Fisk- och fågelpredations påverkan på den bentiska makroevertebratfaunans sammansättning under tidig vår i Tåkern
MacroinvertebratesPredationFishWaterfowlExclusionSeason Datum/Date 2012-06-01 URL för elektronisk version Institutionen för fysikKemi och biologi Department of PhysicsChemistry and Biology Avdelningen för biologi Instutitionen för fysik och mätteknik
Predation is one of many factors that form the structure of the macroinvertebrate community in lakes, wetlands and watercourses. Earlier studies lack an examination concerning how fish- and waterfowl predation affect macroinvertebrates during shorter periods in the spring. I performed an exclosure study in the shallow eutrophic Lake Tåkern which is located in the western part of Östergötland County, Sweden. The experiment was performed during a three week period (1-21 April 2012) when the water temperature was low and the density of migrating diving ducks was high. The experimental cages used included three out of four different treatments; general predation (open cages), bird exclusion (net with mesh size 90*45mm) and no predation (net with mesh size 1*1mm). In the fourth treatment, which was used to control for cage effects, samples were collected outside the cages. The cages where placed in blocks three and three, one for each the three treatments, on eight different locations in the experiment area. No significant difference was detected between the different treatments concerning diversity (Shannon diversity index: F3,25=1,39; P=0,27 and Simpson diversity index: F3,25=1,47; P=0,25), taxonomic richness (F3,25=1,74; P=0,19) nor density (F2,25=0.41; P=0,75) of the macroinvertebrate fauna. The lack of effect from predation of fish is most likely explained by the low water temperature during the experiment period. The lack of effect from waterfowl predation is most likely due to a low density of diving ducks, despite the season.