Structural diagnosis of benthic invertebrate communities in relation to salinity gradient in Baltic coastal lake ecosystems using biological trait analysis.

ABSTRACT: This study is based on biological trait analysis (BTA), which provides a link between the distribution and biological characteristics of species. The paper investigates differences in the structure and functional diversity of benthic fauna in terms of seven biological traits (mobility, habitat, feeding type, habitat modification, body form, body size and feeding apparatus) in nine Baltic coastal lakes whose salinity ranged from 0.1 to 7.3 PSU. Mobile organisms were more common in lakes with higher salinity, while sessile and semi-mobile species preferred low-salinity or freshwater environments. There were also noticeable differences connected with feeding type: collectors and scrapers were more common in brackish lakes, and collectors were significantly dominant in freshwater and transitio

SUBMITTER: Matela M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9325777 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature