Phytoplankton community structure and species assemblage succession in a shallow tropical lake (Lake Guiers, Senegal)

Abstract

rare species coexisting Most phytoplankton species are competitors for the same limited resources of their environment, principally light and nutrients. According to Sommer (1989), the annual variation of predominant species can be predicted, even though the taxa that dominate communities will depend upon complex factors such as retention time, nutrient load and grazing pressure. However, it is clear that there are many ecological processes, such as competition and/or commensalism for a nutrient or the