The structure of psammic rotifer communities in two boreal lakes with different trophic conditions: Lake Vrtsjarv and Lake Saadjarv (Estonia)

Psammon communities are still poorly studied worldwide. The aim of the present study was to establish the structure of psammic rotifer communities including their diversity and quantitative parameters. A total of 41 rotifer taxa were found in hydro-, hygro-, and euarenal zones of eutrophic Lake Vrtsjarv and mesotrophic Lake Saadjarv during the study carried out in Estonia in 2008, including 11 rotifer species new to Estonia. In L. Vrtsjarv, the predominant rotifer taxa were Bdelloidea and Lecane psammophila. L. psammophila dominated in July and August and bdelloids prevailed in the rest of the year. In L. Saadjarv, the most abundant taxa were Lepadella ovalis, Keratella hiemalis, and Cephalodella megalocephala. The psammic rotifer community of L. Saadjarv proved to be more diverse than that of L. Vrtsjarv. Microphagous rotifers were dominant in L. Vrtsjarv. Raptorial feeders dominated in L. Saadjarv in summer and autumn and were more abundant at sites with coarser sand and low plant density.