Zooplankton Productivity Evaluation of Lentic and Lotic Ecosystem

*N. Eramma, H.M. Lalita, S. Satishgouda, S. Renuka Jyothi, C.N. Venkatesh and Sharangouda J. Patil*

#### **Abstract**

The present study reveals the correlation of zooplankton productivity of lotic and lentic water ecosystem. The biological rhythms are useful tool to determine the zooplankton production. Planktons enrich the trophic level of lentic and lotic ecosystems. The relationship of primary productivity of any aquatic ecosystem depends on the biological biodiversity. Estimation of zooloplankton productivity of any water system helps to analyse its richness of species as biological population which are sustainable in it by the adequate amount physicochemical parameters. It is observed in most of the water system the quality of physical, chemical and biological phenomena are depends directly or indirectly correlation to establish diverse life as suitable habitat. To identify the current problems on lentic and lotic water system correlation studies will be more helpful, it is need of hour to give more attention on limnology because most of the biodiversity polluted due to industrialisation and anthropology. To develop advanced monitoring tools to address it on time to time problems of water system as key indicators and to conservation strategies towards the sustainable developments.

**Keywords:** ecological adaptation, climate change, conservation, river basin, physicochemical, heavy metal, sediments, microorganisms, water quality, water pollution, anthropology, diversity

### **1. Introduction**

Water is one of the most significant resources on earth and is fundamental to all kinds of life since it is necessary for the survival and well-being of all living things [1]. The presence of planktonic organisms is the distinctive peculiarity of all aquatic ecosystems, whether they are lentic or lotic. Planktons are typically regarded as a measure of the water column's fertility [2]. Studies on fresh water sources, whether they are man-made or natural, have become increasingly important in recent years, mostly due to their variety of uses.

In aquatic system, surface water called as inland water ecosystem and classified into lotic and lentic system. The land surface habitats for free water and will be categorised as lotic or lentic system. In the inland water system, act as fundamental habitat as ecological constraints to divide in to as lotic and lentic system [3]. Lentic water ecosystem exhibits discrete habitat as aquatic matrix in the terrestrial system, whereas in lotic water ecosystem shared continuous habitat with the linkage of various basins in unidirectional flow in the dendritic structure of river networks. These ecosystems act considerably different in physical, chemical and biological characteristics (**Table 1**). Lotic water ecosystem significantly differentiated when compare to lentic water ecosystem, which possess relative affinity with terrestrial waters. In the lotic water ecosystems, waters flow establish it continuous, definite and unidirectional approach in the form of measurable, constant flow, wherein lentic water ecosystems, waters not exit in any flow in the continuous, definite and any direction in the given medium as staging structure. In lotic water ecosystem, flow of water source towards flat surface, whereas in lentic system water equally stored as per the specific landscape, terrestrial system and topography of the diversity. The lotic water system walks their path in the narrow form, shallow level, broader surface, relatively rapid, slow moving and deeper in nature. Lotic water system will be diverse and area specific in their structure, reaching small area as a spring in a centimetre wide exhibit like a major river which covers kilometre width. These water systems showed main difference in the communities, they move as per the velocity and along with lotic communities. These systems depends which are the organisms occupied the ecosystem and richness of diversity exist in the ecological niche. In this context, the plant diversity in lotic community is lower compared to community of lentic water system while small components of lotic community exhibit similar environment in the lentic community. These plants have adaptive evolutionary significance to cope up with the environmental force and various conditions that brings by running water. Such biological adaptations have placed different type of species successfully to take advantage in the lotic water system as one of the ecological niche. In this aquatic ecosystem, water differs in their stability, persistence basically, determining the structure of population and their genetics, size of geographical range and rate of speciation in lentic and lotic lineages [4]. Whereas the pattern of this phenomenon is remain incomplete and not understood, the compatibility of such traits preparedness with all the ability of species to develop as new populations to bring it as significant differences in the system [4]. Due to water current velocity, affect the processing time directly, in indirect approach leaf fragmentation is common to renew the dissolved oxygen and supporting for microbial diversity. The contrasting feature of geological activities and ecological strength of these water systems exhibited relative index of evolutionary and biogeographical differences in the species in different habitats [5]. Species taxa is depends on geological period and they were ecologically unstable due to adoptive condition to lentic habitat and found less population and greater area of geography when compare to the range of lotic relative species, such pattern observed through the range of selected taxa, specific regions and ecosystem [6, 7].

Ecosystem of lentic and lotic significantly differ basically in the local environmental conditions (For example, presence or absence of flow, time of water residence) and property of physical connectivity. While lotic water system not suffer much from fragmentation and deviation than the lentic water system, climate-induced changes from permanent to temporary locales will reduce the connectivity in the equal landscape ecosystem in in lotic system. In these environment exhibits harsh conditions for specific plant species, in those larger plants more prone, herbaceous species adjust with such conditions and acts as more favourable for the lotic community. It was noted that they were more tend to available physical conditions to adopt such water. Algal species can adapt to all sorts of places, surfaces and hence, they take significance as successful feature of the lotic water system. All the algal species have developed genetic ability with evolutionary changes to adapt over the period of their times to


*Zooplankton Productivity Evaluation of Lentic and Lotic Ecosystem DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107020*

> **Table 1.**

*Characteristics of lotic and lentic aquatic systems.*

prevent and overcome against water current from sweeping it completely. Dry season disturb the fauna and flora which occurs in both the aqua system globally and it can be strongly affect the communities. Whereas the drying effect depends on ecosystem and their relationship with local species ability strengthens the community, dryness is completely different with climate and their community responses between lentic and lotic water system comparatively [8].

Researchers predicted that drying of fauna and flora in aquatic communities may effect strongly in isolated lentic water system compare to scattered lotic system, if provided support of hydrological connectivity in higher level reduce the drying effect passively rather than dispersers, because such sources may potentially greater in recolonizing ability of the species in the ecosystem. Whereas such variation, strongly combine the quality characteristics to make the healthy habitat of running waters compare to still waters. Flow of water should be unidirectional also observed that spatial and temporal heterogeneity in all the scales (microhabitats) in potent level and high degree [8].

There are two sorts of natural freshwater bodies: lotic and lentic. Running water is referred to as lotic since the entire body of water moves in that direction. Brooks, streams, rivers, and springs, which are representative of the lotic bodies in India, may be included in these [9]. Lentic ecosystems such as pools, ponds, swamps, bogs, lakes, exhibit a wide range of chemical, physical and biological characteristics (**Figures 1**–**3**). In general, they have different zonation, unlike the rapid and the pool zones of the lotic system with different specialised lentic community.

Limnology is the study of all aquatic systems, both lentic and lotic fresh, fresh, and saline including lakes, wetlands, marshes, bogs, ponds, reservoirs, streams, rivers, oceans, etc. about their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics [10].

The physical, chemical, and biological properties of lakes vary greatly. They differ physically in terms of temperature, water circulation, and light intensity. They differ biologically in terms of biomass, population size, and growth as well as chemically in terms of nutrients, major ions, and pollutants [11]. Management of freshwater bodies should aim to maintain high productivity level of water bodies with provision for a

**Figure 1.** *Types of lentic system and their morphology.*

*Zooplankton Productivity Evaluation of Lentic and Lotic Ecosystem DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107020*

#### **Figure 2.** *Anatomy of the aquatic ecosystem represents the zones and species diversity.*

high rate of harvest of plants and animals for human use. The amount of solar energy trapped by the autotrophic organisms is known as production. The amount of solar energy trapped by the autotrophic organisms in unit time is known as productivity. The amount of plankton present in the water body decides the productivity of that water body [12]. Primary productivity is inversely related to the nutrient concentration, indicating that when the nutrient status is low, both primary productivity and fish output decline. There is only one primary production peak in reservoirs during the summer or early summer, according to numerous researchers who have examined the primary productivity of water bodies in different places and at different times of the year [10].

Zooplanktons are a crucial component of the aquatic ecology. Zooplanktons are essential components of the food chain and biogeochemical processes. They serve as helpful indicators for environmental changes [13]. Water currents carry zooplankton from lentic to lotic systems, and the energy in their tissues can affect the amount of resources available downstream, influencing ecological functions and the community structure of lotic consumers [14]. Zooplanktons are influenced by a wide range of environmental variables, such as pH, temperature, salinity, oxygen, and others [13].

## **2. The lentic ecosystems**

The term lentic (meaning 'to make calm') is used for still waters of lakes and ponds, which offer environmental conditions, which differ sharply with that of the streams [15, 16]. Lentic aquatic systems contain stagnant waters. These are formed

usually in large or small depressions formed on earth's surface where water is collected and cannot flow out. These water bodies include ponds, lakes, swamps etc. As a result, the lentic systems are closed systems; most aquatic life rarely leaves them after entering. Within the lentic body, they must endure, deteriorate, and decompose. They eventually transform into swamps or marshy wetlands before becoming dry lands with time. The depth to which light can penetrate depends on the turbidity. The temperature varies with depth and the season. The oxygen level of the lentic ecosystem is considerably lower than that of the lotic because only a small portion is in direct contact with the atmosphere and because decomposition proceeds intensively at the bottom.
