Award Date

10-8-2008

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Science

First Committee Member

Peter L. Starkweather

Number of Pages

241

Abstract

Seven ephemeral rock pools in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada were visited bimonthly over twelve months and sampled for resident zooplankton species. Population dynamics and life history characteristics of two Daphnia species, D. pulex and D. obtusa were analyzed with incidental attention given to an additional cladoceran, Moina sp. Aspects of the physical, chemical and biological environment were measured and evaluated. The behavior of these daphnid populations appears to be driven by the extreme seasonality of rock pool ecosystems between episodic disturbances of drought and deluge. No causal relationships between Daphnia population size or patterns of temporal change and abiotic factors appear to exist. The availability and duration of water limits population growth. When conditions are favorable, rapid population growth apparently occurs via obligate parthenogenesis. This is the first systematic study of any Daphnia species in the Mojave Desert, or in any ephemeral aquatic habitat within a desert region.

Keywords

Canyon; Daphnia; Dynamic; Ephemeral; History; Life; Nevada; Pools; Population; Red Rock

Controlled Subject

Ecology; Limnology; Zoology

File Format

pdf

File Size

5099.52 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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