Changes in size of key indicators used in palaeolimnological studies: A critical review

Abstract

Body size may potentially be a key characteristic for both an individual and a community response to environmental change that palaeolimnological studies can document. Most palaeoecological investigations are based on the reconstruction of past changes in species assemblages, although some studies have incorporated body size as an indicator of past limnological conditions. Here, we review previously published relationships (or simple correlations) between body size and environmental variables among five different groups of organisms typically well-represented in lake sediments: Cladocera, Ostracoda, Chironomidae, testate amoebae, and diatoms. The most convincing examples showing the value of body size data in palaeolimnology are probably best demonstrated in publications about Cladocera and testacid protozoa; however, even here researchers sometimes reach different conclusions. In this review, we summarize a diverse array of studies examining size relationships and conclude that, whilst considerably more research is needed, size relationships may provide key information in palaeolimnological studies.