S, while by Bezzia nobilis in freshwater ones. Densities of marine
S, whilst by Bezzia nobilis in freshwater ones. Densities of marine organisms have been higher only in brackish lakes in summer. In lakes permanently connected using the sea, one of the most abundant marine PX-478 Biological Activity species was Hydrobia ulvae, whereas in periodically connected ones, Gammarus oceanicus. Benthic fauna reached the highest density in a brackish lake (Resko) and was the lowest inside a transitional one (Kopan) (Figure four). The abundance of benthic organisms was the highest in brackish costal lakes (x = 760 indiv. m-2 ), where the marine element of fauna were identified. Due to the greatest instability of environmental conditions, the lowest abundance (x = 300 indiv. m-2 ) was discovered in lakes periodically linked with the sea (transitional). Considerable 3-Chloro-5-hydroxybenzoic acid Cancer differences in density had been identified among brackish and transitional lakes (R = 0.060, p = 0.027) and freshwater and transitional lakes (R = 0.053, p = 0.029). Opposing salinity regimes (freshwater vs. brackish water) resulted in equivalent Animals 2021, 11, x FOR PEER Review 10 of 15 benthic fauna density values.Figure 4. Density (103 three indiv. m-2) of benthic fauna for each and every lake. Bar chart (standard error of mean) and dashed red line– Figure four. Density (ten indiv. m-2 ) of benthic fauna for every lake. Bar chart (normal error of imply) and dashed red typical density for any lake kind. line–average density for a lake kind.The overall data analysis (Figure 5) confirmed a high significance on the patterns In individual lake types, substantial seasonal differences in the abundance of benassociated were the degree of environmental changes autumn, inside all groups: brackish thic fauna with observed only amongst spring and mean species richness (R = 0.37, p = 0.0001) andpmean density (R = 0.10, p= 0.11, p was negatively correlated with thep = 0.003). (R = 0.070, = 0.024), transitional (R = 0.001) = 0.003), and freshwater (R = 0.12, variation in salinity, expressed as normal highest densities in brackishwithinin autumn, lakes for Opportunistic species reached the deviation of salinity values lakes the study in transieach sample. Within the and in freshwater lakes in summer. tional lakes in spring, case of -diversity, salinity gradient also strongly affected the variation general data animal communities (R = 0.55,high significance of the patterns assoThe in benthic analysis (Figure five) confirmed a p = 0.0001). On the other hand, correlations involving other degree of environmental and imply salinity values were=not statistically ciated with all the benthos descriptors alterations mean species richness (R 0.37, p = 0.0001) considerable. density (R = 0.10, p = 0.001) was negatively correlated using the variation in and meansalinity, expressed as standard deviation of salinity values inside the study lakes for eachAnimals 2021, 11,10 ofsample. Inside the case of -diversity, salinity gradient also strongly impacted the variation in benthic animal communities (R = 0.55, p = 0.0001). On the other hand, correlations betweenof 15 other Animals 2021, 11, x FOR PEER Critique 11 benthos descriptors and imply salinity values were not statistically substantial.Figure 5. Imply diversity (H’), imply number of species (S) and mean abundance (N) versus salinity Figure 5. Imply diversity (H’), imply quantity of species (S) and imply abundance (N) versus salinity variance over the sampling occasions, blue lines indicate 95 confidence interval. variance over the sampling occasions, blue lines indicate 95 self-confidence interval.four. Discussion Contributions of a variety of predictors to shaping th.