Coal fly ash effluent affects the distributions of Brachionus calyciflorus sibling species

Fly ash, a coal combustion residue of thermal power plants and a source of multiple pollutants, has been recognized as an environmental hazard all over the world. Although it is known that fly ash effluent affects density, diversity and distribution of rotifers in drainage systems and receiving water bodies, the effect of fly ash effluent on the distributions of highly similar rotifer species remains unknown. In this study, the mtDNA COI genes of 90 individuals in Brachionus calyciflorus complex from Lake Hui (as a fly ash discharge water pond) and other two neighboring lakes (Lake Fengming and Lake Tingtang) were sequenced and analyzed, and the responses in selected life table demographic parameters (life expectancy at hatching, net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of population increase and proportion of sexual offspring) of different rotifer populations to fly ash effluent were investigated. Overall, 72 mtDNA haplotypes were defined, and were split into two clades by the phylogenetic trees. The divergence of COI gene sequences between the two clades ranged from 11.8% to17.8%, indicating the occurrence of two sibling species (sibling species I and sibling species II). Sibling species I distributed in all the three lakes, showing strong capabilities for dispersal and colonization, which were supported by its higher level of gene flow (2.60-4.04) between the populations from Lake Hui and each of the other two lakes, longer life expectancy at hatching (101.6-148.2 h), and higher net reproductive rate (4.4-16.4 offspring/female) and intrinsic rate of population increase (0.60-0.98/d) when cultured in aerated tap water and fly ash effluent. Sibling species II distributed in both Lake Tingtang and Lake Fengming, showing that its dispersal existed between the two lakes. Considering that the distance between Lake Hui and Lake Fengming is shorter than that between Lake Tingtang and Lake Fengming, sibling species II is able to disperse at least from Lake Fengming to Lake Hui. The restricted distribution of sibling species II in Lake Hui might be attributed to its lower intrinsic rate of population increase (0.34-0.39/d) when cultured in aerated tap water and fiy ash effluent, which might be further lowered by the lower algal food level and quality in Lake Hui.