Quantifying wind-driven dispersal of zooplankton in a Mediterranean pond

Résumé

Dispersal is an essential component in the life history of organisms and has strong ecological implications. Although it has been assumed that small organisms have very high dispersal rates, quantitative data supporting this claim remains scarce. In the context of zooplankton, wind stands out as a primary vector facilitating passive dispersal. We quantified short-distance wind-driven dispersal of propagules across various zooplankton taxa in a Spanish Mediterranean coastal temporary pond. We have also studied dispersal patterns in relation to the wind regime (intensity, steadiness and gust direction), source pond status (volume of water) and demographic dynamics (the abundance of individuals in water column populations). Further, we related propagules size merurements (surface, L2 and volume, L3) with dispersal distances. Additionally, we have performed measurements of the dispersed propagules and investigated the relationship between their dimensions and the dispersive distance on a local scale. Here, we present the raw data gathered during research.