Zooplankton abundance in the River Danube, Austria: the significance of inshore retention

1. Zooplankton density was examined in a free-flowing section of the River Danube, Austria. Spatial and temporal patterns were used to identify mechanisms regulating zooplankton dynamics. 2. Zooplankton abundance differed significantly between sampling sites. These differences were the result of variations in water residence time within the habitats. Inshore habitats with low flushing rates act as storage zones for zooplankton. 3. The hydrological conditions govern the number and size of storage zones. In the study area, the highest availability of storage zones was observed at medium water level. 4. Total zooplankton numbers, total rotifer numbers and the densities of the most abundant rotifer taxa were significantly positively related to the availability of adjacent storage zones. 5. The present authors propose that inshore retention capacity, and the hydrological processes and mechanisms controlling the extent of inshore retention may be of major significance in regulated rivers with high water velocities, preventing substantial zooplankton growth in the main channel.