ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Zooplankton of Fish Culture Ponds Periodically
Fed with Treated Wastewater
Anna Goździejewska1, Stefan Tucholski2
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1Department of Applied Ecology, University of Warmia and Mazury,
Oczapowskiego 5, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland
2Department of Land Reclamation and Environmental Management,
University of Warmia and Mazury,
Plac Łódzki 2, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2011;20(1):67-79
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
This study investigated three earth fish ponds fed with biologically treated wastewater from the treatment
plant in Olsztynek. The ponds were stocked with the following fish species with a varied age structure:
common carp (Cyprinus carpio), tench (Tinca tinca), European pike-perch (Sander lucioperca), and roach
(Rutilus rutilus). Zooplankton samples were collected once a month, from April to October 2007. Rotatoria
were the most diverse and the most abundant zooplankton community. The zooplankton biomass in all ponds
was dominated by crustaceans, including such species as Keratella cochlearis, Keratella quadrata, Polyarthra
longiremis, Brachionus angularis, young forms of Copepoda (nauplii and copepodites), as well as Daphnia
longispina and Thermocyclops crassus. The greatest faunal similarities between the analyzed zooplankton
groups were determined in ponds 1 and 2, while the greatest differences were noted between ponds 2 and 3.
The structure and dynamics of zooplankton changes in the investigated ponds were determined mostly by
trophic relationships and interspecies interactions, while fish predation pressure supported greater species
diversity and its reinstatement.