Abstract
Larval population distributions of Chironomidae (Diptera), Glyptotendipes paripes Edwards in particular, were examined over a 2-yr period in two central Florida lakes (Dora and Yale), and for 1 yr in Lake Wauburg in relation to selected water and sediment physicochemical properties. The nutrient status of the study lakes varied from transitional mesotrophic/eutrophic to hypereutrophic. Glyptotendipes paripes larvae were the most common in Lake Wauburg, while Cladotanytarsus spp. were numerically the most abundant in Lakes Dora and Yale. Mean density of G. paripes in Lake Dora declined sharply during the study period to very low levels and remained low through the remainder of the investigation. Glyptotendipes paripes densities in Lake Wauburg remained high during the entire study period. Populations of G. paripes in Lake Yale generally peaked during summer and fall and decreased considerably during the winter. Estimated G. paripes annual productivity ranged widely from 0.2 g/m2 (Lake Dora) to 156.9 g/m2 (Lake Wauburg). Canonical correspondence analyses indicated that the primary influences on distributions of chironomid larvae in the study lakes were water depth, dry weight of sediment, and the presence of sand, muck or vegetation. Although G. paripes larval distributions tended to be associated with shallower, sandy substrates in Lakes Dora and Wauburg, these larvae were distributed over or in the muck bottom areas of Lake Yale.