Zooplanctonic communities observations using null models in coastal ephemeral pools in Puaucho dunes (38º S, Chile)

Abstract

The Chilean inland water zooplankton is characterized by a high calanoid copepod dominance and low species number that is due to the oligotrophic status. The present study is a first descriptions of crustacean zooplankton and littoral communities in ephemeral pools in Puaucho using co-occurrence species and niche sharing null models. The results of co-occurrence null model revealed that the species associations are random, whereas the niche overlaping null models revealed that there is not niche overlaping. The results agree with descriptions for lakes and ponds in Argentinean and Chilean Patagonia.