Volume 10
Issue 4/volume10
Biology
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume10/issue4/volume10/abs-20.html
PLANKTONIC CILIATES IN PEAT PONDS OF DIFFERENT ACIDITY (E POLAND)
Tomasz Mieczan
Department of Hydrobiology,
University of Agriculture in Lublin, Poland
ABSTRACT
The aim of the investigations was to determine the composition and abundance of the planktonic ciliates occurring in three small peat ponds of different acidity – from 3.2 to 6.2 (south-eastern Roztocze, E Poland). The highest diversity and density of ciliates were noted in high pH (>6) pond, the lowest in low pH ponds. The seasonal changes of ciliate communities in three ponds were quite similar, reaching peak values in October during the mass development of small Scuticociliatida and Prostomatida. The density throughout July was the lowest. Probably in peat ponds the biggest factors limiting the degree of the presence of planktonic ciliates are the pH, conductivity and concentrations of total phosphorus and organic matter.
Key words: peatlands, ponds, pH, plankton, ciliates.
Tomasz Mieczan
Department of Hydrobiology,
University of Agriculture in Lublin, Poland
Dobrzanskiego 37, 20-262 Lublin, Poland
phone: (+ 48 81) 461-00-61, 306
email: tomasz.mieczan@ar.lublin.pl
Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.