Cladocerans Eurycercus sp., from Lake Mývatn, North Iceland (Photo: Árni Einarsson). Bosmina sp. (photo by Tom Adams.)

Introduction Abundance depends on nutrient availability, temperature, and predation Few predacious most species are herbivores, feeding on phytoplankton In large lakes they are a major food source for fish such as sticklebacks, minnows and young Sockeye salmon Bosminidae, Daphniidae, Holopediidae, Leptodoridae, contain primarily or entirely planktonic species Chydoridae, Macrothricidae and Moinidae contain primarily bottom-dwelling species

Cladocerans

Cladocerans

Cladocerans

Comparison by Zones

Comparison by Depths

Discussion Bosmina are tolerant of a wide range of water chemistry, temperature and lake morphometry; common in Onondaga Daphnia also tolerant and prefer cooler waters Distribution of species in these lakes show trends in depth, temperature, and nutrient availability Wolf Lake had the most variety of species Deer and Arbutus only contained one species: Daphnia due to the tolerance of the species to adverse conditions