen concentration plays a crucial role in modulating the vertical migration behavior of D. ambigua in lake El Plateado, which has important consequences for understanding the atypical pattern of population dynamics exhibited by this species