Spatial Structure of the Insect Community of a Small Dimictic Lake in the Laurentians (Québec)

The distribution of merolimnic benthic insects was studied in Lake Cromwell, a small (9 ha) and shallow (max. depth 9 m) dimictic lake with a summer hypolimnetic warming on the Laurentian highlands of Québec. Communities were described from 22 sets of emergence data. Two hundred and twelve species were recognized of which 153 were Chironomidae (Diptera). Through clustering and ordination techniques, five communities were recognized: one in the flooded shrub zone along the shore, two littoral, one sublittoral and one profundal. Differences between the communities were more quantitative than qualitative. The majority of species inhabited the shore and littoral stations, and only the hardiest reached the deepest zone. There were few species characteristic of the profundal, none of them abundant. Discriminating, dominant, and characteristic species were determined for each community, as were the ubiquitous species. There is a general decrease in species richness, species diversity and population density, and a change in community structure along the depth gradient. A discontinuity at 1–2 m is related to a sharp increase in Chaoboridae in the deeper waters.