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Zooplankton community changes between forest and meadow sections in small headwater streams, NW Poland

Headwater streams are important resources in production of organic matter, but zooplankton of headwater streams has rarely been studied. In the present study spatial changes in zooplankton communities between upper headwater forest section and downstream meadow section of four small streams were examined (NW Poland). The environmental conditions of stream riparian zone, e.g., the presence of leaf litter, pools, slackwaters and wetlands had a great influence on the spatial changes in zooplankton. Low gradient of stream bed, longer water residence time and larger surfaces of wetlands and slackwaters also positively affected zooplankton communities, especially in the meadow section. Along the streams, from the stream headwater to the downstream-meadow section, significant spatial changes in zooplankton communities were observed. Significantly higher number of taxa and density of zooplankton were observed in meadow sections than in headwater forest sections. In the forest sections, there was a definite domination of benthic and littoral rotifers in the zooplankton composition, while in the meadow sections, planktonic rotifers dominated. Cladocerans were observed only in downstream meadow section; two littoral species Coronatella rectangula and Peracantha truncata and one planktonic Daphnia magna which probably were washed from close pools of small stagnant water bodies. Copepods were noted along the entire length of streams. The occasional presence of planktonic rotifers in the forest section was probably caused by their washout from a few small stagnant water bodies.