1. If Zooplankton utilize phytoplankton as forage helping control blooms, could improving zooplankton habitat, such as providing appropriate preferred vegetation, potentially increase zooplankton colony size and possibly result in a decrease in phytoplankton? YES IN THEORY ALTHOUGH THEORIES ARE NOT ALWAYS ABSOLUTE ESPECIALLY IN NATURE. THUS - IT ALL DEPENDS
YES THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN MANY WATER BODIES WHERE THE WATER IS NOTICABLY CLEAR (VIS 5-20FT) AND USUALLY SUBMERGED LITTORAL PLANTS FLOURISH. Submerged plants will compete to often reduce phytoplankton and create clear water. The more the higher plant competition generally means there are fewer phytoplankton and clearer the water.
FIRST THING TO REMEMBER IS ZOOPLANKTON IS COMPOSED OF PROTOZOA, ROTIFERS AND CRUSTACEA. MOST THINK IT AS PRIMARILY CRUSTACEA SINCE THEY ARE THE LARGEST INDIVIDUALS.
THEY WILL ONLY HELP CONTROL ALGAL CELLS OF BLOOMS IF THE ALGAE BLOOM CELLS ARE EDIBLE (CONSUMABLE) BY THE ZOOPLANKTON SPECIES. THE MANY PHYTOPLANKTON SPECIES HAVE A VERY WIDE RANGE OF CELL SIZES (0.3MICROMETER TO 1000UM OR MORE). NUMEROUS FACTORS OR THINGS INFLUENCE ZOOPLANKTON DENSITY - ONE IS GOOD HABITAT & THE BIG 1ST OR 2ND INFLUENCE IS TYPE OF PREDATOR AND WHAT IT IS ABLE TO EAT. ONE OF THE BIG CONTROLS OF ZOOPLANKTON DENSITY IS PROPER FOOD PARTICLE SIZE. PONDS WITH NO FISH PREDATORS OR WITH PREDATORS HAVING LIMITED ZOO PREDATION ABILITY USUALLY HAVE THE LARGEST ZOO SPECIES. AS THE ZOOPREDATOR FILTERING EFFICIENCY & INDIVIDUAL DENSITY INCREASES ZOO COMMUNITY TENDS TO have more SMALLER individuals.
https://www.casqa.org/asca/dynamic-internal-controls-eutrophication-lake-elsinore-role-%E2%80%98bottom-%E2%80%99-and-%E2%80%98top-down%E2%80%99-limitation
Top Down vs Bottom Up management - Biomanipulation
http://www.lmvp.org/Waterline/fall2005/topdown3.htm2. Do ponds with substantial vegetation potentially have more robust zooplankton colonies and typically have less issues with phytoplankton blooms? GENERALLY YES, NOT ALWAYS. DENSE BEDS OF SUBMERGED VEGETATION GIVE THE LITTORAL ZOOPLANKTON LOTS OF REFUGE; PELAGIC ZOOPLANKTON NOT SO MUCH OF THE PLANT REFUGE IS UTILIZED. REMEMBER, ALGAE SPECIES CREATING A BLOOM IS OFTEN A MONO-SPECIES AND OFTEN A LARGE CELL SPECIES. WELL BALANCED WATER BODIES RARELY HAVE NUISANCE BLOOMS. MANY OF THE NUISANCE BLOOMS ARE DOMINATED BY INEDIBLE ALGAE SPECIES. THIS ADAPTATION ALLOWS THE ALGAE TO FLOURISH DESPITE WHAT ZOO SPECIES ARE PRESENT. Nutrients are usually driving the phytoplankton composition and density. Reread the Biomanagement in link above.
