Zooplankton community responses to chemical stressors: A comparison of results from acidification and pesticide contamination research

The response of freshwater zooplankton communities to two chemical stressors, acidification and pesticide contamination, were investigated in a review of published research results. The objective was to test Odum's predictions (Odum, 1985) that in response to stress, both the average body size of organisms and their efficiency in utilizing resources are reduced. Acidification and pesticide contamination were both found to favor dominance by small cladorecans and rotifers, the smallest zooplankton taxa. This finding was consistent with Odum's predictions, however, there were exceptions to the trend. The dominance of small taxa may be due to rapid reproductive rates, physiological tolerance, development with few transitions through sensitive stages (eg. post-molting), or to the great richness of small species. Regardless of the mechanism, there is evidence that when acidification and pesticide contamination result in small zooplankton dominance, the efficiency of carbon and energy transfer from algae to zooplankton is reduced. This finding is also consistent with Odum's predictions.