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Declines in lakewater calcium (Ca) concentrations are occurring in many softwater lakes of the Canadian Shield, and likely elsewhere, and there is growing interest regarding the potential impacts that reduced Ca availability may have on aquatic ecosystems. Here, we test the hypotheses that the Ca limitations of Daphnia pulex (reduced growth/survival when Ca <1.5 mg L⁻¹) identified in laboratory analyses and paleolimnological case studies can be observed among cladoceran assemblages from surface sediments along a narrow Ca gradient (1–3 mg L⁻¹), and also whether the impacts of low Ca concentrations can be distinguished from those of low lakewater pH. Significant differences among daphniid communities were observed across the 1.5 mg L⁻¹ Ca threshold; however, these differences did not extend to the broader cladoceran community and considerable variability in Ca tolerance was …