Monitoring plankton, invertebrates and fauna of the vernal pools

Some opportunistic collections have been made of invertebrates found in the Parafield Airport vernal pools. However no comprehensive studies of invertebrate occurrence through the wetting cycle of the pools have been attempted to date. This site hopes to provide links to invertbrate studies conducted at the vernal pools as data become available. Initially the page will provide links to an existing wetland inventory that included the vernal pools, and will display photographs of invertebrates recorded in the pools thus far.

Ephemeral pools host a range of smaller invertebrates, protozoans and flagellated (motile) algae, some of which are illustrated below. If you are involved in studying the pools and require more detailed photographs, please contact Delta Environmental Consulting.

Studies

Seaman, R.L. (2002) Wetland Inventory for the Mount Lofty Ranges. Department for Environment and Heritage. Adelaide.

In October 2010, tadpole (shield) shrimps were found in the vernal pools. Lepidurus apus viridis was found in the rapidly drying Pool 2, hiding in a shallow puddle in the shade of a bank of introduced clover. Other species found during the site visit included the lentil shaped (and sized) conchostracan clam shrimps (Lynceus sp.), a tiny (0.7mm ) cladoceran water flea called Moina australiensis, small green ostracods (seed shrimp) with a faintly pitted shell with radial canals on its anterior margin, about 0.8mm long (probably Cypretta sp.), a small longish ostracod (prob Candonocypris sp.), many chironomid larvae and a water tiger (dytiscid beetle larvae). Photos of most of these, and catches from other years are included below.

During 2011 emeritus Professor Brian Timms (University of Newcastle) has been working on the identification of the Lynceus clam shrimps found in the pools during 2010. In order to make a firm determination of the Parafield Airport species it has been necessary to review the entire genus, and obtain collections of clam shrimps from locations around Australia.

At present it is thought that the species may be Lynceus tatei, one of the smallest members of the genus. L. tatei has been rarely recorded, but there are historic records from ephemeral grassy wetlands near Rivoli Bay in the South-East of SA, and it has also been recorded recently from similar habitats to the Parfield pools in Western Australia.

Images

Simocephalus acutirostratus, a large daphniid (recorded 2003)	A cyclopoid copepod (recorded 2003)	A flatworm, possibly Mesostoma sp. (recorded 2003 and 2010)
Lepidurus apus viridis, a shield shrimp (recorded Oct 2010)	A dytiscid beetle larvae (recorded Oct 2010)	A small daphniid (water flea), Moina australiensis (recorded Oct 2010)
Ostracods (seed shrimp) are common in the pools. This one is likely Cypretta sp. (recorded Oct 2010)	End view of shell of Cypretta sp. (recorded Oct 2010)	Chironomid midge larvae - prob Chironomus tepperi (recorded Oct 2010)
Lynceus sp. (poss L. tatei) clam shrimp (collected in Oct 2010)	An adult female Lynceus carrying eggs.
Zygnema sp. a filamentous alga (recorded Dec 2002)	Spirogyra sp. a filamentous alga (recorded Dec 2002 and Oct 2010)	Volvox sp., a colony of flagellated algae (recorded Dec 2002)

Records

Miscellaneous observations in the constructed pool

In 2009 the constructed pool held water for a lengthy period and vegetative cover spread sparsely across the entire depression. Macroalgae also grew in the pool. The charophtye Lamprothamnion sp. was common. Chlorophyte algae included Spirogyra sp., Zygnema sp. and Oedigonium sp.

Bird use observations

Other observations

• 9/9/2010: Frogs calling in Pool 2
• 11/4/2011: Fox hunting in the long grass around Pool 6
• 27/6/2011: Crassula growing widely across the pools

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