The Ecology of Temporary WatersD. Dudley Williams The primary role of this book is to introduce the reader to, and hopefully stimulate interest in, the ecology of temporary aquatic habi tats. The book assumes that the reader will have, already, some gen eral knowledge of ecology but this is not essential. Temporary waters exhibit amplitudes in both physical and chemical parameters which are much greater than those found in most waterbodies. The organisms that live in these types of habitats have, therefore, to be very well adapted to these conditions if they are to survive. Survival depends largely on exceptional physiological tolerance or effective immigration and emigration abilities. Examples of such adaptations are given throughout the book and it is hoped that these will aid the reader in gaining an insight into the structure and function of plant and animal communities of these unusual habi tats. The final chapter suggests field and laboratory projects that should be useful to students in school and university studies. |
Contents
Abiotic Features of Temporary Waters | 14 |
The Biota 2222 | 21 |
case histories | 32 |
Special Adaptations | 68 |
Colonization Patterns | 99 |
Other Temporary Water Habitats | 116 |
Applied Aspects of Temporary Waters | 144 |
Temporary Waters as Study Habitats | 163 |
180 | |
194 | |
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Common terms and phrases
abundant adaptations adults Aedes algae amphipods anhydrobiosis animals Anostraca aquatic phase Artemia Australia basins beetles bromeliads burrow caddisfly channel chironomid clam shrimp Coleoptera colonization Conchostraca copepods crayfishes cycle cysts desiccation detritus diapause Diptera dispersal dragonfly drought dry phase dry season dung egg hatching environment environmental example factors fairy shrimp fauna females Figure fish flies flood floodplain flow fluctuations freshwater genera genus groundwater groups growth habitats Helophorus Hemiptera increase insects K-selected lakes larvae Lepidurus macrophytes metabolism midges mosquitoes Notostraca nutrients occur organisms ostracods oxygen permanent waters physiological physiological tolerance pitcher plant pools population porary predation redrawn regions reproductive resistant eggs river salinity shallow snails soil species stage summer Sunfish Pond surface survive tadpole taxa temporary ponds temporary streams temporary waters terrestrial tion treeholes Triops Trissocladius tropical types vary water level water temperature waterbodies Wytham Woods