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Sample records for zooplankton species composition

  1. Considerations on the biochemical composition of some freshwater zooplankton species.

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    Nicoletta RICCARDI

    1999-02-01

    Full Text Available The mean elemental (C, H, N and biochemical composition (lipids, carbohydrates and proteins of some abundant crustacean zooplankton species of Italian insubric lakes has been estimated by the analysis of samples collected at different seasons from various environments (Lake Maggiore, Lake Varese, Lake Comabbio, Lake Monate. From each sample an adequate number of specimens of each abundant species was sorted and analyzed by a CHN elemental analyzer. The percentage of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins and the calorific content were calculated from the elemental composition according to Gnaiger & Bitterlich (1984. Inter- and intraspecific variability of biochemical composition was quite high, while elemental composition and calorific content were less variable. An estimate of the mean elemental and biochemical composition of each species was obtained by pooling the data. These mean values have been used to estimate the pools of elements and compounds in the crustacean zooplankton of Lake Comabbio to provide an example of the importance of a multiple approach in zooplankton studies.

  2. Zooplankton Distribution and Species Composition Along an Oxygen Gradient in Puget Sound, WA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keister, J. E.; Essington, T.; Li, L.; Horne, J. K.; Sato, M.; Parker-Stetter, S. L.; Moriarty, P.

    2016-02-01

    Low dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) is one of the most pronounced, pervasive, and significant disturbances in marine ecosystems, yet our understanding of its effects is incomplete, particularly with respect to impacts on lower trophic levels. As part of a study of how hypoxia affects predator-prey relationships and energy flow through marine food webs, we are studying relationships between ocean chemistry and zooplankton in Puget Sound, Washington—a deep, seasonally hypoxic fjord in the Pacific Northwest that supports a productive and diverse pelagic community. From summer through fall in two years that differed in the timing and intensity of hypoxia, we conducted multi-frequency bioacoustic surveys, CTD casts, and depth-stratified zooplankton sampling to examine changes in distribution and species composition of animals in relation to oxygen concentrations. We exploited a natural gradient in oxygen along the axis of the fjord by sampling at moderately hypoxic and normoxic sites with otherwise similar hydrography and species composition to disentangle the effects of oxygen from changes in other environmental factors. Our results support the hypothesis that zooplankton species composition and vertical distributions are altered by hypoxia, but only when examined at the species and life-stage level. Relatively few taxa showed clear responses to hypoxia, and bioacoustic backscatter data (which was dominated by adult euphausiids and amphipods) indicated that those taxa were not affected by the levels of hypoxia we observed. Examination of net tow data revealed more subtle changes, including behavioral avoidance of low oxygen by some copepods and young euphausiid life stages. Overall, the high species diversity and relatively low susceptibility of many zooplankton to hypoxia in Puget Sound may confer ecosystem resilience to near-future projected changes in this region.

  3. Zooplankton abundance, species composition and ecology of tropical high-mountain crater lake Wonchi, Ethiopia

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    Fasil Degefu

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The highlands of Ethiopia represent some of the remnants of undisturbed aquatic ecosystems; they are however highly threatened by significant socio–economic developments and associated anthropogenic impacts. Lake Wonchi is one of the few remaining fairly pristine high–mountain crater lakes in the central highlands and has never been investigated in detail. We present a first study on zooplankton taxa composition, abundance and biomass conducted over more than one year including the underlying environmental drivers. The lake is basic (pH 7.9-8.9, dilute (specific conductivity 185-245 µS cm-1 and oligotrophic with mean trophic status index of 36. The zooplankton community composition showed low species richness comprising a total of fourteen taxa with six cladocerans, one copepod and seven rotifers. Simpson´s index of diversity with values between 0.6 and 0.8 pointed towards a homogenous taxa occurrence within the single sample units. The overall mean (±SD standing biomass of zooplankton was 62.02±25.76 mg dry mass m-3,which is low compared to other highland and rift valley lakes in Ethiopia. Cyclopoid copepods, in particular Thermocyclops ethiopiensis were the most abundant group and contributed 50% to the total zooplankton abundance followed by cladocerans (38% and rotifers (12%. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling resulted in a 3-dimensional model, which revealed similar community composition on successive sampling dates except in December/January and May. Temperature, alkalinity, conductivity and nitrate-N had significant influence on this seasonal pattern. A weak, but significant positive correlation (r=0.482, N=20, P=0.037 between Chlorophyll a and zooplankton biomass mirrors a bottom-up effect of phytoplankton biomass on zooplankton dynamics. The zooplankton of Lake Wonchi displayed some degree of segregation along the epi– and metalimnion during this study, but diel vertical migration was not observed. The results show that fish

  4. Zooplankton body composition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiørboe, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    groups body composition is size independent. Exceptions are protozoans, chaetognaths, and pteropods, where larger individuals become increasingly watery. I speculate about the dichotomy in body composition and argue that differences in feeding mechanisms and predator avoidance strategies favor either......I compiled literature on zooplankton body composition, from protozoans to gelatinous plankton, and report allometric relations and average body composition. Zooplankton segregate into gelatinous and non-gelatinous forms, with few intermediate taxa (chaetognaths, polychaetes, and pteropods). In most...... a watery or a condensed body form, and that in the intermediate taxa the moderately elevated water content is related to buoyancy control and ambush feeding...

  5. Fine-scale distribution of zooplankton is linked to phytoplankton species composition and abundance in a North Norwegian fjord system

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    Norrbin, F.; Priou, P. D.; Varela, A. P.

    2016-02-01

    We studied the influence of dense layers of phytoplankton and aggregates on shaping the vertical distribution of zooplankton in a North Norwegian fjord using a Video Plankton Recorder (VPR). This instrument provided fine-scale vertical distribution (cm-m scale) of planktonic organisms as well as aggregates of marine snow in relation to environmental conditions. At the height - later stage of the spring phytoplankton bloom in May, the outer part of the fjord was dominated by Phaeocystis pouchetii, while diatoms (Chaetoceros spp.) were dominating in the innermost basin. Small copepods species like Pseudocalanus spp., Microsetella norvegica, and Oithona spp. prevailed over larger copepod species in the inner part of the fjord whereas the outer part was dominated by large copepods like Calanus finmarchicus. While the zooplankton where spread out over the water column during the early stage of the bloom, in May they were linked to the phytoplankton vertical distribution and in the winter situation they were found in deeper waters. Herbivorous zooplankton species were affected by phytoplankton species composition; C. finmarchicus and Pseudocalanus spp. avoided the dense layer of P. pouchetii while herbivorous zooplankton matched the distribution of the diatom-dominated bloom. Small, omnivorous copepod species like Microsetella sp., Oithona sp. and Pseudocalanus sp. were often associated with dense layers of snow aggregates. This distribution may provide a shelter from predators as well as a food source. Natural or anthropogenic-induced changes in phytoplankton composition and aggregate distribution may thus influence food-web interactions.

  6. Zooplankton composition and diversity at different location along Kalpakkam coastal sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, Subhashree; Ponnusamy, K.; Verma, Amrata; Munilkumar, S.; Rajaram, S.; Lakra, W.S.; Pal, Asim K.; Sreedevi, K.R.

    2015-01-01

    Zooplanktons are the base of aquatic food web which constitutes the most vital biological component in an aquatic ecosystem. They form an important link in the food chain from primary to tertiary level leading to the production of fishery and are known to serve as a food for larger organisms such as bivalves, crustaceans and fish. The present study was aimed to assess the composition and diversity among the different species of zooplankton in Kalpakkam coastal sites within 30 kms around Madras Atomic Power Station. Samples were collected using plankton net (mesh size 63 μm, mouth area 20 inch dia) from stations which were fixed using the GPS coordinates. The results of the present studies showed maximum zoo planktonic diversity in station N15 i.e. 15 km away from MAPS (Madras Atomic Power Station), as compared to the other selected sampling stations. Regarding composition of zooplankton at different sites along the MAPS, it was found Copepods dominated among the zooplankton forming up to 60% of total species composition which indicate that copepod species are likely to be good indicators of water-mass influence and changes. (author)

  7. Zooplankton species identities, zooplankton species number per sample, and zooplankton abundance collected using zooplankton net as part of the California Cooperative Fisheries Investigation (CALCOFI) project, for 1994-03-01 (NODC Accession 9700104)

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    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton species identities, zooplankton species number per sample, and zooplankton abundance were collected from March 1, 1994 to March 1, 1994. Data were...

  8. Evaluation of factors related to increased zooplankton biomass and altered species composition following impoundment of a Newfoundland reservoir

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, C.E.; Knoechel, R.; Copeman, D.

    1998-01-01

    An 11-year study of the zooplankton community in Cat Arm Hydroelectric Reservoir in Newfoundland was conducted to assess long-term zooplankton community dynamics in a subarctic system. Zooplankton biomass and species compositions were monitored from 1983 to 1993. The monitoring program documented the trophic evolution of the Cat Arm system as it changed from a shallow lake with short water retention time to a deep reservoir with a much lower flushing rate. Zooplankton biomass increased approximately 19-fold in the oligotrophic hydroelectric reservoir following impoundment in 1984, relative to biomass in the preexisting lake. During the first three years of impoundment, there were no increases in either phytoplankton biomass or primary productivity. Natality of the dominant cladoceran (Daphnia catawba) did not increase. Summer water retention time increased from pre-impoundment levels of 4 days in 1983 to 338 days in 1993. The study showed that zooplankton biomass was greatly correlated with water retention time, and showed no major correlation with phytoplankton biomass, primary productivity, nutrient concentrations, pH, colour, or epilimnetic temperature. It was concluded that changes in the zooplankton community in the hydroelectric reservoir were a result of decreases in losses due to washout. 41 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs

  9. Nutrient regeneration by zooplankton during a red tide off Peru, with notes on biomass and species composition of zooplankton

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    Smith, S.L.

    1978-01-01

    During March and April 1976, a red tide, dominated by the dinoflagallate Gymnodinium splendens Lebour, developed in the vicinity of 15/sup 0/O6'S and 76/sup 0/31'W off Peru. At the height of the bloom, the euphotic zone was 6 m deep and the chlorophyll a at the surface was 48 ..mu..g 1/sup -1/. A daily collection of zooplankton at 09.00 hrs showed large fluctuations of biomass, from 0.2 to 3.84 g dry weight m/sup -2/ in a water column of 120 m. Copepodids and nauplii dominated the collections. During a period of reduced wind, the adult copepods were a mixture of the species characteristic of the coastal upwelling system and the neritic species associated with more northerly, tropical waters. Nitrogen regeneration by the zooplankton varied with the development of the bloom, the type of zooplankton dominating the experiment, and biomass fluctuations, but never accounted for more than 25% of the nitrogen uptake by phytoplankton.

  10. Zooplankton composition and community structure in Lake Tiga ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Zooplankton in Lake Tiga was identified and its community structure assessed between March 2009 and March 2011. A total of 54 species of zooplankton was recorded, comprising two species of Protozoa, 26 species of Rotifera, eight species of Copepoda, 11 species of Cladocera, four species of Ostracoda and three ...

  11. Spatial variations in zooplankton diversity in waters contaminated with composite effluents

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    Asitava CHATTERJEE

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Zooplankton species are cosmopolitan in their clean freshwater habitat and are also found in industrial and municipal wastewaters. The present study records for the first time the aspects of zooplankton diversity in relation to physico-chemical environment of five selected sites of the East Calcutta wetlands, a Ramsar site of Kolkata city, India, heavily contaminated by industrial and municipal wastewaters. The study revealed the occurrence of 22 species of zooplankton, among these 3 species of Cladocera, 2 species of Copepoda, 15 species of Rotifera, and 2 species of Ostracoda were recorded. The copepod Mesocyclops leuckarti was found in all the five sites, rotifers Asplanchna brightwelli, Brachionus angularis, B. calyciflorus and Cladocera Ceriodaphnia cornuta were found in four sites; Moina micrura and Diaphanosoma sarsi were found at three sites. Site wise variation in dominance, diversity, evenness and richness were calculated. Site 1, a fish-pond that stabilized composite wastewater, showed the maximum species richness having 17 species, while Site 2, SWF wastewater carrying canal, showed only 4 species. The calculated Jack 1 values of Sites 1 to 5 were 21.78, 3.77, 18.63, 12.5 and 16.95 respectively. Shannon-Wiener species diversity index (H/ values were almost similar for all the three relatively less polluted sites viz, Site 1 (1.959, Site 4 (2.010, Site 5 (2.047. However, at highly polluted sites viz., 2 and 3, H/ value of 1.336 and 0.984 respectively, were calculated. Simpson’s Dominance index (Dsimp value was highest at Site 3 (0.618 indicating maximum dominance, whereas at Site 5 dominance was lowest (0.1680 and diversity was highest. We discuss the role of zooplankton in the amelioration of wastewater.

  12. Zooplankton of the Zaporiz’ke Reservoir

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    T. V. Mykolaichuk

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper is devoted to zooplankton species composition in the Zaporiz’ke Reservoir. The greatest species diversity was found in the macrophyte communities of the upper reservoir’s littoral, but the least zooplankton diversity – in the pelagic zone of the lower reservoir.

  13. Composition and abundance of the zooplankton community in the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The taxonomic composition of the zooplankton community of the Bitter Lakes, Egypt, was examined in 2003–2004 in relation to the spatial and temporal distribution of environmental factors. Copepoda were dominant, forming 49% of the zooplankton, followed by Protista at 37%. During the autumn, zooplankton in Small ...

  14. Species composition, abundance and distribution of zooplankton in a tropical eutrophic lake: Lake Catemaco, México

    OpenAIRE

    Roberto E. Torres-Orozco B.; Sandra A. Zanatta

    1998-01-01

    From April 1992 to May 1993, zooplankton samples were collected monthly by means of horizontal tows in nine sites of the lake. Prior to the towing, temperature of surface water, transparency (Secchi), pH and dissolved oxygen were evaluated. A total of 31 zooplankton forms, including 14 species of rotifers, three copepods, five cladocerans and one ostracod, as well as protozoans (mainly vorticellids and ciliates), were detected. Rotifers were the dominant organisms, mainly Brachionus havanaens...

  15. Seasonal variations of species composition and abundance of zooplankton in Ehoma Lake, a floodplain lake in Nigeria

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    Okechukwu. I Okogwu

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Ehoma Lake is among the important breeding sites of the major fishes in the Mid-Cross River, Nigeria. The juveniles of these fishes are solely dependent on zooplankton, which has not been studied previously. I studied monthly the lake’s physico-chemical variables and zooplankton composition in three stations (littoral, sub-littoral and pelagic from March 2005 to August 2006. Sixty-seven zooplankton species (42 rotifers, 19 cladocerans and 6 copepods were identified. Daphnia obtusa Kurz, Keratella valga Ehrenberg, Keratella ticinensis Callerrio, Keratella hiemalis Carlin, Brachionus dimidiatus Bryce and Lecane candida Hauer and Murray are new records for Nigeria. The dominant zooplankters were Diaphanosoma excisum Kurz and Moina micrura Kurz. There was an inverse relationship between species richness and abundance. Richness was highest in the dry season while peak zooplankton abundance was recorded in the rainy season. Zooplankton abundance and species richness decreased progressively from the littoral to the pelagic station while the Shannon-Weaver diversity index varied from 0.68 to 1.28 without a clear seasonal trend. There is a succession pattern: rotifers that are dominant in the dry season are replaced by cladocerans in the rainy season. This succession was greatly influenced by seasonal flooding of the lake. As no previous information on the zooplankton of the lake is available, this study provides baseline data on the lake`s zooplankton. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (1: 171-182. Epub 2010 March 01.El lago Ehoma, situado en la mitad del río Cross, es uno de los lugares de reproducción de las principales especies de peces del río. Los juveniles de estos peces dependen exclusivamente del zooplancton, sin embargo poco se sabe sobre este recurso en el lago. En este estudio, las variables físico-químicas y del zooplancton del lago fueron estudiadas mensualmente en tres estaciones (litoral, sub-litoral y pelágica, de marzo de 2005 a agosto de

  16. Zooplankton in the Arctic outflow

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    Soloviev, K. A.; Dritz, A. V.; Nikishina, A. B.

    2009-04-01

    Climate changes in the Arctic cause the changes in the current system that may have cascading effect on the structure of plankton community and consequently on the interlinked and delicately balanced food web. Zooplankton species are by definition incapable to perform horizontal moving. Their transport is connected with flowing water. There are zooplankton species specific for the definite water masses and they can be used as markers for the different currents. That allows us to consider zooplankton community composition as a result of water mixing in the studied area. Little is known however about the mechanisms by which spatial and temporal variability in advection affect dynamics of local populations. Ice conditions are also very important in the function of pelagic communities. Melting time is the trigger to all "plankton blooming" processes, and the duration of ice-free conditions determines the food web development in the future. Fram Strait is one of the key regions for the Arctic: the cold water outflow comes through it with the East Greenland Current and meets warm Atlantic water, the West Spitsbergen Current, producing complicated hydrological situation. During 2007 and 2008 we investigated the structure functional characteristics of zooplankton community in the Fram Strait region onboard KV "Svalbard" (April 2007, April and May 2008) and RV "Jan Mayen" (May 2007, August 2008). This study was conducted in frame of iAOOS Norway project "Closing the loop", which, in turn, was a part of IPY. During this cruises multidisciplinary investigations were performed, including sea-ice observations, CTD and ADCP profiling, carbon flux, nutrients and primary production measurements, phytoplankton sampling. Zooplankton was collected with the Hydro-Bios WP2 net and MultiNet Zooplankton Sampler, (mouth area 0.25 m2, mesh size 180 um).Samples were taken from the depth strata of 2000-1500, 1500-1000, 1000-500,500-200, 200-100, 100-60, 60-30, 30-0 m. Gut fluorescence

  17. Biochemical composition of Antarctic zooplankton from the Indian Ocean sector

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Ingole, B.S.; Parulekar, A.H.

    Zooplankton samples were analysed for faunal composition, organic carbon, protein, carbohydrate and lipid content. Total zooplankton biomass (as displacement volume) varied from 0.032 to 0.500 ml.m sup(-3) (x = 0.23 + or - 0.14) in upper 200 m...

  18. Changes of species composition, formation of quantitative structure and peculiarities of development of proto- and meta zooplankton under the impact of ecological factors in Lake Drukshiai

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mazheikaite, S.

    1997-01-01

    According to 1993-95 research data, water temperature was found to be the most significant factor influencing the structure of zooplankton as well as seasonal development changes. Because of great amount of heated water discharged from Ignalina NPP, determining an increase of the temperature in all water layers and disappearance of the thermal zone below 10 degrees of Centigrade in deep water layers in summer, the species diversity of zooplankton decreased more than twice if compared with 1979-86. Cold-steno thermal species were the first to disappear. At the same time, warm-requiring and eurithermal species predominated. Natural seasonal rise of temperature (till 26.5 degrees of Centigrade) stimulated the development of some groups of meta zooplankton (Cladocera and Copepod a). The abundance of most species of Rotator ia decreased when the water temperature was over 15 degrees of Centigrade. The heated water discharged from Ignalina NPP caused structural changes of meta zooplankton, decrease of its biomass, decrease of the amount and biomass of proto zooplankton in this area. Because of heated water impact, the highest mortality of proto zooplankton was observed in summer. One maximum of quantitative development was characteristic of seasonal dynamics of zooplankton in Lake Drukshiai, while in water basins with natural thermal regime there are 2 seasonal maxima. Dependence of proto zooplankton on phytoplankton nd on Copepod a as well as dependence of meta zooplankton on phytoplankton were investigated. Data on spatial distribution of zooplankton in Lake Drukshiai indicate the eutrophication process in the southwestern part of the lake (because of increase of biogen s concentration). (author)

  19. impact of physicochemical factors on zooplankton species richness

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    This study revealed that physicochemical fluctuations was negative impact on the zooplankton species ... of convergence of wastewater streams, of which Jakara River carries ..... Discharge on Physicochemical Parameters and Some Heavy ...

  20. Zooplankton of an urban coastal lagoon: composition and association with environmental factors and summer fish kill

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    Leonardo C. e Souza

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Zooplankton may be regarded as a sensitive tool for monitoring environmental variations in coastal lagoons due to their ability to immediately react to changes in the water column trophic features and salinity levels. As a coastal lagoon with a broad history of anthropic influence, Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is widely used for water sports and artisanal fishing. The present study aimed to expand the knowledge base about zooplankton in the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon by assessing the composition and time-spatial distribution of the major zooplankton groups. Samples were collected fortnightly from at four distinct sampling points August 2001 to July 2002. At each point, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and water transparency were measured. During the study period, the lagoon behaved as an spatially homogeneous environment in what regards the abiotic variables. However, all these variables showed significant differences along the time, mainly related to seasonality (air temperature and rainy and dry periods. The zooplankton community showed low taxonomic richness, with the predominance of species commonly found in coastal lagoons, especially with mesohaline conditions, as well as those found in estuaries. An interesting fact was the rise in zooplankton abundance at all sampling points right after a fish kill event. Such increase was caused mainly by the Brachionus plicatilis O.F. Müller 1786 species. Thus, the zooplankton community was affected by physical and chemical factors, mainly by the dissolved oxygen decline event and variations in the influx of seawater into the lagoon. In addition, phytoplankton availability and fish predation pressure were suggested as important regulating factors of the zooplankton community.

  1. Biomass and composition of zooplankton in and around Gulf of Kutch

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Govindan, K.; Kasinathan, R.; Desai, B.N.

    Biomass and composition of zooplankton in the nearshore waters of Thal, Maharashtra, India were studied at 9 stations during Feb. 1980 to Jan. 1981. The recorded variation in zooplankton biomass was 4.8-80.6 ml.(100 m super(3))/1 [av. 22.9 ml.(100 m...

  2. Zooplankton species identities collected from zooplankton net casts in Indian Ocean from 17 February 1960 to 23 July 1962 (NODC Accession 9400059)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton species identities and other data were collected using zooplankton net casts in the Indian Ocean. Data were collected from 17 February 1960 to 23 July...

  3. Amino acid composition reveals functional diversity of zooplankton in tropical lakes related to geography, taxonomy and productivity.

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    Aranguren-Riaño, Nelson J; Guisande, Cástor; Shurin, Jonathan B; Jones, Natalie T; Barreiro, Aldo; Duque, Santiago R

    2018-04-16

    Variation in resource use among species determines their potential for competition and co-existence, as well as their impact on ecosystem processes. Planktonic crustaceans consume a range of micro-organisms that vary among habitats and species, but these differences in resource consumption are difficult to characterize due to the small size of the organisms. Consumers acquire amino acids from their diet, and the composition of tissues reflects both the use of different resources and their assimilation in proteins. We examined the amino acid composition of common crustacean zooplankton from 14 tropical lakes in Colombia in three regions (the Amazon floodplain, the eastern range of the Andes, and the Caribbean coast). Amino acid composition varied significantly among taxonomic groups and the three regions. Functional richness in amino acid space was greatest in the Amazon, the most productive region, and tended to be positively related to lake trophic status, suggesting the niche breadth of the community could increase with ecosystem productivity. Functional evenness increased with lake trophic status, indicating that species were more regularly distributed within community-wide niche space in more productive lakes. These results show that zooplankton resource use in tropical lakes varies with both habitat and taxonomy, and that lake productivity may affect community functional diversity and the distribution of species within niche space.

  4. Biomass and composition of zooplankton in the nearshore waters of Thal, Maharashtra

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.; Gajbhiye, S.N; Krishnakumari, L; Desai, B.N

    Biomass and composition of zooplankton in the nearshore waters of Thal, Maharashtra, India were studied at 9 stations during Feb. 1980 to Jan. 1981. The recorded variation in zooplankton biomass was 4.8-80.6 ml.(100 m super(3))/1 [av. 22.9 ml.(100 m...

  5. Zooplankton composition in Dharamtar creek adjoining Bombay harbour

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Tiwari, L.R.; Nair, V.R.

    bedoti was the true inhabitant. In general zooplankton production indicated 1.5 fold increase towards the upper reaches of the creek where salinity variations were drastic. A more diversified faunal assemblage of oceanic and neritic species characterised...

  6. Zooplankton community structure in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea in autumn

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    Hongju Chen

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Study on zooplankton spatial distribution is essential for understanding food web dynamics in marine ecosystems and fishery management. Here we elucidated the composition and distribution of large mesozooplankton on the continental shelf of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, and explored the zooplankton community structure in these water masses. Sixty vertical hauls (bottom or 200 m in deep water to surface using a ring net (diameter 0.8 m, 505-μm mesh were exploited in November 2007. The biogeographic patterns of zooplankton communities were investigated using multivariate analysis methods; copepod biodiversity was analyzed using univariate indices. Copepods and protozoans were dominate in the communities. Based on the species composition, we divided the study areas into six station groups. Significant differences in zooplankton assemblages were detected between the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. Species richness was higher in East China Sea groups than those in Yellow Sea, whereas taxonomic distinctness was higher in Yellow Sea than in East China Sea. There was a clear relationship between the species composition and water mass group.

  7. Biochemical composition of zooplankton from the Andaman Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.; Rao, T.S.S.; Matondkar, S.G.P.

    Protein was the dominant constituent in mixed zooplankton major planktonic groups and some common species collected from the Andaman Sea. Overall mean values, calculated as a percentage of dry weight, were 45,14 protein, 10.6 lipid, 4.2 carbohydrate...

  8. Impacts of zooplankton composition and algal enrichment on the accumulation of mercury in an experimental freshwater food web

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pickhardt, Paul C. [Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States)]. E-mail: paul.pickhardt@stonybrook.edu; Folt, Carol L. [Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Chen, Celia Y. [Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Klaue, Bjoern [Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Blum, Joel D. [Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

    2005-03-01

    There is a well documented accumulation of mercury in fish to concentrations of concern for human consumption. Variation in fish Hg burden between lakes is often high and may result from differences in Hg transfer through lower levels of the food web where mercury is bioconcentrated to phytoplankton and transferred to herbivorous zooplankton. Prior research derived patterns of mercury accumulation in freshwater invertebrates from field collected animals. This study provides results from controlled mesocosm experiments comparing the effects of zooplankton composition, algal abundance, and the chemical speciation of mercury on the ability of zooplankton to accumulate mercury from phytoplankton and transfer that mercury to planktivores. Experiments were conducted in 550-L mesocosms across a gradient of algal densities manipulated by inorganic nutrient additions. Enriched, stable isotopes of organic (CH{sub 3} {sup 200}HgCl) and inorganic ({sup 201}HgCl{sub 2}) mercury were added to mesocosms and their concentrations measured in water, seston, and three common zooplankton species. After 2 weeks, monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations were two to three times lower in the two copepod species, Leptodiaptomus minutus and Mesocyclops edax than in the cladoceran, Daphnia mendotae. All three zooplankton species had higher MMHg concentrations in mesocosms with low versus high initial algal abundance. However, despite higher concentrations of inorganic mercury (Hg{sub I}) in seston from low nutrient mesocosms, there were no significant differences in the Hg{sub I} accumulated by zooplankton across nutrient treatments. Bioaccumulation factors for MMHg in the plankton were similar to those calculated for plankton in natural lakes and a four-compartment (aqueous, seston, macrozooplankton, and periphyton/sediments) mass balance model after 21 days accounted for {approx}18% of the CH{sub 3} {sup 200}Hg and {approx}33% of the {sup 201}Hg added. Results from our experiments

  9. Impacts of zooplankton composition and algal enrichment on the accumulation of mercury in an experimental freshwater food web

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pickhardt, Paul C.; Folt, Carol L.; Chen, Celia Y.; Klaue, Bjoern; Blum, Joel D.

    2005-01-01

    There is a well documented accumulation of mercury in fish to concentrations of concern for human consumption. Variation in fish Hg burden between lakes is often high and may result from differences in Hg transfer through lower levels of the food web where mercury is bioconcentrated to phytoplankton and transferred to herbivorous zooplankton. Prior research derived patterns of mercury accumulation in freshwater invertebrates from field collected animals. This study provides results from controlled mesocosm experiments comparing the effects of zooplankton composition, algal abundance, and the chemical speciation of mercury on the ability of zooplankton to accumulate mercury from phytoplankton and transfer that mercury to planktivores. Experiments were conducted in 550-L mesocosms across a gradient of algal densities manipulated by inorganic nutrient additions. Enriched, stable isotopes of organic (CH 3 200 HgCl) and inorganic ( 201 HgCl 2 ) mercury were added to mesocosms and their concentrations measured in water, seston, and three common zooplankton species. After 2 weeks, monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations were two to three times lower in the two copepod species, Leptodiaptomus minutus and Mesocyclops edax than in the cladoceran, Daphnia mendotae. All three zooplankton species had higher MMHg concentrations in mesocosms with low versus high initial algal abundance. However, despite higher concentrations of inorganic mercury (Hg I ) in seston from low nutrient mesocosms, there were no significant differences in the Hg I accumulated by zooplankton across nutrient treatments. Bioaccumulation factors for MMHg in the plankton were similar to those calculated for plankton in natural lakes and a four-compartment (aqueous, seston, macrozooplankton, and periphyton/sediments) mass balance model after 21 days accounted for ∼18% of the CH 3 200 Hg and ∼33% of the 201 Hg added. Results from our experiments corroborate results from field studies and suggest the

  10. Zooplankton standing stock and composition in coastal waters of Goa, west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.

    Temporal and spatial variability in standing stock and zooplankton composition at 5 stations along the Goa Coast, India during 1975-76 were studied. Standing stock values ranged from 22.81 to 53.65 mg C.m/3. Zooplankton community was diverse...

  11. Zooplankton communities in Cenderawasih Bay National Park, West Papua: can their composition be used to predict whale shark Rhincodon typus Smith, 1828 appearance frequencies?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marliana, S. N.; Bataona, M.; Ihsan, E. N.

    2018-03-01

    The use of lift net fishing vessels in Cenderawasih Bay National Park (CBNP) along with the increased popularity of CBNP as an ecotourism area is suspected to have an impact on the behavior and population of its whale sharks Rhincodon typus Smith, 1828. The differing frequency of whale shark appearances along the waters of CBNP has been alleged to be related to the distribution of the whale sharks’ food sources, one of which is zooplankton. This preliminary research aimed to investigate the composition of the zooplankton community in CBNP based on distance from the coast and difference in locations, and to use the pattern of zooplankton compositional variation as a basis for indication of the frequency of whale shark appearances. There were clear differences in the composition and diversity of zooplankton communities among sampling stations, but these differences were not strong enough to infer the cause of the different whale shark appearance frequencies in different locations. Nevertheless, the waters of CBNP had an equal availability of zooplankton for whale sharks. With the increasing popularity of whale shark tourism, understanding the species’ feeding habits is critical to the sustainability of both the industry and the enigmatic species on which it depends.

  12. Zooplankton composition of the Kalpeni and Agatti atolls, Lakshadweep archiplago

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Achuthankutty, C.T.; Nair, S.R.S.; Haridas, P.; Madhupratap, M.

    Composition of zooplankton in the lagoons was quite different from that of the sea and to a large extent, was independent of oceanic influence While copepods were dominant in the sea, meroplankton, particularly brachyuran zoeae constituted...

  13. Oceanographic mechanisms that possibly explain dominance of neritic-tropical zooplankton species assemblages around the Islas Marías Archipelago, Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The nearshore zooplankton species assemblage, identified per taxonomic groups (20 and per species for 12 selected groups, was analyzed from samples collected during November 2010 at four volcanic islands of the Islas Marías Archipelago (IMA, located 90-120 km offshore Nayarit, Mexico. From chlorophyll-a concentration and zooplankton biovolume perspective mesotrophic conditions prevailed in comparison with the Gulf of California during November. Crustaceans numerically dominated the zooplankton assemblage (92.3% [Copepoda (79.2%, Decapoda larvae (4.7%, Cladocera (3.7%, Mysidacea (2.7%, and Euphausiacea (2.0%]. The other 15 taxonomic groups (7.7% combined accounted each one less than 1.5% of the relative abundance. Species richness of selected taxa (~56%> included 259 taxa (121 identified to species, 117 to genus, and 21 not identified. Tropical species from neritic affinity clearly dominated zooplankton assemblage around IMA. Five tropical Copepoda species [Calanopia minor (Dana, Clausocalanus jobei Frost & Fleminger, Acrocalanus gibber Giesbrecht, Canthocalanus pauper (Giesbrecht, and Centropages furcatus (Dana], a cladoceran Pseudevadne tergestina (Claus, and a Mysidacea species (Mysidium reckettsi Harrison & Bowman dominated the zooplankton assemblage (accounting about 55% of total abundance of the identified species. Except C. furcatus, all these species are not abundant at oceanic regions of the central and northern Gulf of California. The similarity of multiple neritic and tropical species in the zooplankton assemblage from IMA and Cape Corrientes suggests strong coastal-insular plankton connectivity. Episodic current plumes associated with anomalous intense rivers discharge during rainy years, eddies generated by coastal upwelling event that move offshore, and northward regional oceanic circulation are the most likely mesoscale oceanographic processes that cause costal tropical zooplankton drift enhancing coastal-Archipelago species

  14. Diel variations in zooplankton and their biochemical composition from Vengurla to Ratnagiri, west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.; KrishnaKumari, L.; Shrivastava, Y.

    Diel variations in zooplankton biomass, common groups and proximate composition zooplankton at stations between Vengurla to Ratnagiri, along west coast of India were studied. Higher biomass values were obtained for the night samples (av = 80 ml/100...

  15. Biomass and composition of zooplankton in Auranga, Ambika, Purna and Mindola estuaries of south Gujarat

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.; Gajbhiye, S.N.; JiyalalRam, M.J.; Desai, B.N.

    Biomass and composition of zooplankton in the nearshore waters of Thal, Maharashtra, India were studied at 9 stations during Feb. 1980 to Jan. 1981. The recorded variation in zooplankton biomass was 4.8-80.6 ml.(100 m super(3))/1 [av. 22.9 ml.(100 m...

  16. Zooplankton community response to experimental acidification in boreal shield lakes with different ecological histories

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Derry, A.M.; Arnott, S.E. [Queen' s Univ., Kingston, ON (Canada). Dept. of Biology

    2007-06-15

    This study investigated the adaptive response of crustacean zooplankton to widespread regional acidification at the Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario. Mesocosm experiments were conducted in 2 circumneutral lakes with different acidification histories. A reciprocal transplant field enclosure experiment was conducted to assess whether the zooplankton community within the acid-recovering boreal shield lake showed evidence of increased acid tolerance to historical acidification following a 6 year period in which the lake's pH was 6.0. The enclosures were filled with epilimnetic water from the lake. Zooplankton from other lakes in the area were used. Zooplankton and water samples were collected from the enclosures once a week. Shannon-Wiener indices, species richness, and total abundance of the zooplankton were calculated for each sample day. Repeated measures analyses of variance (RM-ANOVAs) were used to test for the effects of the incubation lake, the zooplankton source, and the pH. Species abundance data were log{sub 10} transformed to improve homogeneity of variances and normality. Principle components analysis was conducted on species abundances to infer the influence of treatments on zooplankton community composition. Zooplankton were also transferred from 1 lake to the other in order to determine if subtle differences in local water chemistry and food conditions were limiting the recovery of species in acid-recovering lakes. The study showed that 2 key species, H. gibberum and L. minutus, contributed to community-level differences to acid tolerance of zooplankton with different acidification histories. It was concluded that zooplankton with adaptable acid tolerances may monopolize resources in acidified and acid-recovering lakes, and may contribute to the delayed recolonization of other taxa. 62 refs., 3 tabs., 6 figs.

  17. An overview of a uranium acidic mining lake (Caldas, Brazil): composition of the zooplankton community and limno-chemical aspects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nascimento, H.; Ferrari, C.; Roque, C.V.; Nascimento, M.R. [Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission/Pocos de Caldas Laboratory (Brazil); Wisniewski, M.J. [Alfenas Federal University/Limnology Laboratory (Brazil); Rodgher, S. [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho/Science and Technology Laboratory (Brazil)

    2014-07-01

    This research represents an attempt to fill a gap in the information on the zooplankton composition and limno-chemical aspects of the uranium pit lake (Osamu Utsumi Pit, Brazil), affected by acid mine drainage. In the present study water samples were collected three-monthly, for a period of one year (2008-2009). The water samples from the uranium pit lake showed moderately acidic pH values (3.6 to 4.1), high values of the electrical conductivity, sulfate, uranium, fluoride, zinc, manganese and aluminum concentrations. The Rotifera cephalodella sp., Keratella americana, K. cochlearis, Bdelloidea order and the Cladocera Bosminopsis deitersi, Bosmina sp., were registered in the samples from the uranium pit lake with ADM. Of the species registered the Bdelloidea order was the most important in terms of density (17,500 - 77,778 ind m{sup -3}), since it occurred throughout the whole sampling period. In this study, probably the combined effect of moderately acid pH values and other potentially co-stressors factors, for example the high concentrations of stable and radioactive chemical species, could have influenced this richness and also the composition of the zooplankton species in the water samples from the uranium pit lake. Document available in abstract form only. (authors)

  18. Biochemical composition and caloric potential of zooplankton from Bay of Bengal

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sreepada, R.A.; Rivonker, C.U.; Parulekar, A.H.

    Proximate composition and variations in protein, lipid, carbohydrate, ash and organic carbon in zooplankton from 42 stations in the Bay of Bengal are reported. Average percentages of moisture, protein, lipid, carbohydrate, ash and carbon were 85...

  19. Diversity and seasonal variation of zooplankton of Lake Hlan ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SARAH

    2016-06-30

    Jun 30, 2016 ... The taxonomic composition and the species ... Keywords: Biodiversity; Community structure; Hydrological season; Zooplankton .... Table 1: Seasonal change in recorded environmental parameters ..... reproduction, growth and life duration (Fernandez de .... Spatial temporal patterns and relationships with.

  20. Effects of Climate on the Zooplankton of the California Current

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavaniegos, B. E.

    2007-05-01

    Almost six decades of sampling of the California Current system, carried out by the CalCOFI program (California Cooperative Fisheries Investigation) complemented by a decade of observations from the IMECOCAL program (Investigaciones Mexicanas de la Corriente de California), have revealed changing patterns in zooplankton abundances, species composition, and distributions over interannual through multidecadal time scales. Interannual changes associated with ENSO variability are manifested as strong but transitory perturbations in the mean annual cycle in seasonal abundances (and distributions) of particular species. An investigation of longer- term change, limited to the region off southern California, shows a persistent decline in zooplankton volumes (a proxy for overall biomass of macrozooplankton) between 1977 and 1998 that is considered to be a response to the well documented shift in basin-scale climate forcing that occurred in 1976-77. Further examination of this decline in zooplankton volumes indicates that it was due principally to the disappearance of several salp species after 1977. Other species and functional groups did not decline after the change in climate regime, while some species have followed persistent secular trends that appear to be associated more with the phenomenon of long-term global warming. Differences in the regional responses to climate change throughout the California Current system have also been observed recently in the spatial distribution of zooplankton biomass and changes in latitudinal ranges of certain species. For example, zooplankton biomass in the Baja California region show typical values for the 1997-98 El Niño that were followed by a decrease during the sharp transition to the cool La Niña conditions in 1999. This contrasts with the nearby region off southern California that was characterized by reduced biomass during the El Niño period and the subsequent recovery during the La Niña. Another regional contrast in

  1. Productivity, trophic levels and size spectra of zooplankton in northern Norwegian shelf regions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Meng; Tande, Kurt S.; Zhu, Yiwu; Basedow, Sünnje

    2009-10-01

    Many studies have been conducted in northern Norwegian shelf regions to assess distributions and abundances of zooplankton in the last decade using towed Scanfish-conductivity, temperature and depth sensors (CTD)-optical plankton counter (OPC), and plankton nets. Significant progresses have been made in understanding dominant species, life histories and behavior, and in using size-structured data to identify dominant species in a certain size range. Using these Scanfish-CTD-OPC data, the analysis of zooplankton community size structures, compositions and their relationships with water types is made along the shelf region from Lofoten, North Cape to Varangerfjorden. From the relationships between the water types and zooplankton communities, the transports and exchanges of zooplankton communities between the Norwegian Coastal and Norwegian Atlantic Waters in regions near Malangsgrunnen and Nordvestbanken are examined. The biovolume (biomass) spectra are further analyzed for the productivity, trophic levels and seasonality of communities in these regions, indicating a steeper slope of the biovolume spectrum for a community dominated by herbivorous species in spring and a flatter slope for a community dominated by carnivorous-omnivorous species in winter. The comparison with the zooplankton biovolume spectra obtained in areas west of Antarctic Peninsula is made to examine and understand the differences in the zooplankton biovolume spectra, their trophic dynamics and potential human impacts between different regions.

  2. Reaction of fresh water zooplankton community to chronic radiation exposure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Osipov, D.; Pryakhin, E. [Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine - URCRM (Russian Federation); Ivanov, I. [FSUE Mayak PA (Russian Federation)

    2014-07-01

    The characteristic features of ecological community as a whole and cenosis of zooplankton organisms as part of it determine the intensity of the processes of self-purification of water and the formation of a particular body of water. Identifying features of the structure and composition of the zooplankton community of aquatic ecosystems exposed to different levels of radiation exposure, it is necessary to identify patterns of changes in zooplankton and hydro-biocenosis as a whole. Industrial reservoirs, the storage of liquid low-level radioactive waste 'Mayak' for decades, have high radiation load. A large range of levels of radioactive contamination (total volume beta-activity in water varies from 2.2x10{sup 3} to 2.3x10{sup 7} Bq/l, total volume alpha-activity - from 2.6x10{sup -1} to 3.1x10{sup 3} Bq/l) provides a unique opportunity to study ecosystems in a number of reservoirs with increasing impact of radiation factor. We studied five reservoirs that were used as the storage of low-and intermediate-level liquid radioactive waste pond and one comparison water body. In parallel with zooplankton sampling water samples were collected for hydro-chemical analysis. 41 indicators were analysed in order to assess the water chemistry. To determine the content of radionuclides in the various components of the ecosystem samples were collected from water, bottom sediments and plankton. Sampling of zooplankton for the quantitative analysis was performed using the method of weighted average auto bathometer. Apshteyn's plankton net of the surface horizon was used for qualitative analysis of the species composition of zooplankton. Software package ERICA Assessment Tool 2012 was used for the calculation of the absorbed dose rate. Species diversity and biomass of zooplankton, the share of rotifers in the number of species, abundance and biomass decrease with the increase of the absorbed dose rate and salinity. The number of species in a sample decreases with the

  3. Zooplankton assemblage of Oyun Reservoir, Offa, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustapha, Moshood K

    2009-12-01

    The influence of physico-chemical properties of Oyun Reservoir, Offa, Nigeria (a shallow tropical African reservoir) on its zooplankton composition and abundance were investigated at three stations for two years between January 2002 and December 2003. Diversity is not high: only three groups of zooplankton were found: Rotifera with eight genera; and Cladocera and Copepoda with three genera each. Rotifera dominated numerically (71.02%), followed by Cladocera (16.45%) and Copepoda (12.53%). The zooplankton was more prevalent during the rainy season, and there were variations in the composition and abundance along the reservoir continuum. Factors such as temperature, nutrients, food availability, shape and hydrodynamics of the reservoir, as well as reproductive strategies of the organisms, strongly influence the generic composition and population density of zooplankton. Prevention of ecological deterioration of the water body would greatly should result in a more productive water body, rich in zooplankton and with better fisheries.

  4. Zooplankton studies in Visakhapatnam harbour and nearshore waters, east coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rathod, V.; Sarma, V.V.

    Distribution of zooplankton biomass in the waters studied showed remarkable variations. The faunal composition was very diverse and the number of species present was more especially during late pre- and post-monsoon seasons with conspicuous decrease...

  5. Null models for study Rotifers and Crustaceans Zooplankton species richness in Chilean Patagonian lakes

    OpenAIRE

    Escalante, Patricio de los Ríos

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Aims The Patagonian lakes are characterized by their oligotrophy that is the cause of low species number in their zooplankton assemblage. The aim of the present study is to analyze the crustacean and rotifers species number pattern in Patagonian lakes among a latitudinal gradient (40-51 °S). Results The results revealed that there are direct significant correlations between total species with rotifer species, and chlorophyll concentration with crustacean species number, and an inve...

  6. Structural-functional organization of the littoral zooplankton communities of the Kremenchutskiy reservoir

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. Burian

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To find out the present state of the structural and functional organization of the littoral zooplankton communities of the upper Kremenchuk reservoir in the area of ​​the Kaniv Nature Reserve. Methodology. The material was collected in the summer time of 2016 at six stations of the littoral zone of the upper Kremenchug reservoir. The collection and analysis were carried out using generally accepted methods. The objects of the research were representatives of three main groups of zooplankton (rotifers, cladocerans, copepods, as well as ostracods and larvae of bivalve molluscs. Statistical data processing was done in MS Excel 2013. Findings. The results of the study represent the present state and organisation of littoral zooplankton. The species richness of the littoral zooplankton of the upper Kremenchug reservoir was presented by 48 species. There are 20 species of monogonont rotifers, 18 cladocerans species and copepods – 10. The representatives of the rotifer-cladoceran complex dominated in the taxonomic composition that can be explained by the preservation of the river regime and the rheophilic conditions in this part of the reservoir. The analysis showed that according to the ecological spectrum of zooplankton groups, the representatives of the pelagic group dominated – 47.92%. As for the feeding type, the largest share was represented by the non-predatory group – 64.58%. After analyzing of the quantitative indices (density and biomass of zooplankton, it was found that they were lower than average for overgrown biotopes (112580 ± 129914 ind./m³ і 1.83 ± 2.07 g/m³ and low for open water (26160 ± 19161 ind./m³ і 0,82 ± 0,86 g/m³. Originality. The present state of structural and functional organization of the littoral zooplankton communities of the upper Kremenchug reservoir has been revealed. Practical significance. The conducted studies give the information about the structural and functional organization of the

  7. Biomass and biochemical composition of zooplankton from northwest Bay of Bengal during January 1990

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Krishnakumari, L.; Goswami, S.C.

    Biomass, proximate composition, organic carbon and calorie content of assorted zooplankton from the surface waters were studied. Day and night stations revealed significant difference in biomass (displacement volume, dry wt and organic carbon...

  8. Dynamics of zooplankton community of Lake Tarasmozero in long-term anthropogenic pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuchko Yaroslav Alexandrovich

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available In the article the results of zooplankton studies in Lake Tarasmozero (Lizhma river basin are presented. Wastes from the trout-breeding complex "Kedrozero" have been collected in this pond since 1992. The obtained data showed that from 1989 to 2012 a number of changes in zooplankton community take place and it is the evidence of the gradual increase in the trophic status of the reservoir. The average biomass of zooplankton increased from 500 to 1000 mg/m3. According to the trophic index (Myaemets, 1979, Tarasmozero is replaced into the category of mesotrophic water reservoirs (0.5 - 1.0. Saprobity index raised from 0.95 to 1.42. In the composition of the zooplankton there noted such species, as Polyarthra luminosa, Filinia longiseta, Trichocerca insignis, Daphnia longispina, Cyclops kolensis, which serve as indicators of increased trophic level in the conditions of moderate latitudes. After the trout farm started off, Bcrus/Brot indicator considerably decreased indicating to increasing role of rotifers in the formation of the total biomass of the zooplankton. Currently, the dominant species include D. longispina, Bosmina longirostris, Mesocyclops leuckarti, Asplanchna priodonta. In spite of the fact that the current changes are not catastrophic, it is reasonable to monitor regularly the initial links of the trophic chain of the reservoir ecosystem

  9. Structure, seasonal dynamics and distribution of zooplankton in lake Drukshiai in 1994

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mazheikaite, S.; Pashkauskas, R.

    1995-01-01

    Investigations on the zooplankton of Lake Drukshiai were carried out in 1994. There were registered 62 taxons of protozoa and 50 taxons of metazoa, and compared with the data of 1979 - 1986 the diversity of species composition decreased 2.1 times. Eurytermic and stenothermic thermophylic species prevailed in the plankton biocenosis. In protozooplankton dominated ciliates of subclasses teolotricha and spirotricha, in metazooplankton -planctonic crustacea (Copopeda and Cladocera). Rotifers (Rotaria) were abundant only in the shallow and heated water outlet area. Seasonal dynamics of protozooplankton indicated one maximum in spring and metazooplankton - in summer. High diferentiation in quantity and biomass of zooplankton in the lake revealed different level of eutrophication of some areas. (author). 7 refs., 5 figs

  10. Zooplankton from Lake Magelungen, Central Sweden 1960-1963

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almquist, Elisabeth

    1970-11-01

    The investigation of the zooplankton of Lake Magelungen, Central Sweden, was carried out over a period of three years. The aim of the investigation was to illustrate the qualitative and quantitative composition of the zooplankton before the release of waste water from the Aagesta Heat and Power Station began. Vertical sampling series were collected once a month at three different stations in the lake. The highest volumes of zooplankton were obtained in the summer. The ciliates predominated when the conditions were unfavourable for other zooplankton, as in winter just below the ice. The rotifers dominated during and immediately after the spring circulation. With one exception the crustaceans reached their peak volume values in August or September. The composition of the zooplankton indicates that Lake Magelungen is highly eutrophic

  11. Zooplankton from Lake Magelungen, Central Sweden 1960-1963

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almquist, Elisabeth

    1970-11-15

    The investigation of the zooplankton of Lake Magelungen, Central Sweden, was carried out over a period of three years. The aim of the investigation was to illustrate the qualitative and quantitative composition of the zooplankton before the release of waste water from the Aagesta Heat and Power Station began. Vertical sampling series were collected once a month at three different stations in the lake. The highest volumes of zooplankton were obtained in the summer. The ciliates predominated when the conditions were unfavourable for other zooplankton, as in winter just below the ice. The rotifers dominated during and immediately after the spring circulation. With one exception the crustaceans reached their peak volume values in August or September. The composition of the zooplankton indicates that Lake Magelungen is highly eutrophic

  12. Article Review: Lessepsian migration of zooplankton through Suez Canal and its impact on ecological system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Howaida Y. Zakaria

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The marine environment of the East Mediterranean has been considerably impacted in modern times by two man-made changes: the creation of a waterway between the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean basins and the control of the Nile fresh-water outflow. The opening of the Suez Canal caused a migration generally from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and rarely in the opposite direction as the Red Sea is generally saltier and more nutrient-poor than the Atlantic, so the Red Sea species have advantages over Atlantic species in the salty and nutrient-poor eastern Mediterranean. Accordingly Red Sea species invaded the Mediterranean ecosystem and not vice versa; this phenomenon is known as the Lessepsian migration or erythrean invasion. The composition of zooplankton in the eastern Mediterranean has been shown to include a large proportion of Indo-Pacific and other circumtropical species which have successfully settled and proliferated in this environment. During the present study, an overview is provided on zooplankton migration through Suez Canal and its impact on the ecological system based on published literature. It is also meant with the hydrographic and zooplankton characteristics of the adjacent seas. It is clear that, except jellyfish Rhopilema nomadica, the negative impact of zooplankton Lessepsian migratory species in the Egyptian Mediterranean waters is not evident. Finally, it would be concluded that, a continuous monitoring programme will be needed to record the recent erythrean zooplankton species and follow up the distribution and abundance of those previously recorded as aliens to assess their impacts on the native biodiversity of the Mediterranean.

  13. Preliminary assessment of the zooplankton community composition in a region under the influence of a uranium mine (Caldas, Southeastern Brazil)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferrari, Carla Rolim; Roque, Claudio Vitor; Ronqui, Leilane B.; Campos, Michelle B.; Rodgher, Suzelei; Nascimento, Marcos Roberto Lopes; Azevedo, Heliana de; Wisniewski, Maria Jose dos Santos

    2009-01-01

    The Ore Treatment Unit consists of an open cast mine (CM), its mining waste areas, facilities for the physical treatment of the ore, and a chemical treatment plant for uranium extraction. At CM, the processes of acid drainage create effluents, which are treated by chemical processes and, thereafter, disposed of in Antas dam. The objective of the present study was to make an inventory of zooplanktonic and describe the physicochemical characteristics of site CM and at the site of treated effluents disposal (site 41), located at Antas dam. Water samples were collected in October/08 and January/09, in order to describe the abiotic variables and the zooplankton community. The average values of conductivity at sites CM and 41 were 2415 and 422 μ/cm 2 , respectively. Values of pH at site CM remained acid, whereas, at site 41 we recorded values near neutrality. The concentrations of total nutrients at both sampling sites were higher in the rainy season. Zooplankton species richness present at site CM was lower than at site 41, and there were only two identified species Bosmina sp and Keratella americana. At site 41 we recorded more species, mainly of the Rotifera. Among Cladocera, we identified two species, regarding Copepoda, the orders Cyclopoida and Calanoida were present. At site CM the density values were lower compared to site 41. The preliminary assessment of the zooplankton community showed lower values of species richness and density at site CM, what may be probably explained by the adverse environmental conditions for zooplankton community. (author)

  14. [Effects of large bio-manipulation fish pen on community structure of crustacean zooplankton in Meiliang Bay of Taihu Lake].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ke, Zhi-Xin; Xie, Ping; Guo, Long-Gen; Xu, Jun; Zhou, Qiong

    2012-08-01

    In 2005, a large bio-manipulation pen with the stock of silver carp and bighead carp was built to control the cyanobacterial bloom in Meiliang Bay of Taihu Lake. This paper investigated the seasonal variation of the community structure of crustacean zooplankton and the water quality within and outside the pen. There were no significant differences in the environmental parameters and phytoplankton biomass within and outside the pen. The species composition and seasonal dynamics of crustacean zooplankton within and outside the pen were similar, but the biomass of crustacean zooplankton was greatly suppressed by silver carp and bighead carp. The total crustacean zooplankton biomass and cladocerans biomass were significantly lower in the pen (P < 0.05). In general, silver carp and bighead carp exerted more pressure on cladoceran species than on copepod species. A distinct seasonal succession of crustacean zooplankton was observed in the Bay. Many crustacean species were only dominated in given seasons. Large-sized crustacean (mainly Daphnia sp. and Cyclops vicnus) dominated in winter and spring, while small-sized species (mainly Bosmina sp., Ceriodaphnia cornuta, and Limnoithona sinensis) dominated in summer and autumn. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that water transparency, temperature, and phytoplankton biomass were the most important factors affecting the seasonal succession of the crustacean.

  15. Seasonal variation of zooplankton abundance and community structure in Prince William Sound, Alaska, 2009-2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinstry, Caitlin A. E.; Campbell, Robert W.

    2018-01-01

    Large calanoid copepods and other zooplankters comprise the prey field for ecologically and economically important predators such as juvenile pink salmon, herring, and seabirds in Prince William Sound (PWS).​ From 2009-2016, the Gulf Watch Alaska program collected zooplankton 5-10 times each year at 12 stations in PWS to establish annual patterns. Surveys collected 188 species of zooplankton with Oithona similis, Limacina helicina, Pseudocalanus spp., and Acartia longiremis as the most common species present in 519 samples. Generalized additive models assessed seasonal abundance and showed peak abundance in July (mean: 9826 no. m-3 [95% CI: 7990-12,084]) and lowest abundance in January (503 no. m-3 [373 to 678]). Significantly higher zooplankton abundance occurred in 2010 (542 no. m-3 ± 55 SE) and lowest in 2013 (149 no. m-3 ± 13). The species composition of communities, determined via hierarchical cluster analysis and indicator species analysis, produced six distinct communities based on season and location. The winter community, characterized by warm-water indicator species including Mesocalanus tenuicornis, Calanus pacificus, and Corycaeus anglicus, diverged into four communities throughout the spring and summer. The first spring community, characterized by copepods with affinities for lower salinities, occurred sound-wide. The second spring community, comprised of planktonic larvae, appeared sporadically in PWS bays in 2011-2013. Spring and summer open water stations were defined by the presence of large calanoid copepods. A summer community including the most abundant taxa was common in 2010 and 2011, absent in 2013, then sporadically appeared in 2014 and 2015 suggesting interannual variability of zooplankton assemblages. The zooplankton community shifted to a uniform assemblage characterized by cnidarians in the early autumn. Community assemblages showed significant correlations to a set of environmental variables including SST, mixed layer depth

  16. Net-zooplankton abundance and biomass from Annaba Bay (SW Mediterranean Sea under estuarine influences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. OUNISSI

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Zooplankton samples were collected in Annaba Bay (Algeria from January 2009-March 2011 at three coastal sites differently affected by estuarine plumes and external currents. Aim of this survey was to analyze zooplankton composition, abundance and biomass and compare the results with previous studies to reveal possible populations and environmental changes. The mean zooplankton abundance varied between 1,200-6,000 ind. m-3 and biomass 6.70-25.70 mg DW m-3, according to the site. Copepods constituted the main fraction of zooplankton community, and Oithona similis and Paracalanus indicus successively dominated during autumn-winter and spring-summer. The dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans was one of the major zooplankton components, and developed high numbers during February-April, becoming common in neritic and coastal regions. The singularity of the zooplankton from Annaba Bay is the prevalence of P. indicus throughout the entire bay and the decrease in Acartia discaudata and A. clausi (with respect to previous years, possibly replaced by A. negligens. Additionally, Oithona nana abundance markedly decreased with the large development of O. similis. Annaba Bay also differs from other similar Mediterranean coastal areas by the large development of Centropages ponticus populations during the warm period. Among the identified copepod species, the alien species Pseudodiaptomus australiensis and P. arabicus are reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea. The occurrence of copepodid V stages of P. australiensis suggests that this species survives and reproduces in Annaba Bay, but so far without developing an abundant population.

  17. Zooplankton variability in the Zuari estuary, Goa

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.; Achuthankutty, C.T.; Nair, S.R.S.

    Short term variability in the secondary production and composition of zooplankton were studied during February to March 1979 by collecting zooplankton every alternate day from a station located near the mouth of Zuari. Irregularity in the production...

  18. Species composition, abundance and distribution of zooplankton in a tropical eutrophic lake: Lake Catemaco, México

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto E. Torres-Orozco B.

    1998-06-01

    Full Text Available From April 1992 to May 1993, zooplankton samples were collected monthly by means of horizontal tows in nine sites of the lake. Prior to the towing, temperature of surface water, transparency (Secchi, pH and dissolved oxygen were evaluated. A total of 31 zooplankton forms, including 14 species of rotifers, three copepods, five cladocerans and one ostracod, as well as protozoans (mainly vorticellids and ciliates, were detected. Rotifers were the dominant organisms, mainly Brachionus havanaensis (27.6 ind l-¹, B. angularis (6.9 ind l-¹, Keratella cochlearis (4.9 ind l-¹, Conochilus unicornis (10.8 ind l-¹ and C. dossuarius (3.1 ind l-¹. Within crustaceans, higher densities were shown by larvae (nauplii and copepodites of calanoid (16.8 ind l-¹ and cyclopoid (15.6 ind l-¹ copepods, as well as Arctodiaptomus dorsalis (2 ind l-¹, Mesocyclops edax (0.5 ind l-¹, and the cladocerans Bosmina longirostris (1.6 ind l-¹ and Diaphanosoma brachyurum (0.5 ind l-¹. Densities were low, probably because of a high predation pressure imposed by fishes. A gradual increase in total zooplankton density related with a progressive diminution of transparency was observed throughout the sampling period. Zooplankton densities in the stations located at the central part of the lake were higher when compared with those at a more peripheral position. Time variation in rotifer's relative abundance was directly related to temperature fluctuations. The low density and diversity values, the small size of the zooplankters, the presence of an important number of indicator species, and the calanoid copepods: other planktonic crustaceans low ratio, are all indicators of eutrophy. Evidences suggest that the eutrophication process of Lake Catemaco is still progressing rapidly.Entre abril de 1992 y mayo de 1993, se realizaron mensualmente recolectas subsuperficiales de zooplancton, con red, en nueve localidades del lago, en donde también se determinaron la temperatura

  19. The concentration of 137Cs and stable Cs in zooplankton in the western North Pacific in relation to their taxonomic composition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaeriyama, Hideki; Watabe, Teruhisa; Kusakabe, Masashi

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this study is to obtain information on the background level of 137 Cs in zooplankton in the waters close to Rokkasho-mura in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, where a large-scale project has been progressively promoted to establish the nuclear fuel cycle. Prior to the full-scale operation of the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, zooplankton samples were collected in May and October 2005, June 2006, and June 2007 from the surface water (0-5 m depth). The samples were analyzed to determine the concentrations of 137 Cs and stable Cs in relation to taxonomic composition. The numerical abundance of the plankton varied from 253 to 1514 inds. m -3 . Taxonomic composition differed between the two sampling periods. Although copepods formed the most abundant taxonomic group during both seasons, gelatinous plankton (chaetognaths, siphonophores, appendicularians and doliolids) were more abundant in October 2005 than in June 2006 and June 2007. The concentration of 137 Cs in zooplankton varied from 11 to 24 mBq kg-WW -1 . At the same station, the 137 Cs concentration in zooplankton in October 2005 was almost twice as much as that in June 2006, although the concentration of 137 Cs in seawater did not show a difference. The concentration of stable Cs was measured for each taxonomic group: that in gelatinous zooplankton (chaetognaths) was higher than that in crustacean zooplankton (copepods, euphausiids and amphipods). These results suggest that the concentration of 137 Cs in zooplankton is affected by the occurrence of gelatinous zooplankton. (author)

  20. Increased fitness of a key appendicularian zooplankton species under warmer, acidified seawater conditions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Marie Bouquet

    Full Text Available Ocean warming and acidification (OA may alter the fitness of species in marine pelagic ecosystems through community effects or direct physiological impacts. We used the zooplanktonic appendicularian, Oikopleura dioica, to assess temperature and pH effects at mesocosm and microcosm scales. In mesocosms, both OA and warming positively impacted O. dioica abundance over successive generations. In microcosms, the positive impact of OA, was observed to result from increased fecundity. In contrast, increased pH, observed for example during phytoplankton blooms, reduced fecundity. Oocyte fertility and juvenile development were equivalent under all pH conditions, indicating that the positive effect of lower pH on O. dioica abundance was principally due to increased egg number. This effect was influenced by food quantity and quality, supporting possible improved digestion and assimilation at lowered pH. Higher temperature resulted in more rapid growth, faster maturation and earlier reproduction. Thus, increased temperature and reduced pH had significant positive impacts on O. dioica fitness through increased fecundity and shortened generation time, suggesting that predicted future ocean conditions may favour this zooplankton species.

  1. A “Rosetta Stone” for metazoan zooplankton: DNA barcode analysis of species diversity of the Sargasso Sea (Northwest Atlantic Ocean)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bucklin, Ann; Ortman, Brian D.; Jennings, Robert M.; Nigro, Lisa M.; Sweetman, Christopher J.; Copley, Nancy J.; Sutton, Tracey; Wiebe, Peter H.

    2010-12-01

    Species diversity of the metazoan holozooplankton assemblage of the Sargasso Sea, Northwest Atlantic Ocean, was examined through coordinated morphological taxonomic identification of species and DNA sequencing of a ˜650 base-pair region of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) as a DNA barcode (i.e., short sequence for species recognition and discrimination). Zooplankton collections were made from the surface to 5,000 meters during April, 2006 on the R/V R.H. Brown. Samples were examined by a ship-board team of morphological taxonomists; DNA barcoding was carried out in both ship-board and land-based DNA sequencing laboratories. DNA barcodes were determined for a total of 297 individuals of 175 holozooplankton species in four phyla, including: Cnidaria (Hydromedusae, 4 species; Siphonophora, 47); Arthropoda (Amphipoda, 10; Copepoda, 34; Decapoda, 9; Euphausiacea, 10; Mysidacea, 1; Ostracoda, 27); and Mollusca (Cephalopoda, 8; Heteropoda, 6; Pteropoda, 15); and Chaetognatha (4). Thirty species of fish (Teleostei) were also barcoded. For all seven zooplankton groups for which sufficient data were available, Kimura-2-Parameter genetic distances were significantly lower between individuals of the same species (mean=0.0114; S.D. 0.0117) than between individuals of different species within the same group (mean=0.3166; S.D. 0.0378). This difference, known as the barcode gap, ensures that mtCOI sequences are reliable characters for species identification for the oceanic holozooplankton assemblage. In addition, DNA barcodes allow recognition of new or undescribed species, reveal cryptic species within known taxa, and inform phylogeographic and population genetic studies of geographic variation. The growing database of "gold standard" DNA barcodes serves as a Rosetta Stone for marine zooplankton, providing the key for decoding species diversity by linking species names, morphology, and DNA sequence variation. In light of the pivotal position of zooplankton in ocean

  2. Effects of UV-B irradiated algae on zooplankton grazing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lange, de H.J.; Lürling, M.F.L.L.W.

    2003-01-01

    We tested the effects of UV-B stressed algae on grazing rates of zooplankton. Four algal species ( Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Cryptomonas sp., Scenedesmus obliquus and Microcystis aeruginosa) were used as food and fed to three zooplankton species ( Daphnia galeata, Bosmina longirostris and

  3. Current status of zooplankton in reservoir R-3 of the 'Mayak' production association

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Osipova, O.; Pryakhin, E. [Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine - URCRM (Russian Federation); Ivanov, I. [FSUE Mayak PA (Russian Federation)

    2014-07-01

    One of the commonly used objects for the study of human influence on aquatic ecosystems is zooplankton. Zooplankton community is a sensitive component of biota in reservoir which can change their functional parameters and species composition in response to exposure to different factors. The role of zooplankton in the transformation of energy and in the biotic cycling of the substance is very important. The study of the responses of this element in the water ecosystem with anthropogenic influences, including radioactive contamination, is an important task. The object of the study was the zooplankton in the reservoir R-3, Chelyabinsk region, Russia. R-3 is located in the buffer zone of the 'Mayak' PA and is the storage for low-level radioactive waste. In addition to the high content of radionuclides (the average specific activity of {sup 90}Sr in water was 2.8 kBq/l, {sup 137}Cs - 0.7 kBq/l), this reservoir is characterized by high values of dichromate oxidizability and phosphate contamination. Previously, the study of the zooplankton of this reservoir was conducted in 1952, regular observations were not organized. Assessment of the current status of the community, more than half a century residing in the conditions of radioactive and chemical contamination, seems highly interesting. Sampling was carried out in 2011-2012 at three stations: in the upper, middle, and near the dam of the reservoir by the method of weighted average of samples with bathometer. Analysis of samples showed that the zooplankton community consists of the following major groups: rotifers and cladocerans and copepods crustaceans. In total in R-3 27 species of zooplankton, including 19 species of rotifers, 3 species of copepod and 3 species of cladocerans, as well as two species of ciliates were discovered. Zooplankton abundance in 2011 was 9±9 million individuals/m{sup 3} (given the mean and standard deviation), in 2012 - 26.0±0.9 million individuals/m{sup 3}. The main contribution

  4. ZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF THE SEA SURFACE MICROLAYER NEAR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AND MARINE FISH CULTURE ZONES IN DAYA BAY

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    杨宇峰; 王肇鼎; 潘明祥; 焦念志

    2002-01-01

    The authors' surveys in May-June 1999 (two cruises) at six sampling stations near nuclear power plants (NPP) and marine fish culture zones in Daya Bay, Guangdong, revealed species composition, densities and body-size of thesea surface microlayer (SM) zooplankton (>35 μm). Results showed that protozoans and copepod nauplii were the predominant components, accounting for 65.40% to95.56% of total zooplankton in abundance. The size-frequency distributions showed that the frequency of micro-zooplankton (0.02-0.2 mm) reached 0.8235. The SM zooplankton community structure revealed in the present study was quite different from that revealed by investigations in the 1980s in Daya Bay. Difference of sampling method has important influence on the obtained zooplankton community structure. SM zooplankton consisted of micro- and mesozooplankton (0.2-2.0 mm), with micro-zooplankton being predominant. Some possible cause-effect relations between the zooplankton community structure and mariculture, nuclear power plants cooling systems and sampling method are discussed.``

  5. Zooplankton trophic niches respond to different water types of the western Tasman Sea: A stable isotope analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henschke, Natasha; Everett, Jason D.; Suthers, Iain M.; Smith, James A.; Hunt, Brian P. V.; Doblin, Martina A.; Taylor, Matthew D.

    2015-10-01

    The trophic relationships of 21 species from an oceanic zooplankton community were studied using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Zooplankton and suspended particulate organic matter (POM) were sampled in three different water types in the western Tasman Sea: inner shelf (IS), a cold core eddy (CCE) and a warm core eddy (WCE). δ15N values ranged from 3.9‰ for the parasitic copepod Sapphirina augusta to 10.2‰ for the euphausiid, Euphausia spinifera. δ13C varied from -22.6 to -19.4‰ as a result of the copepod Euchirella curticauda and E. spinifera. The isotopic composition of POM varied significantly among water types; as did the trophic enrichment of zooplankton over POM, with the lowest enrichment in the recently upwelled IS water type (0.5‰) compared to the warm core eddy (1.6‰) and cold core eddy (2.7‰). The WCE was an oligotrophic environment and was associated with an increased trophic level for omnivorous zooplankton (copepods and euphausiids) to a similar level as carnivorous zooplankton (chaetognaths). Therefore carnivory in zooplankton can increase in response to lower abundance and reduced diversity in their phytoplankton and protozoan prey. Trophic niche width comparisons across three zooplankton species: the salp Thalia democratica, the copepod Eucalanus elongatus and the euphausiid Thysanoessa gregaria, indicated that both niche partitioning and competition can occur within the zooplankton community. We have shown that trophic relationships among the zooplankton are dynamic and respond to different water types. The changes to the zooplankton isotopic niche, however, were still highly variable as result of oceanographic variation within water types.

  6. Crustacean zooplankton species richness in Chilean lakes and ponds (23°-51°S

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricio De los Ríos-Escalante

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Chilean inland-water ecosystems are characterized by their low species-level biodiversity. This study analyses available data on surface area, maximum depth, conductivity, chlorophyll-α concentration, and zooplankton crustacean species number in lakes and ponds between 23° and 51°S. The study uses multiple regression analysis to identify the potential factors affecting the species number. The partial correlation analysis indicated a direct significant correlation between chlorophyll-α concentration and species number, whereas the multiple regression analysis indicated a direct significant response of species number to latitude and chlorophyll-α concentration. These results agree with findings from comparable ecosystems in Argentina and New Zealand.

  7. Assessment of Zooplankton Community Composition along a Depth Profile in the Central Red Sea

    KAUST Repository

    Pearman, John K.

    2015-07-17

    The composition of zooplankton in the water column has received limited attention in the main body of the Red Sea and this study investigates the change in the community both spatially and temporally across 11 stations in the central Red Sea. Using molecular methods to target the v9 region of the 18S rRNA gene a total of approximately 11.5 million reads were sequenced resulting in 2528 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 97% similarity. The phylum Arthropoda dominated in terms of reads accounting for on average 86.2% and 65.3% for neuston nets and vertical multinets respectively. A reduction in the number of OTUs was noticed with depth for both total metazoa and Maxillopoda whilst there was also a significant change in the composition of the Maxillopoda community. The genus Corycaeus had a higher proportion of reads in the epipelagic zone with Pleuromamma becoming increasingly dominant with depth. No significant difference was observed in the community between night and day sampling however there was a significant difference in the zooplankton community between two sampling periods separated by 10 days.

  8. Responses of trophic structure and zooplankton community to salinity and temperature in Tibetan lakes: Implication for the effect of climate warming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Qiuqi; Xu, Lei; Hou, Juzhi; Liu, Zhengwen; Jeppesen, Erik; Han, Bo-Ping

    2017-11-01

    Warming has pronounced effects on lake ecosystems, either directly by increased temperatures or indirectly by a change in salinity. We investigated the current status of zooplankton communities and trophic structure in 45 Tibetan lakes along a 2300 m altitude and a 76 g/l salinity gradient. Freshwater to hyposaline lakes mainly had three trophic levels: phytoplankton, small zooplankton and fish/Gammarus, while mesosaline to hypersaline lakes only had two: phytoplankton and large zooplankton. Zooplankton species richness declined significantly with salinity, but did not relate with temperature. Furthermore, the decline in species richness with salinity in lakes with two trophic levels was much less abrupt than in lakes with three trophic levels. The structural variation of the zooplankton community depended on the length of the food chain, and was significantly explained by salinity as the critical environmental variable. The zooplankton community shifted from dominance of copepods and small cladoceran species in the lakes with low salinity and three trophic levels to large saline filter-feeding phyllopod species in those lakes with high salinity and two trophic levels. The zooplankton to phytoplankton biomass ratio was positively related with temperature in two-trophic-level systems and vice versa in three-trophic-level systems. As the Tibetan Plateau is warming about three times faster than the global average, our results imply that warming could have a considerable impact on the structure and function of Tibetan lake ecosystems, either via indirect effects of salinization/desalinization on species richness, composition and trophic structure or through direct effects of water temperature on trophic interactions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Annual variations in zooplankton from a polluted coastal environment

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Haridas, P.; Menon, P.G.; Madhupratap, M.

    Seasonal changes in the composition and distribution of zooplankton from the coastal waters of Trivandrum were studied. The study indicated that the effluent discharged from a nearby titanium dioxide factory did not affect the zooplankton abundance...

  10. The response of zooplankton communities to the 2016 extreme hydrological cycle in floodplain lakes connected to the Yangtze River in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kun; Xu, Mei; Wu, Qili; Lin, Zhi; Jiang, Fangyuan; Chen, Huan; Zhou, Zhongze

    2018-06-04

    The Huayanghe Lakes play an important role in the Yangtze floodplain in China and had extremely high water levels during the summer of 2016. Monitoring data was collected in an effort to understand the impact of this change on the crustacean zooplankton composition and abundance and the biomass variation in the Huayanghe Lakes between a regular hydrological cycle (RHC) and an extreme hydrological cycle (EHC). The crustacean zooplankton community composition, abundance, and biomass in the floodplain lakes were markedly affected by the water-level disturbance. The number of species was lower in the RHC, but the mean density and biomass decreased from 93.84 ± 13.29 ind./L and 6.11 ± 0.89 mg/L, respectively, in the RHC to 66.62 ± 10.88 ind./L and 1.22 ± 0.26 mg/L, respectively, in the EHC. Pearson correlations and redundancy analyses revealed the environmental factors with the most significant impact on the crustacean zooplankton community differed between the RHC and EHC cycles. Little previous information exists on the zooplankton in these lakes, and the present study provides data on the zooplankton composition, abundance, and biomass, both at baseline and in response to hydrological changes.

  11. Mercury concentration variability in the zooplankton of the southern Baltic coastal zone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bełdowska, Magdalena; Mudrak-Cegiołka, Stella

    2017-12-01

    Being a toxic element, mercury is introduced to the human organism through the consumption of fish and seafood, which in turn often feed on zooplankton. The bioaccumulation of Hg by zooplankton is an important factor influencing the magnitude of the mercury load introduced with food into the predator organism. Therefore the present article attempts to identify the processes and factors influencing Hg concentration in the zooplankton of the coastal zone, an area where marine organisms - an attractive food source for humans - thrive. This is particularly important in areas where climate changes influence the species composition and quantity of plankton. The studies were carried out on three test sites in the coastal zone of the southern Baltic Sea in the period from December 2011 to May 2013. The obtained results show that the shorting of the winter season is conducive to Hg increase in zooplankton and, consequently, in the trophic chain. High mercury concentrations were measured in genus Synchaeta and Keratella when Mesodinium rubrum were predominant in phytoplankton, while other sources of this metal in the plankton fauna were epilithon, epiphton and microbenthos. This is of particular importance when it comes to sheltered bays and estuaries with low water dynamics.

  12. Temporal and spatial variability of zooplankton on the Faroe shelf in spring 1997-2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobsen, Sólvá; Gaard, Eilif; Larsen, Karin Margretha Húsgarð; Eliasen, Sólvá Káradóttir; Hátún, Hjálmar

    2018-01-01

    Zooplankton availability during spring and summer determines the growth and survival of first-feeding fish larvae, and thus impacts the recruitment to both fish prey species and commercial fish stocks. On the Faroe shelf, however, the relative importance of oceanic versus neritic zooplankton species has hitherto not been well understood. In this study, spatio-temporal variability in zooplankton community structure and size spectra on the Faroe shelf is investigated using observations from late April during the period 1997-2016. The main objective was to explore which environmental variables influence the zooplankton community structure in early spring. The zooplankton community in the permanently well mixed central shelf inside the tidal front consists of a mixture of neritic, cosmopolitan and oceanic species. In this region, redundancy analyses showed that chlorophyll concentration had a positive effect on abundance of neritic copepods and meroplankton as well as all zooplankton abundance variability of these species shows increased production around 2000 and 2008-2009. The highest zooplankton abundance, mainly consisting of Calanus finmarchicus, is however observed off-shore from the tidal front, especially on the western side of the Faroe Plateau. A shift in C. finmarchicus phenology occurred around 2007, resulting in earlier reproduction of this species, and this variability could not be explained by the employed regional environmental parameters. Our results indicate that the Faroe shelf biological production is more dependent on the local primary production and neritic zooplankton species than on the large oceanic C. finmarchicus stock.

  13. Spatial Distribution of Zooplankton Diversity across Temporary Pools in a Semiarid Intermittent River

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thaís X. Melo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study describes the richness and density of zooplankton across temporary pools in an intermittent river of semiarid Brazil and evaluates the partitioning of diversity across different spatial scales during the wet and dry periods. Given the highly patchy nature of these pools it is hypothesized that the diversity is not homogeneously distributed across different spatial scales but concentrated at lower levels. The plankton fauna was composed of 37 species. Of these 28 were Rotifera, 5 were Cladocera, and 4 were Copepoda (nauplii of Copepoda were also recorded. We showed that the zooplankton presents a spatially segregated pattern of species composition across river reaches and that at low spatial scales (among pools or different habitats within pools the diversity of species is likely to be affected by temporal changes in physical and chemical characteristics. As a consequence of the drying of pool habitats, the spatial heterogeneity within the study river reaches has the potential to increase β diversity during the dry season by creating patchier assemblages. This spatial segregation in community composition and the patterns of partition of the diversity across the spatial scales leads to a higher total diversity in intermittent streams, compared to less variable environments.

  14. Struktur Komunitas Zooplankton di Bendungan Telaga Tunjung, Kabupaten Tabanan-Bali

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ni Wayan Desy Wahyudiati

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Zooplankton are the heterotroph aquatic organisms and has a week swimming. Zooplankton acts as the first consumer in the waters, which utilize phytoplankton as their food. This research located in Telaga Tunjung reservoir, Timpag Village, Kerambitan Subdistrict, Tabanan Regency. The reservoir is used for industry, irrigation and tourism development. The aim of the research was to determine the community structure of zooplankton in Telaga Tunjung reservoir. This research was conducted from January to February 2016. Water sampling was conducted twice with a sampling interval of 2 weeks in 4 stations. There was a total of 23 species of zooplankton found, consisting of 6 classes: Eurotatoria (8 genera, Ciliatea (1 genera, Branchiopoda (4 genera, Monogononta (1 genera, Tubulinea (1 genera and Maxillopoda (3 genera. The most common species of zooplankton found in the sampling station were Polyarthra vulgaris (3.04 ind/l, Anuraeopsis coelata (1.28 ind/l, Keratella valga (0.43 ind/l, Vorticella sp. (0.49 ind/l, Diaphanosoma brachyurum (0.28 ind/l, Nauplius sp. (0.16 ind/l and Megacyclops viridis (1.16 ind/l. The average abundance of zooplankton was 9.38 ind/l. Based on the abundance of zooplankton, the trophic status of Telaga Tunjung reservoir is mesotrophic.

  15. Feeding on dispersed vs. aggregated particles: The effect of zooplankton feeding behavior on vertical flux

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koski, Marja; Boutorh, Julia; De La Rocha, Christina L.

    2017-01-01

    Zooplankton feeding activity is hypothesized to attenuate the downward flux of elements in the ocean. We investigated whether the zooplankton community composition could influence the flux attenuation, due to the differences of feeding modes (feeding on dispersed vs. aggregated particles) and of ......Zooplankton feeding activity is hypothesized to attenuate the downward flux of elements in the ocean. We investigated whether the zooplankton community composition could influence the flux attenuation, due to the differences of feeding modes (feeding on dispersed vs. aggregated particles...

  16. Zooplankton and zoobenthos of the Mokra Sura river

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Yakovenko

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To study the spatial distribution of structural and functional indicators of zooplankton and zoobenthos during the period of maximum development of hydrobiocenosis in the contaminated and conditionally clean sites of the Mokra Sura river being under antropogenic pressure. Methodology. During the collection and subsequent laboratory processing of zooplankton and zoobenthos samples, we used the standard conventional hydrobiological methods. In order to rank the studied river sites, we used the combined index of the community state (CICS based on the structural-functional indicators of zoobenthos. Findings. The research results have shown that the species composition of zoobenthos and zooplankton of the Mokra Sura river included many saprobiontic species such as oligochaetes, chironomids and rotifers, which were developed significantly in some sites under the effect of eutrophication and silt accumulation in the presence of anthropogenic pollution. The above-mentioned processes cause inhibition of the life activity of such filter feeders as mollusks and crustaceans being the most powerful zooplanktonic and zoobenthic agents of self-cleaning. The highest numbers of zooplankton and zoobenthos development were recorded in front of the point of the emergency discharge of right-bank sewage water (stimulating effect of organic pollution while the lowest numbers were registered near the tire plant (combined effect of both chemical sewage pollution and silt accumulation. In the «Dnipro - Zaporizhzhia highway» site, low numbers of zooplankton development were the result of silt accumulation, whereas the zoobenthos biomass turned out to be the highest due to the intensive development of oligochaetes. Planktonic saprobiontic rotifers dominated in the site located in front of the sewage discharge whereas bdelloid rotifers dominated in the upstream sites of the river. The dominance of planktonic and benthic saprobiontic rotifers caused the highest

  17. A study on the zooplankton of the Burhabalanga Estuary, Orissa Coast

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Ramaiah, Neelam; Chatterji, A.; Madhupratap, M.

    Annual variations in the zooplankton biomass and composition during 1991-92 were studied from the inshore, mouth and upstream regions of the Burhabalanga Estuary located in the Orissa Coast (India). Zooplankton biomass was maximum at all...

  18. Some crustacean zooplankton of Wular lake in Kashmir Himalaya ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In a taxonomic survey of crustacean zooplankton collected from Wular lake of Kashmir, a pictorial key was developed. Thirty-six (36) pictures of 25 species of crustacean zooplankton, out of which 21 represented 16 Cladocera taxa belonging to Chydoridae (Alona affinis, A. rectangula and A. monacantha, Chydorus ...

  19. Studies on zooplankton from the Arabian sea off the south-central west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sumitra-Vijayaraghavan; Selvakumar, R.A.; Rao, T.S.S.

    Zooplankton biomass, composition and biochemical constituents were studied. Estimated average zooplankton biomass was 8.76 ml/100 m super(3). Of the major components constituting the zooplankton biomass, copepods formed the dominant group. Protein...

  20. Zooplankton community of Parnaíba River, Northeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ludmilla Cavalcanti Antunes Lucena

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Aim:The objective of the present work is to present a list of species of zooplankton (Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda from the Parnaíba River. Additionally, we provide comments on their distribution along the river, and between dry and wet seasons.MethodsZooplankton was collected with a plankton net (60 µm mesh and concentrated into a volume of 80 mL for further analysis, during the dry (October 2010 and wet (April 2011 seasons. Sampling was restricted to the marginal areas at depths between 80 and 150 cm.ResultsA total of 132 species was recorded among the three zooplankton groups studied. During the dry season a total of 82 species was registered and 102 species was registered for the wet season. Rotifera contributed with 66.7% of the species, followed by Cladocera (26.5% and Copepoda (6.8%.ConclusionsThe richness of species observed was high compared to other large rivers in Brazil. In the context of current policies for water management and river diversions in northeastern Brazil, the present study highlights the importance of this river system for biodiversity conservation.

  1. Long-term changes of the crustacean zooplankton community in Lake Mjøsa, the largest lake in Norway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarl Eivind LØVIK

    2003-08-01

    Full Text Available Lake Mjøsa has been subject to an accelerating eutrophication from the 1950s to the mid 1970s, but comprehensive nutrient reduction efforts caused marked reductions of phytoplankton production and biomass during the 1980s, a process that continued during the 1990s. Zooplankton biomass and species composition was considerably affected during the eutrophication and subsequent oligotrophication. Total crustacean zooplankton biomass decreased along with decreasing algal biomass during the 1980s and 1990s. The seasonal means of zooplankton biomass were positively correlated with seasonal means of phytoplankton biovolume and chlorophyll-a, indicating a primarily bottom up regulation of the zooplankton biomass. Several herbivorous and omnivorous zooplankton species (Daphnia galeata, Bosmina longispina, Limnocalanus macrurus and Cyclops lacustris were probably negatively affected by reduced algal biomass, whereas other species (Holopedium gibberum and Thermocyclops oithonoides/Mesocyclops leuckarti seemed to be positively affected. H. gibberum disappeared in the 1960s, but reappeared in the 1980s after the significant reduction in algal biomass and primary production. The temporal trend of T. oithonoides/M. leuckarti indicated a strong competition with cladocerans (mainly B. longispina and D. galeata in periods with high algal biomass. Early warming of the lake could also have promoted a biomass increase of T. oithonoides/M. leuckarti in later years, although the mean epilimnion temperature did not correlate with seasonal mean biomass of these species. The seasonal mean biomass of Eudiaptomus gracilis, the dominant calanoid, showed substantial fluctuations with 6-7 years between tops, but a decreasing trend during the 1990s. However, there were no significant correlations between this species and any of the environmental variables. The study indicated that dominant cladocerans (D. galeata and B. longispina are decisive for the success of cisco

  2. Seasonal dynamics of zooplankton in Columbia–Snake River reservoirs,with special emphasis on the invasive copepod Pseudodiaptomus forbesi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emerson, Joshua E.; Bollens, Stephen M.; Counihan, Timothy D.

    2015-01-01

    The Asian copepod Pseudodiaptomus forbesi has recently become established in the Columbia River. However, little is known about its ecology and effects on invaded ecosystems. We undertook a 2-year (July 2009 to June 2011) field study of the mesozooplankton in four reservoirs in the Columbia and Snake Rivers, with emphasis on the relation of the seasonal variation in distribution and abundance of P. forbesi to environmental variables. Pseudodiaptomus forbesi was abundant in three reservoirs; the zooplankton community of the fourth reservoir contained no known non-indigenous taxa. The composition and seasonal succession of zooplankton were similar in the three invaded reservoirs: a bloom of rotifers occurred in spring, native cyclopoid and cladoceran species peaked in abundance in summer, and P. forbesi was most abundant in late summer and autumn. In the uninvaded reservoir, total zooplankton abundance was very low year-round. Multivariate ordination indicated that temperature and dissolved oxygen were strongly associated with zooplankton community structure, with P. forbesi appearing to exhibit a single generation per year . The broad distribution and high abundance of P. forbesi in the Columbia–Snake River System could result in ecosystem level effects in areas intensively managed to improve conditions for salmon and other commercially and culturally important fish species

  3. Potential acidification impacts on zooplankton in CCS leakage scenarios

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halsband, Claudia; Kurihara, Haruko

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Effects of CCS techniques and ocean acidification on zooplankton are under-studied. • Vulnerable zooplankton are meso-, bathypelagic and vertically migrating species. • Impacts include impaired calcification, reproduction, development and survival. • Need for modelling studies combining physico-chemical with ecological impacts. -- Abstract: Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies involve localized acidification of significant volumes of seawater, inhabited mainly by planktonic species. Knowledge on potential impacts of these techniques on the survival and physiology of zooplankton, and subsequent consequences for ecosystem health in targeted areas, is scarce. The recent literature has a focus on anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, leading to enhanced absorption of CO 2 by the oceans and a lowered seawater pH, termed ocean acidification. These studies explore the effects of changes in seawater chemistry, as predicted by climate models for the end of this century, on marine biota. Early studies have used unrealistically severe CO 2 /pH values in this context, but are relevant for CCS leakage scenarios. Little studied meso- and bathypelagic species of the deep sea may be especially vulnerable, as well as vertically migrating zooplankton, which require significant residence times at great depths as part of their life cycle

  4. Effects of wind forcing on the trophic conditions, zooplankton biomass and krill biochemical composition in the Gulf of Tehuantepec

    Science.gov (United States)

    Färber-Lorda, Jaime; Lavín, M. F.; Guerrero-Ruiz, M. A.

    2004-03-01

    The trophic conditions, the zooplankton biomass and the krill biochemical composition in the Gulf of Tehuantepec were studied in relation to spatial and temporal changes in the physical environment, caused by Norte winds. These winds, which occur mostly from October to March, are intermittent, strong wind jets that blow offshore and normal to the coast at the head of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Ekman pumping raises the thermocline in the east and lowers it in the west of the jet axis; in the central region of the gulf, vertical mixing brings cool, nutrient-rich waters to the surface, enhancing biological productivity. Data from a January 1989 survey show that mean zooplankton biomass was highest in the central region, but there was no significant difference between the three regions (east, central and west). Among euphausiids, Euphausia lamelligera was the dominant species, with 92%. Mean particulate protein, lipids and particulate organic matter (POM = protein + carbohydrates + lipids) did not show significant differences among the three regions; however, mean particulate carbohydrates were significantly different. For the entire area, low but significant linear regressions between (ArcSin) lipids in euphausiids and lipids in POM, and between POM and (ArcSin) lipids in euphausiids were obtained. Better regressions between zooplankton biomass and POM and other variables were obtained when stations were analyzed by hydrographic regions. When data were grouped into those taken before and after a strong Norte (Leg I and Leg II, respectively), a significant positive regression was obtained between (ArcSin) krill lipids and POM for Leg I; but for Leg II, the slope, although not statistically significant, was negative. POM is apparently utilized during Leg II, but the response in the lipid content of the animals is evident only after some time has passed (during Leg I), when the animals had assimilated the food surplus.

  5. Zooplankton excretion metabolites stimulate Southern Ocean phytoplankton growth

    KAUST Repository

    Coello-Camba, A.; Llabré s, M.; Duarte, Carlos M.; Agusti, Susana

    2017-01-01

    Warming over Antarctica is leading to changes in the zooplankton communities inhabiting the Southern Ocean. It has been observed that zooplankton not only regulates phytoplankton through grazing, but also through the recycling of nutrients that are essential for phytoplankton growth. In this way, the effects of warming on zooplankton populations will change the amount or proportion at which recycled nutrients are restored. To estimate how the recycled nutrients released by zooplankton populations, dominated by krill (Euphausia superba), amphipods or copepods, affect the phytoplankton uptake and communities, we performed four incubation experiments: two close to the Antarctic Peninsula and two at the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Our results showed a stimulating effect of the addition of metabolites on ammonia removal rates and on the net growth of phytoplankton communities, with different responses amongst the different phytoplankton groups. According to our results, phytoplankton net growth and community composition may be altered if this relevant source of nutrients is lost due to projected changes in the abundance or distribution of these zooplankton populations.

  6. Zooplankton excretion metabolites stimulate Southern Ocean phytoplankton growth

    KAUST Repository

    Coello-Camba, A.

    2017-04-24

    Warming over Antarctica is leading to changes in the zooplankton communities inhabiting the Southern Ocean. It has been observed that zooplankton not only regulates phytoplankton through grazing, but also through the recycling of nutrients that are essential for phytoplankton growth. In this way, the effects of warming on zooplankton populations will change the amount or proportion at which recycled nutrients are restored. To estimate how the recycled nutrients released by zooplankton populations, dominated by krill (Euphausia superba), amphipods or copepods, affect the phytoplankton uptake and communities, we performed four incubation experiments: two close to the Antarctic Peninsula and two at the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Our results showed a stimulating effect of the addition of metabolites on ammonia removal rates and on the net growth of phytoplankton communities, with different responses amongst the different phytoplankton groups. According to our results, phytoplankton net growth and community composition may be altered if this relevant source of nutrients is lost due to projected changes in the abundance or distribution of these zooplankton populations.

  7. The effect of salinity levels on the structure of zooplankton communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paturej Ewa

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine the qualitative and quantitative structure of zooplankton communities in the Vistula Lagoon and to establish whether zooplankton abundance and biodiversity are affected by salinity levels. Samples for biological analyses were collected in the summer (June-September of 2007-2011 at eleven sampling sites. Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between salinity levels and the number of species (r= -0.2020, abundance (r= 0.1967 and biomass (r= 0.3139 of zooplankton. No significant correlations were found between salinity and the biodiversity of zooplankton. The results of the study suggest that salinity affects the abundance and structure, but not the diversity of zooplankton communities in the Vistula Lagoon.

  8. Plankton community composition and vertical migration during polar night in Kongsfjorden

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grenvald, Julie Cornelius; Callesen, Trine Abraham; Daase, Malin

    2016-01-01

    characterize the plankton community composition during the polar night using water samplers and zooplankton net samples (50, 64, 200, 1500 lm), supplemented by acoustics (ADCPs, 300 kHz), to address a previously unresolved question–which species of zooplankton perform diel vertical migration during the polar...

  9. Can microcystins affect zooplankton structure community in tropical eutrophic reservoirs?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. A. S. V. Paes

    Full Text Available Abstract The aim of our study was to assess whether cyanotoxins (microcystins can affect the composition of the zooplankton community, leading to domination of microzooplankton forms (protozoans and rotifers. Temporal variations in concentrations of microcystins and zooplankton biomass were analyzed in three eutrophic reservoirs in the semi-arid northeast region of Brazil. The concentration of microcystins in water proved to be correlated with the cyanobacterial biovolume, indicating the contributions from colonial forms such as Microcystis in the production of cyanotoxins. At the community level, the total biomass of zooplankton was not correlated with the concentration of microcystin (r2 = 0.00; P > 0.001, but in a population-level analysis, the biomass of rotifers and cladocerans showed a weak positive correlation. Cyclopoid copepods, which are considered to be relatively inefficient in ingesting cyanobacteria, were negatively correlated (r2 = – 0.01; P > 0.01 with the concentration of cyanotoxins. Surprisingly, the biomass of calanoid copepods was positively correlated with the microcystin concentration (r2 = 0.44; P > 0.001. The results indicate that allelopathic control mechanisms (negative effects of microcystin on zooplankton biomass do not seem to substantially affect the composition of mesozooplankton, which showed a constant and high biomass compared to the microzooplankton (rotifers. These results may be important to better understand the trophic interactions between zooplankton and cyanobacteria and the potential effects of allelopathic compounds on zooplankton.

  10. Zooplankton data collected from zooplankton net casts from RESEARCHER I and other platforms in TOGA Area of Pacific Ocean; 16 March 1968 to 02 July 1970 (NODC Accession 9500141)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton species identities and other data were collected using zooplankton casts in the TOGA Area of Pacific Ocean from RESEARCHER I and other platforms. Data...

  11. Efectos del herbicida Paraquat sobre el zooplancton Effects of Paraquat herbicide on zooplankton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana María Gagneten

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available The effects of 0.1; 0.2; 0.4 and 0.8 mlPQ/L were analized on a zooplankton community, to determine the most sensitive species and to analize the occurence of physical abnormalities. A total of 40 taxa were determined. Paraquat affected significantly the zooplankton density but not the species richness. A progressive state of deformation of these organisms was also observed. Paraquat showed to be highly toxic for the zooplankton, so this herbicide should be strictly regulated in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

  12. Zooplankton in littoral waters of a tropical lake: a revisited biodiversity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PM. Maia-Barbosa

    Full Text Available The present study was carried out in Lake Dom Helvécio, in the state of Minas Gerais, with two main objectives: to demonstrate the contribution of the littoral zone, in order to better characterize zooplankton fauna; and to assess the distribution of zooplankton species in different habitats, i.e., the littoral zone with and without aquatic vegetation. The samples were collected in February and July 2006, throughout the littoral zone of the lake, in areas with and without aquatic vegetation. We identified a total of 188 species, of which 130 are new records for Lake Dom Helvécio. One hundred and eighty-four species were identified in the littoral zone with aquatic vegetation, and 117 in the zone with no vegetation. The higher zooplankton richness in areas of the littoral zone with aquatic vegetation can be related to the greater environmental heterogeneity. Compared to previous studies on the littoral zones of lakes along the middle River Doce, the present study expended greater sampling effort, and identified many more species. In relation to biological conservation, this study demonstrated the importance of the littoral zone for better characterization and conservation of the zooplankton fauna, especially when it is colonized by aquatic vegetation. Underestimating the richness of species may provide inaccurate data on the biota, as well as on the ecological conditions in an environment.

  13. Zooplankton taxonomic and size diversity in Mediterranean coastal lagoons (NE Iberian Peninsula): Influence of hydrology, nutrient composition, food resource availability and predation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badosa, Anna; Boix, Dani; Brucet, Sandra; López-Flores, Rocío; Gascón, Stéphanie; Quintana, Xavier D.

    2007-01-01

    The influence of hydrology, nutrient composition, food resource availability and predation on zooplankton taxonomic and size diversity was analyzed in several shallow lagoons of a Mediterranean salt marsh (Baix Ter Wetlands, NE Iberian Peninsula). Taxonomic diversity correlated better with variables related to the trophic state, such as nutrient concentrations, whereas size diversity was more sensitive to fish predation. However, the fish predation influence on the size diversity was only significant when fishes reached high densities. Under low fish densities no predation effects were observed and the food resource availability (FR a) appeared to be more important in structuring the zooplankton community. Nevertheless, the two diversity indexes showed opposite responses to this factor. With increasing FR a the taxonomic diversity increased and the size diversity decreased. Neither taxonomic nor size diversity of the zooplankton community correlated with other physical or biotic factors such as hydrological variability or macroinvertebrate predation. The relationships found suggest that the size diversity is mainly related to biotic interactions, such as fish predation or inter/intraspecific competition, while the taxonomic diversity appears to be more sensitive to abiotic factors such as the nutrient composition.

  14. Zooplankton Structure and Potential Food Web Interactions in the Plankton of a Subtropical Chain-of-Lakes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karl E. Havens

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available This study evaluates the taxonomic and size structure of macro-zooplankton and its potential role in controlling phytoplankton in the Kissimmee Chain-of-Lakes, six shallow interconnected lakes in Florida, U.S. Macro-zooplankton species biomass and standard limnological attributes (temperature, pH, total phosphorus [TP], chlorophyll a [Chl a], and Secchi transparency were quantified on a bimonthly basis from April 1997 to February 1999. Concentrations of TP ranged from below 50 to over 150 μg l-1. Peak concentrations of particulate P coincided with maximal Chl a, and in one instance a high concentration of soluble reactive P followed. The cladoceran zooplankton was dominated by small species, including Eubosmina tubicen, Ceriodaphnia rigaudi, and Daphnia ambigua. The exotic daphnid, D. lumholtzii, periodically was abundant. The copepods were strongly dominated by Diaptomus dorsalis, a species previously shown to be highly resistant to fish predation. These results, and findings of controlled experiments on a nearby lake with a nearly identical zooplankton species complement, suggest that fish predation may be a major factor structuring the macro-zooplankton assemblage. Zooplankton biomass, on the other hand, may be affected by resource availability. There was a significant positive relationship between average biomass of macro-zooplankton and the average concentration of TP among the six lakes. No such relationship existed between zooplankton biomass and Chl a, suggesting that the predominant food web in these systems may be based on bacteria-plankton, as has been documented in nearby Lake Okeechobee. All of the zooplankton taxa encountered in the Kissimmee Chain-of-Lakes (except Mesocyclops edax are known bacteria grazers in Florida lakes. Phytoplankton biomass, measured as Chl a, was strongly associated with TP, both within and across lakes. Phytoplankton biomass was not associated with the biomass of zooplankton. These results, when

  15. Zooplankton assemblage of Oyun Reservoir, Offa, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moshood K Mustapha

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The influence of physico-chemical properties of Oyun Reservoir, Offa, Nigeria (a shallow tropical African reservoir on its zooplankton composition and abundance were investigated at three stations for two years between January 2002 and December 2003. Diversity is not high: only three groups of zooplankton were found: Rotifera with eight genera; and Cladocera and Copepoda with three genera each. Rotifera dominated numerically (71.02%, followed by Cladocera (16.45% and Copepoda (12.53%. The zooplankton was more prevalent during the rainy season, and there were variations in the composition and abundance along the reservoir continuum. Factors such as temperature, nutrients, food availability, shape and hydrodynamics of the reservoir, as well as reproductive strategies of the organisms, strongly influence the generic composition and population density of zooplankton. Prevention of ecological deterioration of the water body would greatly should result in a more productive water body, rich in zooplankton and with better fisheries. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (4: 1027-1047. Epub 2009 December 01.La influencia de las propiedades fisicoquímicas del Reservorio Oyun, Offa, Nigeria (un embalse tropical somero sobre la composición y abundancia del zooplancton fue investigada en tres estaciones entre enero de 2002 y diciembre de 2003. La diversidad no resultó muy alta con tres grupos de zooplancton: Rotifera con ocho géneros, y Cladocera y Copepoda con tres géneros cada uno. Rotifera dominó (71.02%, seguido de Cladocera (16.45% y Copepoda (12.53%. El zooplancton fue más común durante la temporada de lluvias, y hubo variaciones en su composición y abundancia a lo largo del embalse. Factores tales como la temperatura, los nutrientes, la disponibilidad de alimentos, la forma y la hidrodinámica del embalse, así como las estrategias reproductivas de los organismos, influyen fuertemente en la composición genérica y la densidad poblacional del zooplancton. La

  16. Zooplankton grazing in a eutrophic lake: implications of diel vertical migration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lampert, W.; Taylor, B.E.

    1985-01-01

    During summer and fall, depth profiles of zooplankton community grazing were determined in situ during day and night in the Schoehsee, a small eutrophic lake. Labeled algae of two different sizes were mixed with the natural suspension of phytoplankton in a grazing chamber. A small blue-green alga (Synechococcus, 1 μm) was labeled with 32 P; a larger green alga (Scenedesmus, 4-15 μm) was labeled with 14 C. During summer, grazing in the upper 5 m was negligible during day but strong at night. Hence, algae grow relatively unimpeded by grazing during daytime but are harvested at night. Vertical and diel differences in grazing rates disappeared when the vertical migration ceased in fall. Selectivity of grazing was controlled by the zooplankton species composition. Eudiaptomus showed a strong preference for Scenedesmus. Daphnia showed a slight preference for Scenedesmus, but Ceriodaphnia preferred Synechococcus. Cyclopoid copepodites did not ingest the small blue-green. Because Daphnia and Eudiaptomus were dominant, grazing rates on larger cells were usually higher than grazing rates on the small cells. Negative electivity indices for scenedesmus occurred only when the biomass of large crustaceans was extremely low (near the surface, during day). Zooplankton biomass was the main factor controlling both vertical and seasonal variations in grazing. Highest grazing rates (65%/d) were measured during fall when zooplankton abundance was high. Because differential losses can produce substantial errors in the results, it was necessary to process the samples on the boat immediately after collection, without preservation

  17. Effects of environmental stresses on the species composition of phytoplankton populations. Final report, 1 March 1979-15 July 1980

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryther, J. H.; Sanders, J. G.

    1980-07-01

    Studies concerned with the impact of anthropogenic stress associated with coastally located power plants on the species composition of marine phytoplankton assemblages have been underway under this Contract for 24 months. The impact of three pollutants associated with power plant cooling water systems has been studied: copper, chlorine, and thermal elevation. The primary goal has been to determine whether chronic addition of these pollutants at sublethal levels can affect the species composition and the succession of dominant species in natural phytoplankton assemblages. Stresses have been studied both singly and in combination. In conjunction with these primary objectives, a number of related problems imvolving phytoplankton response to pollutants and to zooplankton grazing have been studied. These experiments have been performed both in the large volume enclosures outdoors, and in laboratory cultures under constant conditions.

  18. Zooplankton characteristics of the coastal ecosystem off Bombay, India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.; Ramaiah, Neelam

    spinicauda) dominated the copepod community. Four species of chaetognaths were found in the area with predominance of Sagitta bedoti. Among the penaeid larvae Metapenaeus offinis was the most common species. Population of omnivores dominated the zooplankton...

  19. Vertical gradients in species richness and community composition across the twilight zone in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sommer, Stephanie A; Van Woudenberg, Lauren; Lenz, Petra H; Cepeda, Georgina; Goetze, Erica

    2017-11-01

    Although metazoan animals in the mesopelagic zone play critical roles in deep pelagic food webs and in the attenuation of carbon in midwaters, the diversity of these assemblages is not fully known. A metabarcoding survey of mesozooplankton diversity across the epipelagic, mesopelagic and upper bathypelagic zones (0-1500 m) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre revealed far higher estimates of species richness than expected given prior morphology-based studies in the region (4,024 OTUs, 10-fold increase), despite conservative bioinformatic processing. Operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness of the full assemblage peaked at lower epipelagic-upper mesopelagic depths (100-300 m), with slight shoaling of maximal richness at night due to diel vertical migration, in contrast to expectations of a deep mesopelagic diversity maximum as reported for several plankton groups in early systematic and zoogeographic studies. Four distinct depth-stratified species assemblages were identified, with faunal transitions occurring at 100 m, 300 m and 500 m. Highest diversity occurred in the smallest zooplankton size fractions (0.2-0.5 mm), which had significantly lower % OTUs classified due to poor representation in reference databases, suggesting a deep reservoir of poorly understood diversity in the smallest metazoan animals. A diverse meroplankton assemblage also was detected (350 OTUs), including larvae of both shallow and deep living benthic species. Our results provide some of the first insights into the hidden diversity present in zooplankton assemblages in midwaters, and a molecular reappraisal of vertical gradients in species richness, depth distributions and community composition for the full zooplankton assemblage across the epipelagic, mesopelagic and upper bathypelagic zones. © 2017 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. ZOOPLANKTON FAUNA OF BİNGÖL FLOATING ISLANDS IN WINTER SEASON

    OpenAIRE

    Şen Özdemir, Nurgül; Caf, Fatma

    2015-01-01

    In this study was carried out winter season in 2011; zooplankton faunaof the Bingol Floating Islands. To­tally 18 zooplankton species were determinedas fol­lows; 14 Rotifera, 3 Cladocera and 1 Copepoda. It was determined thatthis zooplanktonic organisms consist­ed of 87.74 % Rotifera, 6.83 % Cladocera, and3.36 %  copepodit stages, 2.07 %  nauplii of copepoda. Rotif­era were thedominant group with regard to both spe­cies numbers, and individual numbers ofspecies. Cy­clops vicinus from Copepoda...

  1. A Functional Approach to Zooplankton Communities in Mountain Lakes Stocked With Non-Native Sportfish Under a Changing Climate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redmond, Laura E.; Loewen, Charlie J. G.; Vinebrooke, Rolf D.

    2018-03-01

    Cumulative impacts of multiple stressors on freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem function likely increase with elevation, thereby possibly placing alpine communities at greatest risk. Here, consideration of species traits enables stressor effects on taxonomic composition to be translated into potential functional impacts. We analyzed data for 47 taxa across 137 mountain lakes and ponds spanning large latitudinal (491 km) and elevational (1,399 m) gradients in western Canada, to assess regional and local factors of the taxonomic composition and functional structure of zooplankton communities. Multivariate community analyses revealed that small body size, clonal reproduction via parthenogenesis, and lack of pigmentation were species traits associated with both introduced non-native sportfish and also environmental conditions reflecting a warmer and drier climate—namely higher water temperatures, shallower water depths, and more chemically concentrated water. Thus, historical introductions of sportfish appear to have potentially induced greater tolerance in zooplankton communities of future climatic warming, especially in previously fishless alpine lakes. Although alpine lake communities occupied a relatively small functional space (i.e., low functional diversity), they were contained within the broader regional functional structure. Therefore, our findings point to the importance of dispersal by lower montane species to the future functional stability of alpine communities.

  2. Zooplankton and ichthyoplankton distribution on the southern Brazilian shelf: an overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubens M. Lopes

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available The southern Brazilian coast is the major fishery ground for the Brazilian sardine (Sardinella brasiliensis, a species responsible for up to 40% of marine fish catches in the region. Fish spawning and recruitment are locally influenced by seasonal advection of nutrient-rich waters from both inshore and offshore sources. Plankton communities are otherwise controlled by regenerative processes related to the oligotrophic nature of the Tropical Water from the Brazil Current. As recorded in other continental margins, zooplankton species diversity increases towards outer shelf and open ocean waters. Peaks of zooplankton biomass and ichthyoplankton abundance are frequent on the inner shelf, either at upwelling sites or off large estuarine systems. However, meandering features of the Brazil Current provide an additional mechanism of upward motion of the cold and nutrient-rich South Atlantic Central Water, increasing phyto- and zooplankton biomass and production on mid- and outer shelves. Cold neritic waters originating off Argentina, and subtropical waters from the Subtropical Convergence exert a strong seasonal influence on zooplankton and ichthyoplankton distribution towards more southern areas. This brief review highlights the need for further experimental studies on zooplankton life cycle strategies in order to understand the major processes controlling food web dynamics in this shelf ecosystem.

  3. 137Cs concentration in zooplankton and its relation to taxonomic composition in the western North Pacific Ocean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaeriyama, Hideki; Watabe, Teruhisa; Kusakabe, Masashi

    2008-01-01

    To study the role of zooplankton in the transport of 137 Cs in the ocean, zooplankton samples were collected in October 2005 and June 2006 in the western North Pacific Ocean. The peak zooplankton biomass was observed in the surface layer, and gelatinous plankton was more abundant in October 2005 than in June 2006 reflecting exchange of water masses. The concentrations of 137 Cs in zooplankton varied from 11 to 24 mBq kg wet -1 and were higher in October 2005 than in June 2006. The elevated abundance of gelatinous zooplankton probably led to higher concentration of 137 Cs in zooplankton in October 2005. Annual export fluxes of 137 Cs by ontogenetic vertical migrant copepods were estimated to be 0.8 and 0.6 mBq m -2 year -1 at 200 and 1000 m depths, respectively; this suggested that transport of 137 Cs by zooplankton may be no trivial pathway

  4. Predictive models for monitoring and analysis of the total zooplankton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Obradović Milica

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, modeling and prediction of total zooplankton abundance have been performed by various tools and techniques, among which data mining tools have been less frequent. The purpose of this paper is to automatically determine the dependency degree and the influence of physical, chemical and biological parameters on the total zooplankton abundance, through design of the specific data mining models. For this purpose, the analysis of key influencers was used. The analysis is based on the data obtained from the SeLaR information system - specifically, the data from the two reservoirs (Gruža and Grošnica with different morphometric characteristics and trophic state. The data is transformed into optimal structure for data analysis, upon which, data mining model based on the Naïve Bayes algorithm is constructed. The results of the analysis imply that in both reservoirs, parameters of groups and species of zooplankton have the greatest influence on the total zooplankton abundance. If these inputs (group and zooplankton species are left out, differences in the impact of physical, chemical and other biological parameters in dependences of reservoirs can be noted. In the Grošnica reservoir, analysis showed that the temporal dimension (months, nitrates, water temperature, chemical oxygen demand, chlorophyll and chlorides, had the key influence with strong relative impact. In the Gruža reservoir, key influence parameters for total zooplankton are: spatial dimension (location, water temperature and physiological groups of bacteria. The results show that the presented data mining model is usable on any kind of aquatic ecosystem and can also serve for the detection of inputs which could be the basis for the future analysis and modeling.

  5. Effect of advection on variations in zooplankton at a single location near Cabo Nazca, Peru

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, S L; Brink, K H; Santander, H; Cowles, T J; Huyer, A

    1980-04-01

    Temporal variations in the biomass and species composition of zooplankton at a single midshelf station in an upwelling area off Peru can be explained to a large extent by onshore-offshore advection in the upper 20 m of the water column. During periods of strong or sustained near-surface onshore flow, peaks in biomass of zooplankton were observed at midshelf and typically oceanic species of copepod were collected. In periods of offshore flow at the surface, a copepod capable of migrating into oxygen-depleted layers deeper than 30 m was collected. A simple translocation model of advection applied to the cross-shelf distribution of Paracalanus parvus suggests that the fluctuations in P. pavus observed in the midshelf time-series were closely related to onshore-offshore flow in the upper 20 m. Fluctuations in abundance of the numerically dominant copepod, Acartia tonsa, were apparently affected by near surface flow also. The population age-structure suggests that A. tonsa was growing at maximal rates, due in part to its positive feeding response to the dinoflagellate/diatom assemblage of phytoplankton.

  6. Power-plant-related estuarine zooplankton studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sage, L.E.; Olson, M.M.

    1981-01-01

    In-plant studies examining the effects of entrainment on zooplankton and field studies examining zooplankton abundance, composition, and distribution in the Chesapeake Bay in the vicinity of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant have been conducted from 1974 to the present. The evolution of these studies, with particular emphasis on design and statistical treatment, is discussed. Entrainment study designs evolved from discrete sampling episodes at 4-h intervals over 24 h to a time-series sampling design in which sampling took place every 30 min over 24 and 48-h periods. The near-field study design and samping methods have included replicated net tows, using 0.5-m nets, and replicated and nonreplicated pumped sampling, using a high-speed centrifugal pump. 16 refs

  7. Zooplankton resting egg banks in permanent and temporary tropical aquatic systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Rabelo Araújo

    Full Text Available AIM: We evaluated zooplankton resting egg banks and active communities in five coastal lagoons and in five temporary pools, aiming to compare the active and the dormant communities in such environments. As they differ in hydroperiod, we expected that pools present richer resting egg banks in comparison to those found in lagoons. METHODS: Zooplankton community was sampled twice in 2006 (lagoons and in 2010 (pools and resting egg banks were sampled once in December 2007 (lagoons and in May 2010 (pools. Resting eggs were isolated from the sediment by applying the sugar flotation method. RESULTS: In opposition to our expectation, species richness in the resting egg banks of pools did not differ from those of lagoons. Additionally, no difference was found between the active and the dormant zooplankton communities in each water body for both temporary and permanent environments. However, similarity between active and dormant communities was greater in permanent environments than it was in temporary environments. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that the diapause strategy observed in certain tropical zooplankton populations cannot be predicted based on the awareness of the environment type (permanent or temporary, since hatching cues may be species-specific.

  8. Zooplankton communities in three adjacent softwater lobelia lakes of slightly differentiated morphology and trophic state

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuczyńska-Kippen Natalia

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results of an investigation of physical-chemical features of water as well as rotifer and crustacean abundance and diversity measures, relating to the taxonomic richness and species diversity index, in three lobelia lakes differing in trophic status and morphometric features. The main purpose of this study was to establish the diversity of zooplankton communities in the open water area of lobelia lakes, including extracting species common for each lake and also to find environmental predictors which are responsible for the development of zooplankton communities. Despite the fact that the three studied lakes are of the same origin, located in the same vicinity and have generally similar environmental factors, zooplankton community structure revealed a great variation in reference to species diversity (only ca. 20% of the species were common for all lakes and particularly in inhabiting species. Obrowo Lake had the most diverse assemblages of both rotifers and crustaceans compared to Modre and Pomysko lakes. In the taxonomic structure species that are rare for the Polish fauna, such as e.g. Holopedium gibberum and Heterocope appendiculata, occurred. Even though the examined lobelia lakes are ecosystems that undergo varying human-induced impacts, they still remain taxonomically very variable aquatic ecosystems, containing rare species of very high ecological status. The observed symptoms of deterioration of water quality, reflected in the zooplankton biocoenotic features, showed that the best conditions were attributed to Obrowo Lake in comparison with the two remaining lakes – Modre and Pomysko. Total nitrogen and chlorophyll a concentration were decisive for the distribution of zooplankton species in Pomysko and Obrowo lakes, while in case of Modre lake water reactivity and conductivity were of higher impact.

  9. Biochemical studies on some zooplankton off the west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.; Rao, T.S.S.; Matondkar, S.G.P.

    Proximate biochemical analyses on twelve zooplankton species showed that protein was the predominant biochemical component followed by lipid. Carbohydrate content was very low especially in species with high water content or calcareous shell...

  10. The temporal dynamics of zooplankton communities of different types of water bodies within Ichniansky National Park

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. V. Burian

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In recent decades, the influence of anthropogenic impact on aquatic ecosystems has increased. This has led to a restructuring of aquatic ecosystems and affected the structural and functional organization of groups of aquatic organisms, causing qualitative and quantitative changes. Particular attention is drawn to the different types of water bodies of protected areas like IchnyanskyNational Park, which is located in Ichnyansky district of Chernihiv region. This park is a newly created one, so the reduction in intensity of anthropogenic pressure can be traced within its waters. Zooplankton plays an important role in the functioning of trophic networks because it transfers energy from producers and primary consumers to young fish and planktonophagous fish. Therefore, three main groups of zooplankton were chosen as the object of study: rotifers (class Eurotatoria, cladocerans (class Branchiopoda, order Cladocera, different age stages of copepods (class Copepoda, and also ostracods (Class Ostracoda. The zooplankton used as research material was collected in the daytime in spring (April, summer (late July – early August and autumn (late September – early October in the years 2015–2016 from ten experimental stations. During this period 81 species of zooplankton were recorded within heterogeneous reservoirs of IchnianskyNational Park. Monogonont rotifers (subclass Monogononta included 35 species (43% of all species and bdelloid rotifers (subclass Bdelloidea, cladocerns, comprised 28 species (35%, and copepods included 18 species (22%. The faunal range of zooplankton over different years and seasons was characterized by the predominance of the rotator complex in spring, rotator-cladocerans and cladocerans in summer, and of the cladocerans complex in autumn. This was due to the formation during spring and summer of favourable conditions in the waters for filter feeders, which consist generally of rotifers and cladocerans. In autumn the water

  11. Acoustic discrimination of Southern Ocean zooplankton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brierley, Andrew S.; Ward, Peter; Watkins, Jonathan L.; Goss, Catherine

    Acoustic surveys in the vicinity of the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia during a period of exceptionally calm weather revealed the existence of a number of horizontally extensive yet vertically discrete scattering layers in the upper 250 m of the water column. These layers were fished with a Longhurst-Hardy plankton recorder (LHPR) and a multiple-opening 8 m 2 rectangular mid-water trawl (RMT8). Analysis of catches suggested that each scattering layer was composed predominantly of a single species (biovolume>95%) of either the euphausiids Euphausia frigida or Thysanöessa macrura, the hyperiid amphipod Themisto gaudichaudii, or the eucalaniid copepod Rhincalanus gigas. Instrumentation on the nets allowed their trajectories to be reconstructed precisely, and thus catch data to be related directly to the corresponding acoustic signals. Discriminant function analysis of differences between mean volume backscattering strength at 38, 120 and 200 kHz separated echoes originating from each of the dominant scattering layers, and other signals identified as originating from Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba), with an overall correct classification rate of 77%. Using echo intensity data alone, gathered using hardware commonly employed for fishery acoustics, it is therefore possible to discriminate in situ between several zooplanktonic taxa, taxa which in some instances exhibit similar gross morphological characteristics and have overlapping length- frequency distributions. Acoustic signals from the mysid Antarctomysis maxima could also be discriminated once information on target distribution was considered, highlighting the value of incorporating multiple descriptors of echo characteristics into signal identification procedures. The ability to discriminate acoustically between zooplankton taxa could be applied to provide improved acoustic estimates of species abundance, and to enhance field studies of zooplankton ecology, distribution and species interactions.

  12. High frequency mesozooplankton monitoring: Can imaging systems and automated sample analysis help us describe and interpret changes in zooplankton community composition and size structure — An example from a coastal site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romagnan, Jean Baptiste; Aldamman, Lama; Gasparini, Stéphane; Nival, Paul; Aubert, Anaïs; Jamet, Jean Louis; Stemmann, Lars

    2016-10-01

    The present work aims to show that high throughput imaging systems can be useful to estimate mesozooplankton community size and taxonomic descriptors that can be the base for consistent large scale monitoring of plankton communities. Such monitoring is required by the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in order to ensure the Good Environmental Status (GES) of European coastal and offshore marine ecosystems. Time and cost-effective, automatic, techniques are of high interest in this context. An imaging-based protocol has been applied to a high frequency time series (every second day between April 2003 to April 2004 on average) of zooplankton obtained in a coastal site of the NW Mediterranean Sea, Villefranche Bay. One hundred eighty four mesozooplankton net collected samples were analysed with a Zooscan and an associated semi-automatic classification technique. The constitution of a learning set designed to maximize copepod identification with more than 10,000 objects enabled the automatic sorting of copepods with an accuracy of 91% (true positives) and a contamination of 14% (false positives). Twenty seven samples were then chosen from the total copepod time series for detailed visual sorting of copepods after automatic identification. This method enabled the description of the dynamics of two well-known copepod species, Centropages typicus and Temora stylifera, and 7 other taxonomically broader copepod groups, in terms of size, biovolume and abundance-size distributions (size spectra). Also, total copepod size spectra underwent significant changes during the sampling period. These changes could be partially related to changes in the copepod assemblage taxonomic composition and size distributions. This study shows that the use of high throughput imaging systems is of great interest to extract relevant coarse (i.e. total abundance, size structure) and detailed (i.e. selected species dynamics) descriptors of zooplankton dynamics. Innovative

  13. [Phytoplankton and zooplankton of the industrial reservoir R-9 (Lake Karachay)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Priakhin, E A; Triapitsina, G A; Atamaniuk, N I; Osipov, D I; Stukalov, P M; Ivanov, I A; Popova, I Ia; Akleev, A V

    2012-01-01

    Planktonic communities of the Reservoir-9 (Lake Karachay, storage reservoir of liquid medium-level radioactive waste of the Mayak Production Association) are exposed to the severe radioactive forcing (in 2010 the total beta-activity of the water was 1.8 x 10(7) Bq/L, total alpha-activity was 1.1 x 10(4) Bq/L), aswell as to the chemical contamination (level of nitrates in water 4.1 g/L). The calculated values of the absorbed dose rate were 130 Gy/day for phytoplankton and 4.0 Gy/day for zooplankton. Extremely low species diversity, the overwhelming dominance of one species (phytoplankton is close to a monoculture of ubiquitous cyanobacteria Geitlerinema amphibium, zooplankton--to a monoculture of rotifers Hexarthrafennica), wide fluctuations in numbers of algae, a low number of zooplankton were the most substantial characteristics of the plankton communities in Lake Karachay. So, plankton communities status is a sign of environmental retrogress in this ecosystem.

  14. Cost of reproduction in selected species of zooplankton (rotifers and cladocerans)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sarma, S.S.S.; Nandini, S.; Gulati, R.D.

    2002-01-01

    Reproduction is an energetically costly biological process. Among the freshwater zooplankton, rotifers and cladocerans reproduce parthenogenetically and the cost of reproduction can be estimated using the life table data from demographic studies. Reduced probability of future survival or future

  15. A simple and efficient total genomic DNA extraction method for individual zooplankton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazhan, Hanafiah; Waiho, Khor; Shahreza, Md Sheriff

    2016-01-01

    Molecular approaches are widely applied in species identification and taxonomic studies of minute zooplankton. One of the most focused zooplankton nowadays is from Subclass Copepoda. Accurate species identification of all life stages of the generally small sized copepods through molecular analysis is important, especially in taxonomic and systematic assessment of harpacticoid copepod populations and to understand their dynamics within the marine community. However, total genomic DNA (TGDNA) extraction from individual harpacticoid copepods can be problematic due to their small size and epibenthic behavior. In this research, six TGDNA extraction methods done on individual harpacticoid copepods were compared. The first new simple, feasible, efficient and consistent TGDNA extraction method was designed and compared with the commercial kit and modified available TGDNA extraction methods. The newly described TGDNA extraction method, "Incubation in PCR buffer" method, yielded good and consistent results based on the high success rate of PCR amplification (82%) compared to other methods. Coupled with its relatively consistent and economical method the "Incubation in PCR buffer" method is highly recommended in the TGDNA extraction of other minute zooplankton species.

  16. The effect of some environmental factors on zooplankton community ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The zooplankton of Lake Qarun was studied January–December 2003. A total of 26 species was recorded, amongst which protozoa, primarily ciliophora, were most abundant (79% of the species total), followed by rotifera (13%) and copepoda (8%). The average density ranged from 965–1 452 l–1. The highest density (2 ...

  17. The Impacts of Recently Established Fish Populations on Zooplankton Communities in a Desert Spring, and Potential Conflicts in Setting Conservation Goals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sujan M. Henkanaththegedara

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Desert springs, which harbor diverse and endemic invertebrate assemblages, are often used as refuge habitats for protected fish species. Additionally, many of these springs have been colonized by invasive fish species. However, the potential impacts of recently established fish populations on invertebrate communities in desert springs have been relatively unexplored. We conducted a mesocosm experiment to assess the impact of both protected and invasive fish on community structure of spring-dwelling invertebrates focusing on zooplankton. Experimental populations of spring zooplankton communities were established and randomly assigned to one of three treatments, (1 invasive western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis; (2 endangered Mohave tui chub (Siphateles bicolor mohavensis; and (3 fishless control. Final populations of zooplankton and fish were sampled, sorted, identified and counted. The treatment differences of zooplankton communities were analyzed by comparing the densities of six major zooplankton taxa. Further, we performed nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS to visualize the patterns of zooplankton community assemblages. Four zooplankton taxa, crustacean nauplii, cladocera, calanoid and cyclopoid copepods had significantly lower densities in fish treatments compared to fishless control. Overall, invasive mosquitofish caused a 78.8% reduction in zooplankton density, while Mohave tui chub caused a 65.1% reduction. Both protected and invasive fish had similar effects on zooplankton except for cladocerans where tui chub caused a 60% reduction in density, whereas mosquitofish virtually eliminated cladocerans. The presence of fish also had a significant effect on zooplankton community structure due to population declines and local extirpations presumably due to fish predation. This work shows that conservation-translocations undertaken to conserve protected fish species may impact spring-dwelling invertebrate communities, and such impacts are

  18. Zooplankton and fisheries

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.

    is dominatEd. by herbivores. Zooplankton constitutes the main food item of several economic important animals. The pelagic fishes migrate in shoals to the feeding ground rich in food and hence zooplankton are used as indicators of rich potential fishing...

  19. Bioavailability and uptake of smelter emissions in freshwater zooplankton in northeastern Washington, USA lakes using Pb isotope analysis and trace metal concentrations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Child, A W; Moore, B C; Vervoort, J D; Beutel, M W

    2018-07-01

    The upper Columbia River and associated valley systems are highly contaminated with metal wastes from nearby smelting operations in Trail, British Columbia, Canada (Teck smelter), and to a lesser extent, Northport, Washington, USA (Le Roi smelter). Previous studies have investigated depositional patterns of airborne emissions from these smelters, and documented the Teck smelter as the primary metal contamination source. However, there is limited research directed at whether these contaminants are bioavailable to aquatic organisms. This study investigates whether smelter derived contaminants are bioavailable to freshwater zooplankton. Trace metal (Zn, Cd, As, Sb, Pb and Hg) concentrations and Pb isotope compositions of zooplankton and sediment were measured in lakes ranging from 17 to 144 km downwind of the Teck smelter. Pb isotopic compositions of historic ores used by both smelters are uniquely less radiogenic than local geologic formations, so when zooplankton assimilate substantial amounts of smelter derived metals their compositions deviate from local baseline compositions toward ore compositions. Sediment metal concentrations and Pb isotope compositions in sediment follow significant (p < 0.001) negative exponential and sigmoidal patterns, respectively, as distance from the Teck smelting operation increases. Zooplankton As, Cd, and Sb contents were related to distance from the Teck smelter (p < 0.05), and zooplankton Pb isotope compositions suggest As, Cd, Sb and Pb from historic and current smelter emissions are biologically available to zooplankton. Zooplankton from lakes within 86 km of the Teck facility display isotopic evidence that legacy ore pollution is biologically available for assimilation. However, without water column data our study is unable to determine if legacy contaminants are remobilized from lake sediments, or erosional pathways from the watershed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Phytoplanktons and zooplanktons diversity in karachi coastal seawater under high and low tide during winter monsoon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yaqoob, N.; Mashiatullah, A.; Sher, N.; Javed, T.; Ghaffar, A.

    2013-01-01

    This paper represents the population density of phytoplanktons and zooplanktons recorded during the marine environmental studies at Karachi coast in the month of February 2011. Samples were collected by towing net, preserved and quantification and identification was carried out under light microscope. Twenty-three phytoplanktons species and nine zooplankton groups were recorded in the seawater from the sampling area of 10 square kilometers. Coscinodiscus and Copepods were dominant in the population of phytoplankton and zooplankton, respectively. Phytoplankton population density increased while zooplankton abundance decreased offshore from the coastline in the open sea. (author)

  1. Zooplankton composition and diversity in western Bay of Bengal

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, S.R.S.; Nair, V.R.; Achuthankutty, C.T.; Madhupratap, M.

    higher standing stock. Copepoda formed the dominant group followed by Decapoda and Chaetognatha. Species composition of various groups and their distribution is discussed. A general inverse relationship between biomass and species diversity was the trend...

  2. Impacts of algal blooms removal by chitosan-modified soils on zooplankton community in Taihu Lake,China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jiajia Ni; Yuhe Yu; Weisong Feng; Qingyun Yan; Gang pan; Bo Yang; Xiang Zhang; Xuemei Li

    2010-01-01

    It is important to assess the effect on zooplankton when perform the environmental protection or restoration technology,especially removing algal blooms,because algae were the major primary producer in algal lakes.The influence on zooplankton community after half a year of algal blooms removed by chitosan-modified soils in Taihu Lake was assessed and the rationality of carrying out the process semiannually was evaluated in the present study.Morphological composition and genetic diversity of zooplankton community were investigated by microscope checkup and polymerase chain reaction-denatured gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE).A total of 44 zooplankton taxa (23 protozoa,17 rotifers,3 copepoda and 1 cladocera) were detected by microscope checkup,and a total of 91 bands (28 bands amplified by primers F1427-GC and R1616,63 bands amplified by primers Fung-G-C and NS1) were detected by PCR-DGGE.The results of cluster analysis or detrended correspondence analysis indicated that there was no considerable difference in morphological composition of zooplankton and DGGE profiles between experimental and control sites,and DGGE profiles could represent the biologic diversity.The study showed that zooplankton community could recover original condition after half year of algal blooms removed by chitosan-modified soils and it was acceptable to apply this process semiannually.In addition,the results revealed that PCR-DGGE could be applied to investigate the impacts of the environmental protection or restoration engineering on zooplankton community diversity.

  3. Elemental (C, H, N) composition of zooplankton from north Arabian Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Matondkar, S.G.P.; Bhat, K.L.; Ansari, Z.A.; Parulekar, A.H.

    found to be much lower than the values presently used in routine conversion factors. Such factors are now essentially needed for accounting role of zooplankton in sediment trap collections in Arabian Sea region...

  4. Zooplankton assessment of Iyikpesu river Aragba- Orogun, Delta ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    48.0 (39±9) mg CaCO3/L. All parameters were within permissible limits. Eighty– three (83) species of zooplankton belonging to five (5) taxonomic groups were identified. Rotifers contributed the highest number of taxa (36) followed by copepods ...

  5. Pilot Study on Potential Impacts of Fisheries-Induced Changes in Zooplankton Mortality on Marine Biogeochemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Getzlaff, Julia; Oschlies, Andreas

    2017-11-01

    In this pilot study we link the yield of industrial fisheries to changes in the zooplankton mortality in an idealized way accounting for different target species (planktivorous fish—decreased zooplankton mortality; large predators—increased zooplankton mortality). This indirect approach is used in a global coupled biogeochemistry circulation model to estimate the range of the potential impact of industrial fisheries on marine biogeochemistry. The simulated globally integrated response on phytoplankton and primary production is in line with expectations—a high (low) zooplankton mortality results in a decrease (increase) of zooplankton and an increase (decrease) of phytoplankton. In contrast, the local response of zooplankton and phytoplankton depends on the region under consideration: In nutrient-limited regions, an increase (decrease) in zooplankton mortality leads to a decrease (increase) in both zooplankton and phytoplankton biomass. In contrast, in nutrient-replete regions, such as upwelling regions, we find an opposing response: an increase (decrease) of the zooplankton mortality leads to an increase (decrease) in both zooplankton and phytoplankton biomass. The results are further evaluated by relating the potential fisheries-induced changes in zooplankton mortality to those driven by CO2 emissions in a business-as-usual 21st century emission scenario. In our idealized case, the potential fisheries-induced impact can be of similar size as warming-induced changes in marine biogeochemistry.

  6. Zooplankton responses to sandbar opening in a tropical eutrophic coastal lagoon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santangelo, Jayme M.; de M. Rocha, Adriana; Bozelli, Reinaldo L.; Carneiro, Luciana S.; de A. Esteves, Francisco

    2007-02-01

    The effects of a disturbance by sandbar opening on the zooplankton community were evaluated through a long-term study in an eutrophic and oligohaline system, Imboassica Lagoon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Zooplankton samples and limnological data were collected monthly from March 2000 to February 2003. Before the sandbar was opened in February 2001, the lagoon showed eutrophic conditions, with high mean nutrient concentrations and low salinity (total nitrogen - TN = 190.28 μM, chlorophyll a content - Chl. a = 104.60 μg/L and salinity = 0.87'). During this period, the zooplankton species present, such as the rotifers Brachionus calyciflorus and Brachionus havanaensis, were typical of freshwater to oligohaline and eutrophic environments. After the sandbar opening, the lagoon changed to a lower trophic status and increased salinity (TN = 55.11 μM, Chl. a = 27.56 μg/L and salinity = 19.64'). As a result, the zooplankton community came to consist largely of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis, marine copepods and meroplanktonic larvae, mainly Gastropoda. Salinity was the main force structuring the zooplankton community after the sandbar opening. Two years after this episode, the prior zooplankton community had not reestablished itself, indicating a low resilience to this disturbance. The conditions developed prior to a sandbar opening can be crucial to the community responses in the face of this disturbance and for the capacity of the original zooplankton community to re-establish itself.

  7. Zooplankton production, composition and diversity in the coastal waters of Goa

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.; Padmavati, G.

    , siphonophores, chaetognaths and fish eggs were the other common taxa. Zooplankton population was never dominated by a single group. Swarms of copepods (Temora turbinata), cladocerans (Evadne tergestina), and pteropods (Creseis acicula) occurred in the nutrient...

  8. Dynamics of the zooplankton assemblage of Ojirami Reservoir, Edo ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Zooplankton form an important trophic link between phytoplankton and fish in ... with water temperature and water level; and positive with alkalinity, free CO2 and phosphate. The study revealed low pollution indicator species in the reservoir ...

  9. Assessment of Zooplankton Community Structure of the Bahir Dar ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In general, species richness, evenness, and diversity increased as average abundance increased in the littoral zones of the lake. The dominant zooplankton were Bosmina longirostris, Daphnia lumholtzi, Thermodiaptomus galebi, Thermocyclops ethiopiensis, Diaphanosoma sarsi, Keratella sp., Brachionus sp., Filinia sp.

  10. Zooplankton structure and vertical migration: Using acoustics and biomass to compare stratified and mixed fjord systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díaz-Astudillo, Macarena; Cáceres, Mario A.; Landaeta, Mauricio F.

    2017-09-01

    The patterns of abundance, composition, biomass and vertical migration of zooplankton in short-time scales (ADCP device mounted on the hull of a ship were used to obtain vertical profiles of current velocity data and intensity of the backscattered acoustic signal, which was used to study the migratory strategies and to relate the echo intensity with zooplankton biomass. Repeated vertical profiles of temperature, salinity and density were obtained with a CTD instrument to describe the density patterns during both experiments. Zooplankton were sampled every 3 h using a Bongo net to determine abundance, composition and biomass. Migrations were diel in the stratified station, semi-diel in the mixed station, and controlled by light in both locations, with large and significant differences in zooplankton abundance and biomass between day and night samples. No migration pattern associated with the effect of tides was found. The depth of maximum backscatter strength showed differences of approximately 30 m between stations and was deeper in the mixed station. The relation between mean volume backscattering strength (dB) computed from echo intensity and log10 of total dry weight (mg m-3) of zooplankton biomass was moderate but significant in both locations. Biomass estimated from biological samples was higher in the mixed station and determined by euphausiids. Copepods were the most abundant group in both stations. Acoustic methods were a useful technique to understand the detailed patterns of migratory strategies of zooplankton and to help estimate zooplankton biomass and abundance in the inner waters of southern Chile.

  11. Next generation sequencing reveals the hidden diversity of zooplankton assemblages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Penelope K Lindeque

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Zooplankton play an important role in our oceans, in biogeochemical cycling and providing a food source for commercially important fish larvae. However, difficulties in correctly identifying zooplankton hinder our understanding of their roles in marine ecosystem functioning, and can prevent detection of long term changes in their community structure. The advent of massively parallel next generation sequencing technology allows DNA sequence data to be recovered directly from whole community samples. Here we assess the ability of such sequencing to quantify richness and diversity of a mixed zooplankton assemblage from a productive time series site in the Western English Channel. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: Plankton net hauls (200 µm were taken at the Western Channel Observatory station L4 in September 2010 and January 2011. These samples were analysed by microscopy and metagenetic analysis of the 18S nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene using the 454 pyrosequencing platform. Following quality control a total of 419,041 sequences were obtained for all samples. The sequences clustered into 205 operational taxonomic units using a 97% similarity cut-off. Allocation of taxonomy by comparison with the National Centre for Biotechnology Information database identified 135 OTUs to species level, 11 to genus level and 1 to order, <2.5% of sequences were classified as unknowns. By comparison a skilled microscopic analyst was able to routinely enumerate only 58 taxonomic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Metagenetics reveals a previously hidden taxonomic richness, especially for Copepoda and hard-to-identify meroplankton such as Bivalvia, Gastropoda and Polychaeta. It also reveals rare species and parasites. We conclude that Next Generation Sequencing of 18S amplicons is a powerful tool for elucidating the true diversity and species richness of zooplankton communities. While this approach allows for broad diversity assessments of plankton it may

  12. Zooplankton associations and environmental factors in Ogunpa and Ona rivers, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gbemisola A. Akin-Oriola

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available Zooplankton abundance, composition and environmental parameters were monitored in two tropical rivers over a twenty month period. The data was subjected to cluster, factor and correlation analysis to determine the grouping pattern of zooplankton and their relationship to environmental parameters. Environmental factors in Ogunpa and Ona rivers -included buffering capacity, trace metal ions, pH-temperature/ transparency- were primarily influenced by rainfall. The dominance of the Rotifera in both rivers was attributed to their short developmental rate and fish predation on larger zooplankton. Two groups of associations were identified in each river - a commonly occurring species group exhibiting strong homogenous correlation with environmental factors and a predominant group exhibiting weak correlation with environmental factors and whose abundance / composition may be defined by biotic factors.La abundancia, y composición del zooplancton, y parámetros ambientales fueron monitoreados en dos ríos tropicales durante un período de doce meses. Los datos fueron sometidos a análisis de agrupaciones, de factores y de correlación para determinar los patrones de agrupamiento del zooplancton y sus relaciones con parámetros ambientales. Los factores ambientales en los ríos Ogunpa y Ona, incluidos la capacidad tampón, iones metálicos traza, pH-temperatura/ transparencia, fueron influenciados principalmente por la lluvia. La dominancia de los Rotíferos en ambos ríos fue atribuida a su corta tasa de desarrollo y a la depredación del zooplancton grande por peces. Dos grupos de asociaciones fueron identificadas en cada río - la presencia de un grupo común de especies que exhiben una fuerte y homogénea correlación con factores ambientales y un grupo predominante que exhibe una débil correlación con factores ambientales y cuya abundancia / composición que podría estar definida por factores bióticos.

  13. Vertical oceanic transport of alpha-radioactive nuclides by zooplankton fecal pellets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Higgo, J.J.W.; Cherry, R.D.; Heyraud, M.; Fowler, S.W.; Beasley, T.M.

    1980-01-01

    This paper gives the results of research to explain the role played by marine plankton metabolism in the vertical oceanic transport of the alpha-emitting nuclides. The common Mediterranean euphausiid, Meganyctiphanes norvegica, was selected as the typical zooplanktonic species that is the focus of this work. Measurements of 239 240 Pu, 238 U, 232 Th, and 210 Po are reported in whole euphausiids and in euphausiid fecal pellets and molts. The resulting data are inserted into a simple model that describes the flux of an element through a zooplanktonic animal. Concentrations of the nuclides concerned are high in fecal pellets, at levels which are typical of geological rather than biological material. It is suggested that zooplanktonic fecal pellets play a significant role in the vertical oceanic transport of plutonium, thorium, and polonium

  14. Phytoplankton Composition and Abundance in Restored Maltański Reservoir under the Influence of Physico-Chemical Variables and Zooplankton Grazing Pressure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Kozak

    Full Text Available In this paper we present the effects of environmental factors and zooplankton food pressure on phytoplankton in the restored man-made Maltański Reservoir (MR. Two methods of restoration: biomanipulation and phosphorus inactivation have been applied in the reservoir. Nine taxonomical groups of phytoplankton represented in total by 183 taxa were stated there. The richest groups in respect of taxa number were green algae, cyanobacteria and diatoms. The diatoms, cryptophytes, chrysophytes, cyanobacteria, green algae and euglenophytes dominated in terms of abundance and/or biomass. There were significant changes among environmental parameters resulting from restoration measures which influenced the phytoplankton populations in the reservoir. These measures led to a decrease of phosphorus concentration due to its chemical inactivation and enhanced zooplankton grazing as a result of planktivorous fish stocking. The aim of the study is to analyse the reaction of phytoplankton to the restoration measures and, most importantly, to determine the extent to which the qualitative and quantitative composition of phytoplankton depends on variables changing under the influence of restoration in comparison with other environmental variables. We stated that application of restoration methods did cause significant changes in phytoplankton community structure. The abundance of most phytoplankton taxa was negatively correlated with large zooplankton filter feeders, and positively with zooplankton predators and concentrations of ammonium nitrogen and partly of phosphates. However, restoration was insufficient in the case of decreasing phytoplankton abundance. The effects of restoration treatments were of less importance for the abundance of phytoplankton than parameters that were independent of the restoration. This was due to the continuous inflow of large loads of nutrients from the area of the river catchment.

  15. Phytoplankton Composition and Abundance in Restored Maltański Reservoir under the Influence of Physico-Chemical Variables and Zooplankton Grazing Pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozak, Anna; Gołdyn, Ryszard; Dondajewska, Renata

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we present the effects of environmental factors and zooplankton food pressure on phytoplankton in the restored man-made Maltański Reservoir (MR). Two methods of restoration: biomanipulation and phosphorus inactivation have been applied in the reservoir. Nine taxonomical groups of phytoplankton represented in total by 183 taxa were stated there. The richest groups in respect of taxa number were green algae, cyanobacteria and diatoms. The diatoms, cryptophytes, chrysophytes, cyanobacteria, green algae and euglenophytes dominated in terms of abundance and/or biomass. There were significant changes among environmental parameters resulting from restoration measures which influenced the phytoplankton populations in the reservoir. These measures led to a decrease of phosphorus concentration due to its chemical inactivation and enhanced zooplankton grazing as a result of planktivorous fish stocking. The aim of the study is to analyse the reaction of phytoplankton to the restoration measures and, most importantly, to determine the extent to which the qualitative and quantitative composition of phytoplankton depends on variables changing under the influence of restoration in comparison with other environmental variables. We stated that application of restoration methods did cause significant changes in phytoplankton community structure. The abundance of most phytoplankton taxa was negatively correlated with large zooplankton filter feeders, and positively with zooplankton predators and concentrations of ammonium nitrogen and partly of phosphates. However, restoration was insufficient in the case of decreasing phytoplankton abundance. The effects of restoration treatments were of less importance for the abundance of phytoplankton than parameters that were independent of the restoration. This was due to the continuous inflow of large loads of nutrients from the area of the river catchment. PMID:25906352

  16. The impact of fish predation and cyanobacteria on zooplankton size structure in 96 subtropical lakes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Zhang

    Full Text Available Zooplankton are relatively small in size in the subtropical regions. This characteristic has been attributed to intense predation pressure, high nutrient loading and cyanobacterial biomass. To provide further information on the effect of predation and cyanobacteria on zooplankton size structure, we analyzed data from 96 shallow aquaculture lakes along the Yangtze River. Contrary to former studies, both principal components analysis and multiple regression analysis showed that the mean zooplankton size was positively related to fish yield. The studied lakes were grouped into three types, namely, natural fishing lakes with low nutrient loading (Type1, planktivorous fish-dominated lakes (Type 2, and eutrophic lakes with high cyanobacterial biomass (Type 3. A marked difference in zooplankton size structure was found among these groups. The greatest mean zooplankton size was observed in Type 2 lakes, but zooplankton density was the lowest. Zooplankton abundance was highest in Type 3 lakes and increased with increasing cyanobacterial biomass. Zooplankton mean size was negatively correlated with cyanobacterial biomass. No obvious trends were found in Type 1 lakes. These results were reflected by the normalized biomass size spectrum, which showed a unimodal shape with a peak at medium sizes in Type 2 lakes and a peak at small sizes in Type 3 lakes. These results indicated a relative increase in medium-sized and small-sized species in Types 2 and 3 lakes, respectively. Our results suggested that fish predation might have a negative effect on zooplankton abundance but a positive effect on zooplankton size structure. High cyanobacterial biomass most likely caused a decline in the zooplankton size and encouraged the proliferation of small zooplankton. We suggest that both planktivorous fish and cyanobacteria have substantial effects on the shaping of zooplankton community, particularly in the lakes in the eastern plain along the Yangtze River where

  17. Emergent and floating-leaved macrophytes as refuge for zooplankton in a eutrophic temperate lake without submerged vegetation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cazzanelli, Matteo; Perlt, Trine Warming; Christoffersen, Kirsten Seestern

    2008-01-01

    Several studies have shown that submerged macrophytes provide a refuge for zooplankton against fish predation, whereas the role of emergent and floating-leaved species, which are often dominant in eutrophic turbid lakes, is far less investigated. Zooplankton density in open water and amongst....... As a consequence, especially in turbid lakes, the ecological role of these functional types of vegetation, and not merely that of submerged macrophyte species, should be taken into consideration....

  18. Ocean acidification alters zooplankton communities and increases top-down pressure of a cubozoan predator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammill, Edd; Johnson, Ellery; Atwood, Trisha B; Harianto, Januar; Hinchliffe, Charles; Calosi, Piero; Byrne, Maria

    2018-01-01

    The composition of local ecological communities is determined by the members of the regional community that are able to survive the abiotic and biotic conditions of a local ecosystem. Anthropogenic activities since the industrial revolution have increased atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, which have in turn decreased ocean pH and altered carbonate ion concentrations: so called ocean acidification (OA). Single-species experiments have shown how OA can dramatically affect zooplankton development, physiology and skeletal mineralization status, potentially reducing their defensive function and altering their predatory and antipredatory behaviors. This means that increased OA may indirectly alter the biotic conditions by modifying trophic interactions. We investigated how OA affects the impact of a cubozoan predator on their zooplankton prey, predominantly Copepoda, Pleocyemata, Dendrobranchiata, and Amphipoda. Experimental conditions were set at either current (pCO 2 370 μatm) or end-of-the-century OA (pCO 2 1,100 μatm) scenarios, crossed in an orthogonal experimental design with the presence/absence of the cubozoan predator Carybdea rastoni. The combined effects of exposure to OA and predation by C. rastoni caused greater shifts in community structure, and greater reductions in the abundance of key taxa than would be predicted from combining the effect of each stressor in isolation. Specifically, we show that in the combined presence of OA and a cubozoan predator, populations of the most abundant member of the zooplankton community (calanoid copepods) were reduced 27% more than it would be predicted based on the effects of these stressors in isolation, suggesting that OA increases the susceptibility of plankton to predation. Our results indicate that the ecological consequences of OA may be greater than predicted from single-species experiments, and highlight the need to understand future marine global change from a community perspective. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons

  19. Variability of zooplankton communities at Condor seamount and surrounding areas, Azores (NE Atlantic)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmo, Vanda; Santos, Mariana; Menezes, Gui M.; Loureiro, Clara M.; Lambardi, Paolo; Martins, Ana

    2013-12-01

    Seamounts are common topographic features around the Azores archipelago (NE Atlantic). Recently there has been increasing research effort devoted to the ecology of these ecosystems. In the Azores, the mesozooplankon is poorly studied, particularly in relation to these seafloor elevations. In this study, zooplankton communities in the Condor seamount area (Azores) were investigated during March, July and September 2010. Samples were taken during both day and night with a Bongo net of 200 µm mesh that towed obliquely within the first 100 m of the water column. Total abundance, biomass and chlorophyll a concentrations did not vary with sampling site or within the diel cycle but significant seasonal variation was observed. Moreover, zooplankton community composition showed the same strong seasonal pattern regardless of spatial or daily variability. Despite seasonal differences, the zooplankton community structure remained similar for the duration of this study. Seasonal variability better explained our results than mesoscale spatial variability. Spatial homogeneity is probably related with island proximity and local dynamics over Condor seamount. Zooplankton literature for the region is sparse, therefore a short review of the most important zooplankton studies from the Azores is also presented.

  20. Comparative account on zooplankton in polluted and unpolluted estuaries of Gujarat

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Desai, B.N.; Gajbhiye, S.N.; JiyalalRam, M.J.; Nair, V.R.

    An assessment of the zooplankton biomass and composition in Kolak Par, Damanganga and Auranga estuaries was made. Among these four rivers pollution is severe in the first two, moderate in Damanganga and good water quality prevailed in Auranga...

  1. Community response of zooplankton to oceanographic changes (2002-2012) in the central/southern upwelling system of Chile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medellín-Mora, Johanna; Escribano, Ruben; Schneider, Wolfgang

    2016-03-01

    A 10-year time series (2002-2012) at Station 18 off central/southern Chile allowed us to study variations in zooplankton along with interannual variability and trends in oceanographic conditions. We used an automated analysis program (ZooImage) to assess changes in the mesozooplankton size structure and the composition of the taxa throughout the entire community. Oceanographic conditions changed over the decade: the water column became less stratified, more saline, and colder; the mixed layer deepened; and the oxygen minimum zone became shallower during the second half of the time series (2008-2012) in comparison with the first period (2002-2007). Both the size structure and composition of the zooplankton were significantly associated with oceanographic changes. Taxonomic and size diversity of the zooplankton community increased to the more recent period. For the second period, small sized copepods (1.5 mm) and medium size copepods (1-1.5 mm), whereas euphausiids, decapod larvae, appendicularian and ostracods increased their abundance during the second period. These findings indicated that the zooplankton community structure in this eastern boundary ecosystem was strongly influenced by variability of the upwelling process. Thus, climate-induced forcing of upwelling trends can alter the zooplankton community in this highly productive region with potential consequences for the ecosystem food web.

  2. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA Approach to Seasonal and Zooplankton Diversity Relationships in Fishing Grounds of Mannar Gulf, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selvin J. PITCHAIKANI

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Principal component analysis (PCA is a technique used to emphasize variation and bring out strong patterns in a dataset. It is often used to make data easy to explore and visualize. The primary objective of the present study was to record information of zooplankton diversity in a systematic way and to study the variability and relationships among seasons prevailed in Gulf of Mannar. The PCA for the zooplankton seasonal diversity was investigated using the four seasonal datasets to understand the statistical significance among the four seasons. Two different principal components (PC were segregated in all the seasons homogeneously. PCA analyses revealed that Temora turbinata is an opportunistic species and zooplankton diversity was significantly different from season to season and principally, the zooplankton abundance and its dynamics in Gulf of Mannar is structured by seasonal current patterns. The factor loadings of zooplankton for different seasons in Tiruchendur coastal water (GOM is different compared with the Southwest coast of India; particularly, routine and opportunistic species were found within the positive and negative factors. The copepods Acrocalanus gracilis and Acartia erythrea were dominant in summer and Southwest monsoon due to the rainfall and freshwater discharge during the summer season; however, these species were replaced by Temora turbinata during Northeast monsoon season.

  3. Potential acidification impacts on zooplankton in CCS leakage scenarios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halsband, Claudia; Kurihara, Haruko

    2013-08-30

    Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies involve localized acidification of significant volumes of seawater, inhabited mainly by planktonic species. Knowledge on potential impacts of these techniques on the survival and physiology of zooplankton, and subsequent consequences for ecosystem health in targeted areas, is scarce. The recent literature has a focus on anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, leading to enhanced absorption of CO2 by the oceans and a lowered seawater pH, termed ocean acidification. These studies explore the effects of changes in seawater chemistry, as predicted by climate models for the end of this century, on marine biota. Early studies have used unrealistically severe CO2/pH values in this context, but are relevant for CCS leakage scenarios. Little studied meso- and bathypelagic species of the deep sea may be especially vulnerable, as well as vertically migrating zooplankton, which require significant residence times at great depths as part of their life cycle. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Studies on the distribution of gelatinous zooplankton in the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    spamer

    boundary to the system (Agenbag and Shannon 1988,. Largier and Boyd 2001), it is not considered to have a profound influence on the specific composition of regional zooplankton (Gibbons et al. 1995, Gibbons and Thibault-Botha 2002, but see Barange et al. 1992,. Emanuel et al. 1992). Indeed, it has been suggested.

  5. Zooplankton structure in two interconnected ponds: similarities and differences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Špoljar Maria

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The research of zooplankton diversity, abundance and trophic structure was conducted during the summer period in pelagial zone on the longitudinal profile of the Sutla River Backwater. Investigated site consists of two interconnected basins: transparent Upper Basin with submerged macrophytes and turbid Lower Basin without macrophytes in the littoral zone. In the Upper Basin, abundance and diversity of zooplankton in the pelagial was higher in comparison to the Lower Basin, with prevailing species of genus Keratella as microfilter-feeder, and genera of Polyartha and Trihocerca as macrofilter-feeder rotifers. On the contrary, in the Lower Basin, crustaceans dominated in abundance. Microfilter-feeder cladoceran (Bosmina longirostris and larval and adult stages of macrofilter-feeder copepod (Macrocyclops albidus prevailed in the Lower Basin. Fish predation pressure was more pronounced in the pelagial of the Upper Basin, indicated by low cladoceran abundance in the surface layer. Although the studied basins were interconnected, results indicate significant (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.05 differences in the zooplankton structure as a potential result of the macrophyte impact on environmental conditions and fish predation pressure.

  6. Zooplankton diversity of a protected and vulnerable wetland system in southern South America (Llancanelo area, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Sabina D’Ambrosio

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In arid regions, climatic conditions exert a great control on the aquatic systems present, but recent changes in climate have produced an enhanced salinization of the aquatic environments located there. Consequently, a major reduction in biodiversity would be expected in those wetlands that were originally fresh water. Salinity is a principal cause of reduced biodiversity particularly in zooplankton because few of those species can adapt to the salt pressure of saline environments. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain essential information on the diversity of aquatic invertebrates in Llancanelo basin by focussing the analysis on the zooplankton community and exploring seasonal and spatial differences in the zooplankton assemblages of this vulnerable wetland system within an arid region of Argentina. Seasonal samples were taken at nine sites in the basin (a shallow lake, 4 springs, streams, and the Malargüe River. A total of 45 species were identified. The zooplankton abundance in the lake displayed a clear seasonal contrast and was higher than that recorded in the springs and lotic environments. Boeckella poopoensis, Fabrea salina, and Brachionus plicatilis predominated in the lake, indicating their halophilia. The presence of the crustaceans Alona sp., Macrocyclops albidus, and Paracyclops fimbriatus was restricted to the springs; whereas Notholca labis and Notholca squamula were found only in running water. The zooplankton species richness in the Llancanelo area is low because of both the salt content in the lake and the irregularity of freshwater entry in all locations during the annual cycle.

  7. Determine Age-structure of Gelatinous Zooplankton Using Optical Coherence Tomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, H.; Shahrestani, S.; He, Y.

    2016-02-01

    Gelatinous are delicate and transparent by nature, but are conspicuous in many ecosystems when in bloom. Their proliferations are a bothersome and costly nuisance and influencing important food webs and species interactions. More importantly, gelatinous zooplankton respond to climate change rapidly and understanding their upsurge needs information on their recruitment and population dynamics which in turn require their age-structure. However, ageing gelatinous zooplankton is often restricted by the fact that they shrink under unfavorable conditions. In the present study, we examine the potential of using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to age gelatinous zooplankton. OCT is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses light waves to examine 2D or 3D structure of target objects at a resolution of 3-5 µm. We were able to successfully capture both 3D and 2D images of sea nettle muscle fibers. Preliminary results on ctenophores will be discussed. Overall, this non-destructive sampling allows us to scan and capture images of mesoglea from jellyfish cultured in the lab, using the same individual repeatedly through time, documenting its growth which will provide precise measurements to construct an age key that will be applied to gelatinous zooplankton captured in the field. Coupled with information on abundance, we can start to quantify their recruitment timing and success rate.

  8. Metabarcoding Reveals Seasonal and Temperature-Dependent Succession of Zooplankton Communities in the Red Sea

    KAUST Repository

    Casas, Laura; Pearman, John K.; Irigoien, Xabier

    2017-01-01

    Very little is known about the composition and the annual cycle of zooplankton assemblages in the Red Sea, a confined water body characterized by a high biodiversity and endemism but at the same time one of the most understudied areas in the world in terms of marine biodiversity. This high diversity together with the lack of references for several of the groups poses a problem in obtaining basic information on zooplankton seasonal patterns. In the present work, we used high throughput sequencing to examine the temporal and spatial distribution of the zooplankton communities inhabiting the epipelagic zone in the central Red Sea. The analysis of zooplankton assemblages collected at two sites—coastal and offshore—twice a month at several depth strata by using MANTA, Bongo and WP2 nets provides baseline information of the seasonal patterns of the zooplankton community over 1 year. We show that the seasonal fluctuation of zooplankton communities living in the upper 100 m of the water column is driven mainly by the annual changes in seawater temperature. The 18S rRNA gene was used for metabarcoding of zooplankton assemblages revealing 630 metazoan OTUs (97% similarity) in five phyla, highlighting the richness of the Red Sea community. During colder months, communities were characterized by lower richness and higher biomass than communities found during the hot season. Throughout the year the zooplankton communities were dominated by the class Maxillopoda, mainly represented by copepods and class Hydrozoa. The rise in the water temperature favors the appearance of classes Malacostraca, Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, and Saggitoidea. The present study provides essential baseline information for future monitoring and improves our knowledge of the marine ecosystem in the Red Sea while reporting the main environmental variable structuring zooplankton assemblages in this region.

  9. Metabarcoding Reveals Seasonal and Temperature-Dependent Succession of Zooplankton Communities in the Red Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Casas

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Very little is known about the composition and the annual cycle of zooplankton assemblages in the Red Sea, a confined water body characterized by a high biodiversity and endemism but at the same time one of the most understudied areas in the world in terms of marine biodiversity. This high diversity together with the lack of references for several of the groups poses a problem in obtaining basic information on zooplankton seasonal patterns. In the present work, we used high throughput sequencing to examine the temporal and spatial distribution of the zooplankton communities inhabiting the epipelagic zone in the central Red Sea. The analysis of zooplankton assemblages collected at two sites—coastal and offshore—twice a month at several depth strata by using MANTA, Bongo and WP2 nets provides baseline information of the seasonal patterns of the zooplankton community over 1 year. We show that the seasonal fluctuation of zooplankton communities living in the upper 100 m of the water column is driven mainly by the annual changes in seawater temperature. The 18S rRNA gene was used for metabarcoding of zooplankton assemblages revealing 630 metazoan OTUs (97% similarity in five phyla, highlighting the richness of the Red Sea community. During colder months, communities were characterized by lower richness and higher biomass than communities found during the hot season. Throughout the year the zooplankton communities were dominated by the class Maxillopoda, mainly represented by copepods and class Hydrozoa. The rise in the water temperature favors the appearance of classes Malacostraca, Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, and Saggitoidea. The present study provides essential baseline information for future monitoring and improves our knowledge of the marine ecosystem in the Red Sea while reporting the main environmental variable structuring zooplankton assemblages in this region.

  10. Metabarcoding Reveals Seasonal and Temperature-Dependent Succession of Zooplankton Communities in the Red Sea

    KAUST Repository

    Casas, Laura

    2017-08-02

    Very little is known about the composition and the annual cycle of zooplankton assemblages in the Red Sea, a confined water body characterized by a high biodiversity and endemism but at the same time one of the most understudied areas in the world in terms of marine biodiversity. This high diversity together with the lack of references for several of the groups poses a problem in obtaining basic information on zooplankton seasonal patterns. In the present work, we used high throughput sequencing to examine the temporal and spatial distribution of the zooplankton communities inhabiting the epipelagic zone in the central Red Sea. The analysis of zooplankton assemblages collected at two sites—coastal and offshore—twice a month at several depth strata by using MANTA, Bongo and WP2 nets provides baseline information of the seasonal patterns of the zooplankton community over 1 year. We show that the seasonal fluctuation of zooplankton communities living in the upper 100 m of the water column is driven mainly by the annual changes in seawater temperature. The 18S rRNA gene was used for metabarcoding of zooplankton assemblages revealing 630 metazoan OTUs (97% similarity) in five phyla, highlighting the richness of the Red Sea community. During colder months, communities were characterized by lower richness and higher biomass than communities found during the hot season. Throughout the year the zooplankton communities were dominated by the class Maxillopoda, mainly represented by copepods and class Hydrozoa. The rise in the water temperature favors the appearance of classes Malacostraca, Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, and Saggitoidea. The present study provides essential baseline information for future monitoring and improves our knowledge of the marine ecosystem in the Red Sea while reporting the main environmental variable structuring zooplankton assemblages in this region.

  11. Spatial variation of the zooplankton community in the western tropical Pacific Ocean during the summer of 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Guang; Li, Chaolun; Wang, Yanqing; Wang, Xiaocheng; Dai, Luping; Tao, Zhencheng; Ji, Peng

    2017-03-01

    Knowledge of the zooplankton community in the western tropical Pacific Ocean is poor compared to that of the communities in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. The zooplankton composition, abundance, biomass and community structure in the western Pacific Ocean were studied based on data collected during a synoptic cruise (August-September 2014). Four zooplankton communities were determined via cluster analysis, and these four clusters were mainly spatially related to four different currents: the Luzon Current (LC), Subtropical Countercurrent (STCC), North Equatorial Current (NEC) and North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC). The estimated mean abundance and biomass of the zooplankton for the whole surveyed area were 146.7±178.1 ind/m3 and 36.9±40.3 mg/m3, respectively. The zooplankton abundance was dominated by small copepods, such as Clausocalanus furcatus, C. pergens, Oncaea mediterranea and Oithona plumifera. The zooplankton abundance and biomass values were lowest in the STCC region and highest in the NECC region. BEST analysis based on surface environmental factors showed that chlorophyll a (chl a), pH, temperature and salinity were the environmental variables that best explained the distribution pattern of the zooplankton community (pw=0.372). The zooplankton abundance was higher south of the salinity front at 16°N, in accordance with the relatively higher nutrient and chl a levels. Maximum zooplankton biomass was found in regions on the periphery of the cyclonic Mindanao Eddy (ME) and anticyclonic Halmahera Eddy (HE).

  12. Planktivory in the changing Lake Huron zooplankton community: Bythotrephes consumption exceeds that of Mysis and fish

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunnell, D.B.; Hunter, R. Douglas; Warner, D.M.; Chriscinske, M.A.; Roseman, E.F.

    2011-01-01

    Oligotrophic lakes are generally dominated by calanoid copepods because of their competitive advantage over cladocerans at low prey densities. Planktivory also can alter zooplankton community structure. We sought to understand the role of planktivory in driving recent changes to the zooplankton community of Lake Huron, a large oligotrophic lake on the border of Canada and the United States. We tested the hypothesis that excessive predation by fish (rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax, bloater Coregonus hoyi) and invertebrates (Mysis relicta, Bythotrephes longimanus) had driven observed declines in cladoceran and cyclopoid copepod biomass between 2002 and 2007. We used a field sampling and bioenergetics modelling approach to generate estimates of daily consumption by planktivores at two 91-m depth sites in northern Lake Huron, U.S.A., for each month, May-October 2007. Daily consumption was compared to daily zooplankton production. Bythotrephes was the dominant planktivore and estimated to have eaten 78% of all zooplankton consumed. Bythotrephes consumption exceeded total zooplankton production between July and October. Mysis consumed 19% of all the zooplankton consumed and exceeded zooplankton production in October. Consumption by fish was relatively unimportant - eating only 3% of all zooplankton consumed. Because Bythotrephes was so important, we explored other consumption estimation methods that predict lower Bythotrephes consumption. Under this scenario, Mysis was the most important planktivore, and Bythotrephes consumption exceeded zooplankton production only in August. Our results provide no support for the hypothesis that excessive fish consumption directly contributed to the decline of cladocerans and cyclopoid copepods in Lake Huron. Rather, they highlight the importance of invertebrate planktivores in structuring zooplankton communities, especially for those foods webs that have both Bythotrephes and Mysis. Together, these species occupy the epi-, meta- and

  13. Standing stock and biochemical composition of zooplankton in the northeastern Arabian Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Krishnakumari, L.; Achuthankutty, C.T.

    function as a reserve food in tropical zooplankton. Lipid, carbohydrate, ash, carbon and calorific content did not show much variation. Standing crop was estimated as 352.13 mgC.m super(2) for the upper 50m column of the coastal region, 716.82 mgC.M super(2...

  14. Trait-based approaches to zooplankton communities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lichtman, E.; Ohman, M.D.; Kiørboe, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    in ecosystem models. Characterizing zooplankton traits and trade-offs will also be helpful in understanding the selection pressures and diversity patterns that emerge in different ecosystems along major environmental gradients. Zooplankton traits can be characterized according to their function and type. Some......; develop novel predictive models that explicitly incorporate traits and associated trade-offs; and utilize these traits to explain and predict zooplankton community structure and dynamics under different environmental conditions, including global change scenarios......Zooplankton are major primary consumers and predators in most aquatic ecosystems. They exhibit tremendous diversity of traits, ecological strategies and, consequently, impacts on other trophic levels and the cycling of materials and energy. An adequate representation of this diversity in community...

  15. Metal and proton toxicity to lake zooplankton: A chemical speciation based modelling approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stockdale, Anthony; Tipping, Edward; Lofts, Stephen; Fott, Jan; Garmo, Øyvind A.; Hruska, Jakub; Keller, Bill; Löfgren, Stefan; Maberly, Stephen C.; Majer, Vladimir; Nierzwicki-Bauer, Sandra A.; Persson, Gunnar; Schartau, Ann-Kristin; Thackeray, Stephen J.

    2014-01-01

    The WHAM-F TOX model quantifies the combined toxic effects of protons and metal cations towards aquatic organisms through the toxicity function (F TOX ), a linear combination of the products of organism-bound cation and a toxic potency coefficient for each cation. We describe the application of the model to predict an observable ecological field variable, species richness of pelagic lake crustacean zooplankton, studied with respect to either acidification or the impacts of metals from smelters. The fitted results give toxic potencies increasing in the order H + TOX to relate combined toxic effects of protons and metal cations towards lake crustacean zooplankton. • The fitted results give toxic potencies increasing in the order H + TOX model has been applied to field data for pelagic lake crustacean zooplankton. The fitted results give metal toxic potencies increasing in the order H + < Al < Cu < Zn < Ni

  16. Validity of zooplankton biomass estimates and energy equivalent in the Indian Ocean

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Dalal, S.G.; Parulekar, A.H.

    , as deduced from the data on biochemical composition and energy content, it is evident that zooplankton of the Indian Ocean contains on an average 2.7% organic carbon, rather than the widely quoted value of 6.5%. The biomass production in terms of organic...

  17. Regional zooplankton dispersal provides spatial insurance for ecosystem function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Symons, Celia C; Arnott, Shelley E

    2013-05-01

    Changing environmental conditions are affecting diversity and ecosystem function globally. Theory suggests that dispersal from a regional species pool may buffer against changes in local community diversity and ecosystem function after a disturbance through the establishment of functionally redundant tolerant species. The spatial insurance provided by dispersal may decrease through time after environmental change as the local community monopolizes resources and reduces community invasibility. To test for evidence of the spatial insurance hypothesis and to determine the role dispersal timing plays in this response we conducted a field experiment using crustacean zooplankton communities in a subarctic region that is expected to be highly impacted by climate change - Churchill, Canada. Three experiments were conducted where nutrients, salt, and dispersal were manipulated. The three experiments differed in time-since-disturbance that the dispersers were added. We found that coarse measures of diversity (i.e. species richness, evenness, and Shannon-Weiner diversity) were generally resistant to large magnitude disturbances, and that dispersal had the most impact on diversity when dispersers were added shortly after disturbance. Ecosystem functioning (chl-a) was degraded in disturbed communities, but dispersal recovered ecosystem function to undisturbed levels. This spatial insurance for ecosystem function was mediated through changes in community composition and the relative abundance of functional groups. Results suggest that regional diversity and habitat connectivity will be important in the future to maintain ecosystem function by introducing functionally redundant species to promote compensatory dynamics. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. Relationships among cyanobacteria, zooplankton and fish in sub-bloom conditions in the Sulejow Reservoir

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zbigniew Kaczkowski

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence of cyanobacteria is particularly characteristic of shallow eutrophic waters, and they often form massive ‘blooms’ that can affect aquatic invertebrates and fish. However, even a low abundance of cyanobacteria can be hazardous to aquatic organisms, due to the production of toxic metabolites. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cyanobacteria and their toxicity (biological activity towards zooplankton and fish communities, when only low concentrations of cyanobacterial chlorophyll a (less than 20 μg L-1 are detected, i.e. in sub-bloom conditions. Measurements were performed in Sulejow Reservoir (Central Poland, a shallow, lowland, eutrophic reservoir, in which cyanobacterial blooms occur regularly. Fish were assessed using echo-sounding (distribution and by gillnetting (species composition. Simultaneously, zooplankton, cyanobacteria and physico-chemical characteristics were studied at 14 stations situated along hydroacoustic transects. Parameters that characterized the cyanobacteria (cyanobacterial chlorophyll a concentration, the number of 16S rRNA and the mcyA gene copies and microcystin (MC concentration were consistently correlated (based on a principal component analysis, and the highest values were found in the downstream region of the study area. This ‘cyano-complex’ was also positively correlated with oxygen concentration, pH and phosphate levels, but was negatively correlated with temperature and the concentrations of nitrates and nitrites. In Sulejow Reservoir in 2013 the biomass of large zooplankton filter feeders decreased along with increasing MC concentration and fish densities, while small filter feeders did not present such relationships with regards to fish densities. Fish abundance tended to decrease at stations with a lower abundance of cyanobacteria and with growing toxic genotype copies and MC concentration.

  19. Vertical and horizontal distribution of zooplankton and polar cod in southern Baffin Bay (66-71°N) in September 2009

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjellerup, Sanne; Dünweber, Michael; Møller, Eva Friis

    2015-01-01

    Zooplankton are the link connecting primary producers to higher trophic levels, and knowing their distribution and community is important for predicting the distribution of predator species, like fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. However, data from open Arctic oceans are still scarce. In autumn...... fishes in the upper 500 m of southern Baffin Bay in September 2009. The zooplankton community was dominated by copepods (55 % of abundance in the upper 500 m), primarily of the genus Calanus. Other important zooplankton taxa included Limacina helicina, Chaetognatha, and Cirripedia nauplii...

  20. Effects of the ``Amoco Cadiz'' oil spill on zooplankton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samain, J. F.; Moal, J.; Coum, A.; Le Coz, J. R.; Daniel, J. Y.

    1980-03-01

    A survey of zooplankton physiology on the northern coast of Brittany (France) was carried out over a one-year period by comparing two estuarine areas, one oil-polluted area (Aber Benoit) following the oil spill by the tanker “Amoco Cadiz” and one non-oil-polluted area (Rade de Brest). A new approach to an ecological survey was made by describing trophic relationships using analysis of digestive enzyme equipment (amylase and trypsin) of zooplankton organisms, mesoplankton populations and some selected species. These measurements allowed determination of (a) groups of populations with homogeneous trophic and faunistic characteristics and (b) groups of species with homogeneous trophic characteristics. The study of the appearance of these groups over a one-year period revealed the succession of populations and their adaptation to the environment on the basis of biochemical analysis. These phenomena observed in the compared areas showed marked differences in the most polluted areas during the productive spring period. Specific treatment of the data using unusual correlations between digestive enzymes is discussed in terms of the immediate effect on the whole population and on a copepod ( Anomalocera patersoni) living in the upper 10 cm.

  1. Zooplankton species identities and other data from the KNORR and other platforms as part of the International Decade of Ocean Exploration (IDOE) from 01 September 1969 to 01 December 1971 (NODC Accession 7300577)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton species identities and other data were collected from the KNORR and other platforms the from 01 September 1969 to 01 December 1971. Data were collected...

  2. Zooplankton ecology in the Mandovi-Zuari estuarine system of Goa, west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Padmavati, G.; Goswami, S.C.

    .6%). Invertebrate larvae, luciferied shrimps, cladocerans and chaetognaths were the other common zooplankton groups. Distribution and abundance of majority of constituent groups and species were influenced by various hydrographical characteristics of the environment....

  3. Zooplankton abundance of the Andaman sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Madhupratap, M.; Achuthankutty, C.T.; Nair, S.R.S.; Nair, V.R.

    the dominant component followed by Chaetognatha and Tunicata Estimates of zooplankton biomass to dry weight and to organic carbon content are made. The average standing crop of zooplankton is 288.8 mg C m2 for the upper 200 m column...

  4. Organic carbon content of tropical zooplankton

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.

    In the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries variations in organic carbon of zooplankton are 26.4-38.8 and 24-39.9% of dry weight respectively. Maximum carbon content of estuarine zooplankton is observed in November. Organic carbon in nearshore and oceanic...

  5. Relative abundance and diel variation of zooplankton from south west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.; Peter, K.J.

    abundant group, of which calanoids predominated. A swarm of the hydromedusan species, Aequorea conica, (181/m sup(-3)) was seen at night. Quantitative and qualitative variations of various zooplankton groups from six stations in relation to selected physico...

  6. Concentrations of 137Cs and trace elements in zooplankton, and their vertical distributions off Rokkasho, Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaeriyama, Hideki; Ishii, Toshiaki; Watabe, Teruhisa; Kusakabe, Masashi

    2007-01-01

    Zooplankton samples were collected at about 50 m depth with a large ring net (160-cm mouth diameter, 0.5-mm mesh) in May, June, October 2005 and June 2006 off Rokkasho, Japan where a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant will be in full-scale operation in the near future. Plankters in each sample were separated based on their species. Eight samples were used for the determination of 137 Cs concentration and the other 21 samples were used for the determination of its stable isotope, Cs along with some other trace elements. All the samples were characterized by five dominant species, i.e. euphausiids, chaetognaths, copepods; Neocalanus spp., amphipods; Themisto spp. and Cyphocaris sp. Plankton samples were also taken at three to five discrete depths between the surface and ≤ 1,000 m in depth during daytime and nighttime for analysis of vertical distribution patterns of biomass, and for assessment of daily vertical migration activity. Integrated net zooplankton biomass at nighttime ranged from 0.85 to 8.74 g-DW m -2 in the 0-150 m layer without any appreciable day-night differences in the vertical distribution; below the layer, it decreased significantly. Only in spring, appreciable day-night differences in the vertical distribution were observed at the shallowest station. Concentrations of Cs and Co did not show significant difference among the five species. However, higher concentrations of Sr were observed in two amphipods. It is likely that amphipods had a different biological process in Sr metabolism from others. The concentration of 137 Cs in zooplankton was usually very low and sometimes under the detection limit. In the present study, the highest concentration of 137 Cs in zooplankton was 24 mBq kg-WW -1 , corresponding to the concentration factor (CF) of 14, if the value of 1.7 mBq L -1 was given to the 137 Cs concentration in seawater. The water-column inventory of 137 Cs in a zooplankton community is calculated to be 0.29 to 1.95 mBq m -2 , based on the data on

  7. A stochastic analysis for a phytoplankton-zooplankton model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ge, G; Wang, H-L; Xu, J

    2008-01-01

    A simple phytoplankton-zooplankton nonlinear dynamical model was proposed to study the coexistence of all the species and a Hopf bifurcation was observed. In order to study the effect of environmental robustness on this system, we have stochastically perturbed the system with respect to white noise around its positive interior equilibrium. We have observed that the system remains stochastically stable around the positive equilibrium for same parametric values in the deterministic situation

  8. Zooplankton species identities and other data from the KNORR and other platforms as part of the International Decade of Ocean Exploration (IDOE) from 01 June 1969 to 01 December 1971 (NCEI Accession 7200735)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton species identities and other data were collected from the KNORR and other platforms from 01 June 1969 to 01 December 1971. Data were collected by the...

  9. Spatial and temporal habitat partitioning by zooplankton in the Bornholm Basin (central Baltic Sea)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz, J.; Peck, M.A.; Barz, K.

    2012-01-01

    taxa (Bosmina coregoni maritima, Acartia spp., Pseudocalanus spp., Temora longicornis, Synchaeta spp.) contributed >10% to the zooplankton community composition. The appearance of cladocerans was mainly correlated with the phenology of thermocline development in the spring. The cladoceran B. coregoni...

  10. Recovery after local extinction: factors affecting re-establishment of alpine lake zooplankton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knapp, Roland A; Sarnelle, Orlando

    2008-12-01

    The introduction of fishes into naturally fishless mountain lakes often results in the extirpation of large-bodied zooplankton species. The ability to predict whether or not particular species will recover following fish removal is critically important for the design and implementation of lake restoration efforts but is currently not possible because of a lack of information on what factors affect recovery. The objective of this study was to identify the factors influencing recovery probability in two large-bodied zooplankton species following fish removal. We predicted that (1) Daphnia melanica would have a higher probability of recovery than Hesperodiaptomus shoshone due to differences in reproductive mode (D. melanica is parthenogenetic, H. shoshone is obligately sexual), (2) recovery probability would be a decreasing function of fish residence time due to the negative relationship between fish residence time and size of the egg bank, and (3) recovery probability would be an increasing function of lake depth as a consequence of a positive relationship between lake depth and egg bank size. To test these predictions, we sampled contemporary zooplankton populations and collected paleolimnological data from 44 naturally fishless lakes that were stocked with trout for varying lengths of time before reverting to a fishless condition. D. melanica had a significantly higher probability of recovery than did H. shoshone (0.82 vs. 0.54, respectively). The probability of recovery for H. shoshone was also significantly influenced by lake depth, fish residence time, and elevation, but only elevation influenced the probability of recovery in D. melanica. These results are consistent with between-species differences in reproductive mode combined with the much greater longevity of diapausing eggs in D. melanica than in H. shoshone. Our data also suggest that H. shoshone will often fail to recover in lakes with fish residence times exceeding 50 years.

  11. An evaluation of the zooplankton community at the Sheboygan River Area of Concern and non-Area of Concern comparison sites in western Lake Michigan rivers and harbors in 2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olds, Hayley T.; Scudder Eikenberry, Barbara C.; Burns, Daniel J.; Bell, Amanda H.

    2017-12-22

    no significant difference between the zooplankton community composition and structure in the AOC and non-AOC sites. Zooplankton taxa richness in the AOC was rated as “not degraded” in 2016 because of significantly higher taxa richness values in samples collected from the Sheboygan River AOC, compared with the non-AOC sites as a group (that is, data pooled from both non-AOC sites). Zooplankton diversity in 2016, however, was characterized as “degraded” in the AOC on the basis of significantly lower (p<0.05) values in samples collected from the AOC compared with those collected from the non-AOC sites as a group. Annual variation in zooplankton community composition and structure at the Sheboygan River AOC was significantly different among all 3 years sampled, as indicated by an analysis of similarity test. Zooplankton richness was significantly higher in 2014 than in both 2012 and 2016, and diversity was significantly higher in 2012 than in both 2014 and 2016. Postremediation recovery can often be complicated by non-AOC-related stressors such as nutrients, invasive species, and extremes in flow, which could affect the recovery of zooplankton communities in the Sheboygan River AOC. The effect of the stressors on postremediation recovery underscores the importance of sampling multiple years when assessing the effectiveness of remediation activities. The results from this study will be used by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine if restoration efforts have been effective in removing the plankton BUI and to monitor future conditions in the AOC.

  12. Eclipse effects on field crops and marine zooplankton: the 29 March 2006 total solar eclipse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Economou, G.; Christou, E. D.; Giannakourou, A.; Gerasopoulos, E.; Georgopoulos, D.; Kotoulas, V.; Lyra, D.; Tsakalis, N.; Tzortziou, M.; Vahamidis, P.; Papathanassiou, E.; Karamanos, A.

    2008-08-01

    Some effects in the biosphere from the Total Solar Eclipse of 29 March 2006 were investigated in field crops and marine zooplankton. Taking into account the decisive role of light on plant life and productivity, measurements of photosynthesis and stomatal behaviour were conducted on seven important field-grown cereal and leguminous crops. A drop in photosynthetic rates, by more than a factor of 5 in some cases, was observed, and the minimum values of photosynthetic rates ranged between 3.13 and 10.13 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1. The drop in solar irradiance and the increase in mesophyll CO2-concentration during the eclipse did not induce stomatal closure thus not blocking CO2 uptake by plants. Light effects on the photochemical phase of photosynthesis may be responsible for the observed depression in photosynthetic rates. Field studies addressing the migratory responses of marine zooplankton (micro-zooplankton (ciliates), and meso-zooplankton) due to the rapid changes in underwater light intensity were also performed. The light intensity attenuation was simulated with the use of accurate underwater radiative transfer modeling techniques. Ciliates, responded to the rapid decrease in light intensity during the eclipse adopting night-time behaviour. From the meso-zooplankton assemblage, various vertical migratory behaviours were adopted by different species.

  13. Diel vertical migration of zooplankton in the Tanzanian waters of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The diel vertical migration of zooplankton was studied in the Southern part of Lake Victoria in January and July 2002. A van dorn water sampler was used to collect zooplankton. In January 2002, zooplankton showed a pronounced diel vertical migration whereby zooplankton were moving upward at around sunset and ...

  14. Zooplankton and associated data from CTD casts from 05 May 1997 to 04 March 1998 as part of the Columbia River Land-Margin Ecosystem Research (NODC Accession 0000384)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton densities, zooplankton species identities, chlorophyll, transmissivity, and temperature data were collected from the ROBERT GORDON SPROUL, WECOMA, and...

  15. Rapid reassessment of the eutrophication status of Kingston Harbour, Jamaica using the zooplankton community

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrice A. Francis

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Previous extensive studies of zooplankton distribution in the eutrophic Kingston Harbour established that it was being continuously contaminated. We assessed the community in 2011, 17 years after a previous study and five years after the introduction of a tertiary waste water system. Sampling was conducted for four weeks at eight stations identical to those sampled in a previous study. We used horizontal surface tows with a 200µm net. A total of 73 zooplankton taxa were identified and copepods dominated with 20 species. Mean total abundances were high, ranging from a minimum of 2 383 animals m-3 in the southern region of Hunts Bay to 194 166 animals m-3at the Inner Harbour. Five zooplankton taxa (Acartia tonsa, Paracalanus spp., Temora turbinata, Penilia avirostris and Lucifer faxoni that were previously identified as indicators, were again important in the Harbour. The overall zooplankton abundances were similar and in some cases higher than the previous study. There was no significant improvement in the water quality since the introduction of the treatment system at Soapberry. This may be a result of unknown nutrient inputs or of nutrient remaining in the sediments.

  16. Diel distribution of zooplankton at the Mobil OTEC site (29/sup 0/N 88/sup 0/W) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steen, Jr, J P; Gunter, G; Hartwig, E O

    1982-01-01

    In the study 128 copepod species and 43 other zooplankton taxa were identified from four depth strata (0 to 50 m, 50 to 100 m, 100 to 300 m and 300 to 500 m). Duplicate step-oblique tows at six hour intervals over 24 hours were taken at a site in the Gulf of Mexico. The distribution of zooplankton numbers and sizes, and species diversity, richness and evenness through a diel period are described.

  17. Biochemical composition of zooplankton of Bombay High (oil platform) area in the Arabian Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Bhat; Wagh

    the major component (greater than 80%) of zooplankton throughout the year. Of the proximate principals, protein formed the major component. Overall mean values, calculated as percentages of dry weight were 16.65 protein, 4.33 carbohydrate, 2.51 lipid and 23.43...

  18. Biochemical composition and calorific value of zooplankton from northern part of Central Arabian Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nandakumar, K.; Bhat, K.L.; Wagh, A.B.

    Average biomass value of zooplankton obtained was 22.69 ml 100 m-3. Average percentages of lipid, carbohydrate, protein and carbon were 6.3, 6.0, 23.6 and 34.62 respectively. Calorific values ranged between 6217 and 24708 J.g-1 dry wt (8082...

  19. Ecology of selected marine communities in Glacier Bay: Zooplankton, forage fish, seabirds and marine mammals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robards, Martin D.; Drew, Gary S.; Piatt, John F.; Anson, Jennifer Marie; Abookire, Alisa A.; Bodkin, James L.; Hooge, Philip N.; Speckman, Suzann G.

    2003-01-01

    -Bay.We identified 55 species of fish during this study (1999 and 2000) from beach seines, mid-water trawls, and rod and line catches. The diversity of physical, oceanographic, and glacial chronological conditions within Glacier Bay contribute a suite of factors that influence the distribution and abundance of fish. Accordingly, we observed significant differences in the abundance and distribution of fish within the Bay. Most significantly, abundance and diversity (primarily juvenile fish including walleye Pollock, eelblennies, and capelin) were greatest at the head of both the east and west arms where zooplankton abundance was greatest – in close proximity to tidewater glaciers and freshwater runoff. All of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait were surveyed hydroacoustically for plankton and fish during June 1999 surveys. Acoustically determined forage biomass was concentrated in relatively few important areas such as Pt. Adolphus, Berg Bay, on the Geikie-Scidmore shelf, around the Beardslee/Marble islands, and the upper arms of Glacier Bay. Forage biomass (primarily small schooling fish and euphausiids) was concentrated in shallow, nearshore waters; 50 % of acoustic biomass was found at depths 0.01 fish/m3) for seabirds foraging on zooplankton and small schooling fish. Less than 1 % of the area contained patches suitable (e.g., >0.1 fish/m3) for whales foraging on zooplankton and small schooling fish. High-density aggregations of 0.1-10 fish/m3 were comprised mostly of schools containing capelin, pollock, herring or euphausiids (0.1-1 kg/m3).During predator surveys (1999-2000), we observed 63 species of birds and 7 species of marine mammals. Seasonal distribution and abundance of these “apex” predators was highly variable by species. Glacier Bay supports high numbers of seabirds and marine mammals that consume zooplankton and small schooling fish. Nearshore areas had higher densities of both birds and marine mammals. Several areas, such as Pt. Adolphus, Berg Bay, on the Geikie

  20. Recent advances in the Mediterranean researches on zooplankton: from spatial–temporal patterns of distribution to processes oriented studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serena Fonda Umani

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available In this review we focus on research performed by Italian scientists on pelagic communities, from microzooplankton to micronekton, mainly in the Italian Seas. We considered published data, mostly as grey literature, and unpublished ones. Firstly we describe data collected over a time span of more than 30 years, during several cruises all around the Italian peninsula on zooplankton composition and distribution. We identified rare vs. common species, which enhanced biodiversity of the pelagic ecosystem. Time series, some also very long, allowed us to describe seasonal recurrent patterns, interannual fluctuations and recent shifts driven by climatic changes. More recently Italian researches were processes oriented and we analyzed results obtained on the impact of predation of both micro- and mesozooplankton on both autotrophic and heterotrophic preys. Carbon fluxes through zooplankton components were variable in space and time, but accounted for important phytoplankton losses, and when this resource became scarce they relied on heterotrophic production. Through respiration measurements of mesozooplankton another aspect of the C flux was estimated showing an increase in C demand in the most oligotrophic area. Egg production by copepods appeared to be mostly controlled by temperature and quantity/quality of available food.

  1. Behind the impact of introduced trout in high altitude lakes: adult, not juvenile fish are responsible of the selective predation on crustacean zooplankton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rocco Tiberti

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Introduced fish seriously affect zooplankton communities in mountain lakes, often leading to the loss of large species. Selective predation is recognized to be the ultimate cause of such a strong impact. Here we describe the selection of zooplankton prey by analyzing the stomach contents of more than 300 brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis inhabiting seven alpine lakes in the Gran Paradiso National Park (western Italian Alps. Our results show that planktivory is much more common in young fish, which feed on a larger number of taxa, but also adult fish maintain the ability to feed on zooplankton. There is a direct dependence between the length of zooplankton prey and the length of their fish predators, and adult, not juvenile fish are responsible of the selective predation on large crustacean zooplankton, which drive the impact of introduced fish throughout the entire zooplankton community. In some rare cases, large zooplankton populations develop in the presence of brook trout, and planktivory can become an important temporary resource for adult fish during the ice-free season. Thus, in the early stages of the establishment of non-native trout in alpine lakes, large-bodied zooplankton may represent an important food resource.

  2. The effects of environmental parameters on zooplankton assemblages in tropical coastal estuary, South-west, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Waidi O. Abdul

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The present study was carried out to examine the distribution and assemblage structure of zooplankton in relation to environmental parameters of tropical coastal estuarine ecosystem impounding Bight of Benin, Nigeria. The estuarine water samples were collected between January and December, 2014 from three sampling zones (Brushpark, Open water and Wetland then were fixed in 4% formalin. A total of twenty-eight (28 species belonging to four (4 groups were recorded in this study. These groups were rotifera, copepoda, cladocerans and ostracodas, and were all widely distributed in the three investigated zones. Higher richness, dominance and abundance indices were recorded in Zone I when compared to both Zones II and III. Cluster analysis showed five distinct species communities. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA showed a distinct smattering positive and negative correlation on the distribution of zooplankton indicating that the relative abundance of any species was dependent on specific environmental variables.

  3. Eclipse effects on field crops and marine zooplankton: the 29 March 2006 total solar eclipse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Economou

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Some effects in the biosphere from the Total Solar Eclipse of 29 March 2006 were investigated in field crops and marine zooplankton. Taking into account the decisive role of light on plant life and productivity, measurements of photosynthesis and stomatal behaviour were conducted on seven important field-grown cereal and leguminous crops. A drop in photosynthetic rates, by more than a factor of 5 in some cases, was observed, and the minimum values of photosynthetic rates ranged between 3.13 and 10.13 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1. The drop in solar irradiance and the increase in mesophyll CO2-concentration during the eclipse did not induce stomatal closure thus not blocking CO2 uptake by plants. Light effects on the photochemical phase of photosynthesis may be responsible for the observed depression in photosynthetic rates. Field studies addressing the migratory responses of marine zooplankton (micro-zooplankton (ciliates, and meso-zooplankton due to the rapid changes in underwater light intensity were also performed. The light intensity attenuation was simulated with the use of accurate underwater radiative transfer modeling techniques. Ciliates, responded to the rapid decrease in light intensity during the eclipse adopting night-time behaviour. From the meso-zooplankton assemblage, various vertical migratory behaviours were adopted by different species.

  4. Zooplankton associated with the oxygen minimum zone system in the northern upwelling region of Chile during March 2000

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escribano, Ruben; Hidalgo, Pamela; Krautz, Cristina

    2009-07-01

    Zooplankton in the coastal upwelling region off northern Chile may play a significant biogeochemical role by promoting carbon flux into the subsurface OMZ (oxygen minimum zone). This work identifies the dominant zooplankton species inhabiting the area influenced by the OMZ in March 2000 off Iquique (20°S, northern Chile). Abundance and vertical distribution studies revealed 17 copepod and 9 euphausiid species distributed between the surface and 600 m at four stations sampled both by day and by night. Some abundant species remained in the well-oxygenated upper layer (30 m), with no evidence of diel vertical migration, apparently restricted by a shallow (40-60 m) oxycline. Other species, however, were found closely associated with the OMZ. The large-sized copepod Eucalanus inermis was found below the oxycline and performed diel vertical migrations into the OMZ, whereas the very abundant Euphausia mucronata performed extensive diel vertical migrations between the surface waters and the core of the OMZ (200 m), even crossing it. A complete assessment of copepods and euphausiids revealed that the whole sampled water column (0-600 m) is occupied by distinct species having well-defined habitats, some of them within the OMZ. Ontogenetic migrations were evident in Eucalanidae and E. mucronata. Estimates of species biomass showed a substantial (>75% of total zooplankton biomass) daily exchange of C between the photic layer and the OMZ. Both E. inermis and E. mucronata can actively exchange about 37.8 g C m -2 d -1 between the upper well-oxygenated (0-60 m) layer and the deeper (60-600 m) OMZ layer. This migrant biomass may contribute about 7.2 g C m -2 d -1 to the OMZ system through respiration, mortality, and production of fecal pellets within the OMZ. This movement of zooplankton in and out of the OMZ, mainly as a result of the migratory behavior of E. mucronata, suggests a very efficient mechanism for introducing large amounts of freshly produced carbon into the OMZ

  5. Zooplankton use of chemodetection to find and eat particles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jackson, G.A.; Kiørboe, Thomas

    2004-01-01

    The ability of raptorial zooplankton to find large particles such as marine aggregates is crucial to their use of the particles as food and to the fate of the particles. Kiorboe & Thygesen (2001) developed a numerical approach to describe particle detection by chemosensory zooplankton. In this pa......The ability of raptorial zooplankton to find large particles such as marine aggregates is crucial to their use of the particles as food and to the fate of the particles. Kiorboe & Thygesen (2001) developed a numerical approach to describe particle detection by chemosensory zooplankton...

  6. Assessments at multiple levels of biological organization allow for an integrative determination of physiological tolerances to turbidity in an endangered fish species

    OpenAIRE

    Hasenbein, Matthias; Fangue, Nann A.; Geist, Juergen; Komoroske, Lisa M.; Truong, Jennifer; McPherson, Rina; Connon, Richard E.

    2016-01-01

    Turbidity can influence trophic levels by altering species composition and can potentially affect fish feeding strategies and predator?prey interactions. The estuarine turbidity maximum, described as an area of increased suspended particles, phytoplankton and zooplankton, generally represents a zone with higher turbidity and enhanced food sources important for successful feeding and growth in many fish species. The delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) is an endangered, pelagic fish species ...

  7. Improved protocols to accelerate the assembly of DNA barcode reference libraries for freshwater zooplankton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elías-Gutiérrez, Manuel; Valdez-Moreno, Martha; Topan, Janet; Young, Monica R; Cohuo-Colli, José Angel

    2018-03-01

    Currently, freshwater zooplankton sampling and identification methodologies have remained virtually unchanged since they were first established in the beginning of the XX century. One major contributing factor to this slow progress is the limited success of modern genetic methodologies, such as DNA barcoding, in several of the main groups. This study demonstrates improved protocols which enable the rapid assessment of most animal taxa inhabiting any freshwater system by combining the use of light traps, careful fixation at low temperatures using ethanol, and zooplankton-specific primers. We DNA-barcoded 2,136 specimens from a diverse array of taxonomic assemblages (rotifers, mollusks, mites, crustaceans, insects, and fishes) from several Canadian and Mexican lakes with an average sequence success rate of 85.3%. In total, 325 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) were detected with only three BINs (two cladocerans and one copepod) shared between Canada and Mexico, suggesting a much narrower distribution range of freshwater zooplankton than previously thought. This study is the first to broadly explore the metazoan biodiversity of freshwater systems with DNA barcodes to construct a reference library that represents the first step for future programs which aim to monitor ecosystem health, track invasive species, or improve knowledge of the ecology and distribution of freshwater zooplankton.

  8. Empirical relationships between phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass in Indian Ocean

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jayalakshmy, K.V.

    and temperature, zooplankton and phytoplankton, zooplankton and PO sub(4)-P and phytoplankton and PO sub(4)-P. Linear regression model is found to be significant at 1% level of significance. Since zooplankton and phytoplankton are significantly positively...

  9. Distribution of zooplankton populations within and adjacent to a thermal plume

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, M.S.

    1981-01-01

    Zooplankton distributions in the 1-m stratum differed between ambient waters and the thermal plume of the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Power Plant. Zooplankton were most abundant in the warmest waters of the plume with the region of high densities extending over an approximate area of 0.2 to 0.3 km 2 . Water temperature was not a reliable indicator of alterations in zooplankton populations. Alterations were primarily due to upward vertical displacment of deep-living zooplankton. Large horizontal variability in zooplankton densities and use of conventional sampling procedures (vertically hauled nets, widely spaced stations) prevent traditionally designed monitoring programs from detecting such alterations. Zooplankton may experience indirect mortality losses in the plume if transfer of deep-living zooplankton to the surface layers makes them more visible to visual-feeding fish predators, and turbulences in the plume reduce zooplankters' ability to detect and avoid such predators. (auth)

  10. Distribution of zooplankton and its relations to food items of fish in coral areas of Karah Island, Malaysia, South China Sea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibrahim, S.; Joni, Z.M.; Kassim, Z.; Hussin, W.M.R.W.; Zakaria, M.Z.; Hajisamae, S.

    2005-01-01

    The composition of food items of coral reef fish in breeding grounds of the coastal waters of Karah Island was studied. Samples of fish were caught manually by divers using conventional fishing gears. Stomachs of fish collected were removed onboard, preserved and taken to the laboratory for the analysis of the content. Crustaceous were found to be the main food item of the fish families. The selected breeding ground appeared to be the productive stations for the studied species of fish, zooplankton and the food items. The result also shows a significant relationship between the food items in fish stomachs and zooptoankton distribution. Information on the availability and distribution of food items is important for the management of fishery resources as well as for the efficient exploitation of the species. (author)

  11. Feeding ecology of mesopelagic zooplankton of the subtropical and subarctic North Pacific Ocean determined with fatty acid biomarkers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, S. E.; Steinberg, D. K.; Chu, F.-L. E.; Bishop, J. K. B.

    2010-10-01

    Mesopelagic zooplankton may meet their nutritional and metabolic requirements in a number of ways including consumption of sinking particles, carnivory, and vertical migration. How these feeding modes change with depth or location, however, is poorly known. We analyzed fatty acid (FA) profiles to characterize zooplankton diet and large particle (>51 μm) composition in the mesopelagic zone (base of euphotic zone -1000 m) at two contrasting time-series sites in the subarctic (station K2) and subtropical (station ALOHA) Pacific Ocean. Total FA concentration was 15.5 times higher in zooplankton tissue at K2, largely due to FA storage by seasonal vertical migrators such as Neocalanus and Eucalanus. FA biomarkers specific to herbivory implied a higher plant-derived food source at mesotrophic K2 than at oligotrophic ALOHA. Zooplankton FA biomarkers specific to dinoflagellates and diatoms indicated that diatoms, and to a lesser extent, dinoflagellates were important food sources at K2. At ALOHA, dinoflagellate FAs were more prominent. Bacteria-specific FA biomarkers in zooplankton tissue were used as an indicator of particle feeding, and peaks were recorded at depths where known particle feeders were present at ALOHA (e.g., ostracods at 100-300 m). In contrast, depth profiles of bacterial FA were relatively constant with depth at K2. Diatom, dinoflagellate, and bacterial biomarkers were found in similar proportions in both zooplankton and particles with depth at both locations, providing additional evidence that mesopelagic zooplankton consume sinking particles. Carnivory indices were higher and increased significantly with depth at ALOHA, and exhibited distinct peaks at K2, representing an increase in dependence on other zooplankton for food in deep waters. Our results indicate that feeding ecology changes with depth as well as by location. These changes in zooplankton feeding ecology from the surface through the mesopelagic zone, and between contrasting environments

  12. Synchronous dynamics of zooplankton competitors prevail in temperate lake ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasseur, David A; Fox, Jeremy W; Gonzalez, Andrew; Adrian, Rita; Beisner, Beatrix E; Helmus, Matthew R; Johnson, Catherine; Kratina, Pavel; Kremer, Colin; de Mazancourt, Claire; Miller, Elizabeth; Nelson, William A; Paterson, Michael; Rusak, James A; Shurin, Jonathan B; Steiner, Christopher F

    2014-08-07

    Although competing species are expected to exhibit compensatory dynamics (negative temporal covariation), empirical work has demonstrated that competitive communities often exhibit synchronous dynamics (positive temporal covariation). This has led to the suggestion that environmental forcing dominates species dynamics; however, synchronous and compensatory dynamics may appear at different length scales and/or at different times, making it challenging to identify their relative importance. We compiled 58 long-term datasets of zooplankton abundance in north-temperate and sub-tropical lakes and used wavelet analysis to quantify general patterns in the times and scales at which synchronous/compensatory dynamics dominated zooplankton communities in different regions and across the entire dataset. Synchronous dynamics were far more prevalent at all scales and times and were ubiquitous at the annual scale. Although we found compensatory dynamics in approximately 14% of all combinations of time period/scale/lake, there were no consistent scales or time periods during which compensatory dynamics were apparent across different regions. Our results suggest that the processes driving compensatory dynamics may be local in their extent, while those generating synchronous dynamics operate at much larger scales. This highlights an important gap in our understanding of the interaction between environmental and biotic forces that structure communities. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  13. Correspondence of zooplankton assemblage and water quality in wetlands of Cachar, Assam, India: Implications for environmental management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kar Sulata

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The zooplankton assemblage of selected wetlands of Assam, India was assessed to deduce the structural variation in the context of water quality parameters. A two year study between 2012 and 2014 comprising of 530 samples from the five wetlands revealed the presence of 46 taxa, 26 Rotifera, 15 Cladocera, 4 Copepoda and 1 Ostracoda, in varying density. The rotifers dominated in terms of abundance (48 ind. cm−3 followed by the cladocerans (28 ind. cm−3 and the copepods (19 ind. cm−3 and showed significant (p <0.05 correlations with turbidity, alkalinity, hardness and phosphate contents of the water samples. The diversity and the richness of the zooplankton showed an increasing trend with the water temperature. Among the different taxa, Brachionus sp. was most abundant followed by Mesocyclops sp. while Beauchampiella sp. was represented in the least numbers. Application of the cluster analysis allowed the segregation of the different zooplankton based on the similarities of abundance in the samples. The water quality parameters like temperature, alkalinity, turbidity, magnesium and calcium were observed to be significant contributors in shaping the zooplankton community composition of the wetlands, revealed through the correlations and canonical correspondence analysis. As an extension, the information can be used in monitoring the quality of the freshwater habitats of the concerned and similar geographical regions, using the zooplankton as the major constituents. The variations in the abundance of cladoceran, copepod and rotifer zooplanktons can be used to understand the mechanisms that sustain the food webs of the aquatic community of the freshwater bodies.

  14. Zooplankton biomass to chlorophyll ratios in relation to trophic status ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Rising eutrophication in South African reservoirs is of major concern, leading to the consideration of top-down biomanipulation as a management option – reducing zooplankton-eating fish to sustain zooplankton grazing pressure and thus restrict autotrophic plankton that proliferate with nutrient increases. The biomass ratio ...

  15. AFSC/RACE/EcoFOCI - Zooplankton data collected in support of FOCI assessment surveys and ecosystem observations in the Bering, Beaufort, and Chukchi Seas and the Gulf of Alaska, 1987 – Present

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton data are abundance by taxanomic group (to species where possible), stage, size and sex. Zooplankton sorting is performed at The Polish Plankton Sorting...

  16. Analysis of southeast Australian zooplankton observations of 1938-42 using synoptic oceanographic conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baird, Mark E.; Everett, Jason D.; Suthers, Iain M.

    2011-03-01

    The research vessel Warreen obtained 1742 planktonic samples along the continental shelf and slope of southeast Australia from 1938-42, representing the earliest spatially and temporally resolved zooplankton data from Australian marine waters. In this paper, Warreen observations along the southeast Australian seaboard from 28°S to 38°S are interpreted based on synoptic meteorological and oceanographic conditions and ocean climatologies. Meteorological conditions are based on the NOAA-CIRES 20th Century Reanalysis Project; oceanographic conditions use Warreen hydrological observations, and the ocean climatology is the CSIRO Atlas of Regional Seas. The Warreen observations were undertaken in waters on average 0.45 °C cooler than the climatological average, and included the longest duration El Niño of the 20th century. In northern New South Wales (NSW), week time-scale events dominate zooplankton response. In August 1940 an unusual winter upwelling event occurred in northern NSW driven by a stronger than average East Australian Current (EAC) and anomalous northerly winds that resulted in high salp and larvacean abundance. In January 1941 a strong upwelling event between 28° and 33°S resulted in a filament of upwelled water being advected south and alongshore, which was low in zooplankton biovolume. In southern NSW a seasonal cycle in physical and planktonic characteristics is observed. In January 1941 the poleward extension of the EAC was strong, advecting more tropical tunicate species southward. Zooplankton abundance and distribution on the continental shelf and slope are more dependent on weekly to monthly timescales on local oceanographic and meteorological conditions than continental-scale interannual trends. The interpretation of historical zooplankton observations of the waters off southeast Australia for the purpose of quantifying anthropogenic impacts will be improved with the use of regional hindcasts of synoptic ocean and atmospheric weather that can

  17. Zooplankton community composition of high mountain lakes in the Tatra Mts., the Alps in North Tyrol, and Scotland: relationship to pH, depth, organic carbon, and chlorophyll-a concentration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Skála Ivan

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The European EMERGE (European Mountain lake Ecosystems: Regionalisation, diaGnostic & socio-economic Evaluation project was a survey of high mountain lakes (above treeline across Europe using unified methods of sampling and analysis. The sampling was carried out in summer or autumn 2000, and comprised biological samples, and samples for chemical analysis. Data from three lake districts are used in this paper: the Tatra Mts. in Slovakia and Poland (45 lakes, the Alps in Tyrol in Austria (22 lakes, and Scotland (30 lakes. As it is shown by multiple regression analysis, DTOC (dissolved or total organic carbon is the key variable for most groups of zooplankton. With increasing DTOC and mostly with chlorophyll-a decreasing, pH increasing and depth decreasing, macrofitrators with coarse filter meshes are replaced by microfiltrators with fine filter meshes. Higher DTOC may increase bacterioplankton production and advantage species able to consume bacteria (microfiltrators. Other zooplankton species also differ in their preference for DTOC, chlorophyll-a, pH and depth, but DTOC being positively correlated with chlorophyll-a and pH positively correlated with depth. It may be caused by their different preference for food quality in terms of C:P ratio.

  18. Resource competition and an analytical model of zooplankton feeding on phytoplankton

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, O L; Shugart, H H; O' Neill, R V; Booth, R S; McNaught, D C

    1975-01-01

    A new consumer-resource The model was developed with specific reference to zooplankton feeding on phytoplankton. In principle, the model can be extended to any terrestrial or aquatic community in which the consumers graze nearly randomly. It is assumed that the food as relatively little escape capabity. An attempt was made to derive the consumer-resource interaction term from first principles.A general form with clearly defined parameters that represent fundamental system processes such as consumer filtering rate. model parameters describes two known forms of feeding:(1): saturation feeding in which the rate remains constant above a given food density while the filtering rate decreases, and(2) inhibited feeding in which a decline appears at high food density. From an examination of the model's equilibrium equations for strongly similar zooplankton species feeding on similar phytoplankton species, the following conclusions were drawn. The competitive exclusion principle has only limited validity. For a community in which the consumers exhibit no intraspecific competition and have identical assimilation efficiency to death-rate ratios, e/d, any number of consumer species may, in fact, coexist and compete for the same food. The equations for a complex community composed of many consumer and food species can be reduced to a single equation with form identical to that of a single-consumer, single-food system. The standard competition coefficient, ..cap alpha.., of the Volterra equation is a poor measure of competition in nonlinear systems. It exhibits incongruous variations with changes in system parameters. In a community with no intraspecific competition, allcompetition coefficients are unity. In a community with intraspecific competition, the competition coefficients C/sub in/ tend to equalize as the number of food species increases, resulting in equal competitive strength of all consumer species in systems of the type studied.

  19. Zooplankton Responses to Low-Oxygen Condition upon a Shallow Oxygen Minimum Zone in the Upwelling Region off Chile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hidalgo, P.; Escribano, R.

    2015-12-01

    A shallow oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) is a critical component in the coastal upwelling ecosystem off Chile. This OMZ causes oxygen-deficient water entering the photic layer and affecting plankton communities having low tolerance to hypoxia. Variable, and usually species-dependent, responses of zooplankton to hypoxia condition can be found. Most dominant species avoid hypoxia by restricting their vertical distribution, while others can temporarily enter and even spent part of their life cycle within the OMZ. Whatever the case, low-oxygen conditions appear to affect virtually all vital rates of zooplankton, such as mortality, fecundity, development and growth and metabolism, and early developmental stages seem more sensitive, with significant consequences for population and community dynamics. For most study cases, these effects are negative at individual and population levels. Observations and predictions upon increasing upwelling intensity over the last 20-30 years indicate a gradual shoaling of the OMZ, and so that an expected enhancement of these negative effects of hypoxia on the zooplankton community. Unknown processes of adaptation and community-structure adjustments are expected to take place with uncertain consequences for the food web of this highly productive eastern boundary current ecosystem.

  20. Zooplankton data collected by ELTANIN in Southern Oceans from zooplankton net casts; 13 October 1963 to 06 June 1968 (NODC Accession 9500111)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton data were collected using zooplankton net casts from ELTANIN in the Southern Oceans. Data were collected from 13 October 1963 to 06 June 1968 by National...

  1. Zooplankton size selection relative to gill raker spacing in rainbow trout

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budy, P.; Haddix, T.; Schneidervin, R.

    2005-01-01

    Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss are one of the most widely stocked salmonids worldwide, often based on the assumption that they will effectively utilize abundant invertebrate food resources. We evaluated the potential for feeding morphology to affect prey selection by rainbow trout using a combination of laboratory feeding experiments and field observations in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah-Wyoming. For rainbow trout collected from the reservoir, inter-gill raker spacing averaged 1.09 mm and there was low variation among fish overall (SD = 0.28). Ninety-seven percent of all zooplankton observed in the diets of rainbow trout collected in the reservoir were larger than the interraker spacing, while only 29% of the zooplankton found in the environment were larger than the interraker spacing. Over the size range of rainbow trout evaluated here (200-475 mm), interraker spacing increased moderately with increasing fish length; however, the size of zooplankton found in the diet did not increase with increasing fish length. In laboratory experiments, rainbow trout consumed the largest zooplankton available; the mean size of zooplankton observed in the diets was significantly larger than the mean size of zooplankton available. Electivity indices for both laboratory and field observations indicated strong selection for larger-sized zooplankton. The size threshold at which electivity switched from selection against smaller-sized zooplankton to selection for larger-sized zooplankton closely corresponded to the mean interraker spacing for both groups (???1-1.2 mm). The combination of results observed here indicates that rainbow trout morphology limits the retention of different-sized zooplankton prey and reinforces the importance of understanding how effectively rainbow trout can utilize the type and sizes of different prey available in a given system. These considerations may improve our ability to predict the potential for growth and survival of rainbow trout within and

  2. Grazing experiments and model simulations of the role of zooplankton in Phaeocystis food webs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verity, P. G.

    2000-08-01

    A combined empirical and modelling study was conducted to further examine the potential importance of grazing by zooplankton in pelagic food webs in which Phaeocystis is a significant or dominant component. Laboratory experiments were designed to measure ingestion of Phaeocystis and other potential prey items which co-occur with Phaeocystis. Grazers included copepods and ciliates, and prey included Phaeocystis colonies and solitary cells, diatoms, ciliates, bacteria, and detritus. These data were expressed in the model currency of nitrogen units, and fit to hyperbolic tangent equations which included minimum prey thresholds. These equations and literature data were used to constrain a food web model whose purpose was to investigate trophic interactions rather than to mimic actual events. Nevertheless, the model output was similar to the general pattern and magnitude of development of Phaeocystis-diatom communities in some environments where they occur, e.g. north Norwegian waters. The model included three forms of nitrogen, three phytoplankton groups, bacteria, two zooplankton groups, and detritus, with detailed flows between compartments. An important component of the model was inclusion of variable prey preferences for zooplankton. The experiments and model simulations suggest several salient conclusions. Phaeocystis globosa colonies were eaten by a medium-sized copepod species, but ingestion appeared to be strongly dependent upon a proper size match between grazer and prey. If not, colonies were eaten little if at all. Phaeocystis solitary cells were ingested rapidly by ciliate microzooplankton, in agreement with prior literature observations. In contrast, detritus was eaten comparatively slowly by both ciliates and copepods. Both types of zooplankton exhibited apparent minimum prey thresholds below which grazing did not occur or was inconsequential. Model simulations implied that transitions between life cycle stages of Phaeocystis may potentially be important

  3. River discharge as a major driving force on spatial and temporal variations in zooplankton biomass and community structure in the Godavari estuary India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkataramana, V; Sarma, V V S S; Matta Reddy, Alavala

    2017-08-28

    Variability in horizontal zooplankton biomass distribution was investigated over 13 months in the Godavari estuary, along with physical (river discharge, temperature, salinity), chemical (nutrients, particulate organic matter), biological (phytoplankton biomass), and geological (suspended matter) properties to examine the influencing factors on their spatial and temporal variabilities. The entire estuary was filled with freshwater during peak discharge period and salinity near zero, increased to ~ 34 psu during dry period with relatively high nutrient levels during former than the latter period. Due to low flushing time ( 500 mg L -1 ) during peak discharge period, picoplankton (cyanophyceae) contributed significantly to the phytoplankton biomass (Chl-a) whereas microplankton and nanoplankton (bacillariophyceae, and chlorophyceae) during moderate and mostly microplankton during dry period. Zooplankton biomass was the lowest during peak discharge period and increased during moderate followed by dry period. The zooplankton abundance was controlled by dead organic matter during peak discharge period, while both phytoplankton biomass and dead organic matter during moderate discharge and mostly phytoplankton biomass during dry period. This study suggests that significant modification of physico-chemical properties by river discharge led to changes in phytoplankton composition and dead organic matter concentrations that alters biomass, abundance, and composition of zooplankton in the Godavari estuary.

  4. Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Zooplankton Production | Orji ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Zooplankton Production. ... Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences ... The aquaria were thoroughly washed, filled with 20litres of bore-hole water, fertilized with the respective organic manures after 4 days fermentation and inoculated with zooplankton samples collected from an earthen fish ...

  5. The Interactive Effect of Multiple Stressors on Crustacean Zooplankton Communities in Montane Lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brittain, Jeffrey T.; Strecker, Angela L.

    2018-02-01

    Nonnative fish introductions have altered thousands of naturally fishless montane lakes, resulting in cascading food web repercussions. Nitrogen deposition has been recognized as an anthropogenic contributor to acidification and eutrophication of freshwater ecosystems, which may affect the abundance and composition of planktonic communities. This study identified responses of zooplankton communities from two lakes (fish present versus absent) in Mount Rainier National Park to manipulations simulating an episodic disturbance of acidification and eutrophication via nitrogen addition in mesocosms. Zooplankton communities from lakes with different food web structure (i.e., fish present or absent) responded differently to the singular effects of acid and nitrogen addition. For instance, zooplankton biomass decreased in the acid treatment of the fishless lake experiment, but increased in response to acid in the fish-present experiment. In contrast, the combination of acid and nitrogen often resulted in weak responses for both lake types, resulting in nonadditive effects, i.e., the net effect of the stressors was in the opposite direction than predicted, which is known as a reversal or "ecological surprise." This experiment demonstrates the difficulty in predicting the interactive effects of multiple stressors on aquatic communities, which may pose significant challenges for habitat restoration through fish removal.

  6. Effects of sandbar openings on the zooplankton community of coastal lagoons with different conservation status

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rayanne Barros Setubal

    Full Text Available AIM: Artificial sandbar openings are a common management practice in coastal lagoons but they can be a threat when negative effects to the quality of water and to the aquatic biota are observed. The current study compared sandbar opening effects in two coastal lagoons located close to each other, but differing on trophic status and on sandbar openings' background. METHODS:Limnological variables and zooplankton community were recorded monthly during one year before and one year after sandbar openings that occurred in the same month for both lagoons, giving 24 samples. We compared the effects of sandbar opening on response variables, according to the two types of system. RESULTS: The sandbar openings determined changes in some limnological features - depth and salinity - but such effects were different in the two types of system. The zooplankton structure displayed dramatic changes in the eutrophic and commonly opened lagoon. The occurrence and abundance of some species were closely related to changes in limnological variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicated that zooplankton communities are more resistant to sandbar openings in coastal lagoons historically less disturbed. The direction and magnitude of changes promoted by sandbar openings might be specific to each lagoon, due to different backgrounds of disturbances that, in the long term, modify the water quality and the structure of zooplankton communities, and consequently, their resistance and resilience.

  7. Surface zooplankton communities in the Indian sector of the Antarctic Ocean in early summer 1999/2000 observed with a Continuous Plankton Recorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haruko Umeda

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The first deployment of a Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR on board the icebreaker Shirase was conducted during the 41st Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE in 1999/2000 austral summer in the Indian sector of the Antarctic Ocean. The CPR was towed horizontally at approximately 10m depth while the Shirase was steaming at about 14 knots across the Polar Front (PF. Mean total abundance of zooplankton for horizontal five nautical mile sample units was 168.1(SD : ±117.18 individuals with the maximum of 456 individuals. Zooplanktons were counted for 34 categories of species/taxa. Copepods occupied more than 90% of the total abundance in numbers. Oithona spp. was the most dominant group among copepods, representing 59% of the total zooplankton. Other numerically important categories were small-sized calanoids (copepodites and adults; 18.4%, and copepodites of Calanoides acutus and Calanus simillimus (8.2%. Latitudinal change of zooplankton abundance coincided with increasing/decreasing tends of temperature and salinity. Two different zooplankton assemblages were identified by cluster analysis and these assemblages seem to be closely related to different water characteristics, such as the of PF and areas of cold water masses. CPR is considered to be an ideal tool for long term monitoring of surface zooplankton communities.

  8. Biomass relations between phytoplankton and zooplankton in Goa waters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Pant, A.; Matondkar, S.G.P.; Goswami, S.C.

    Biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton, measured as particulate oxidizable carbon, shows that at shallowest stations (5 m) there is large excess of phytoplankton organic carbon over zooplankton carbon in all the samples There is no significant...

  9. Zooplankton variability in polluted and unpolluted waters off Bombay

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gajbhiye, S.N.; Desai, B.N.

    Zooplankton abundance in the waters around Bombay was studied at Versova, Bombay Harbour (less polluted), Mahim and Thana (highly polluted) from October 1977 to December 1978. A rich zooplankton population was observed throughout the period of study...

  10. 210Po/210Pb dynamics in relation to zooplankton biomass and trophic conditions during an annual cycle in northwestern Mediterranean coastal waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Färber Lorda, Jaime; Fowler, Scott W.; Miquel, Juan-Carlos; Rodriguez y Baena, Alessia; Jeffree, Ross A.

    2013-01-01

    Monthly sampling in northwestern Mediterranean coastal waters was undertaken to better understand the relationship between zooplankton biomass and the cycling of the natural radionuclide 210 Po/ 210 Pb pair during a one-year period (October 1995–November 1996). In conjunction with mesozooplankton collections and 210 Po/ 210 Pb measurements in seawater, zooplankton and their fecal pellets, the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter (POM) was also examined at three depths (0, 20 and 50 m) as an indicator of trophic conditions. During May 1996, a strong zooplankton “bloom” was observed which was preceded by a prolonged increase in POM (protein + carbohydrates + lipids) starting at the end of March, and further demonstrated by a concomitant increase in the concentration of smaller particles, two features that are typical of mesotrophic waters. Simultaneous measurements of 210 Po in sea water and zooplankton showed an inverse trend between these two parameters during the sampling period, with the two lowest 210 Po concentrations in the dissolved phase of seawater coincident with the highest radionuclide concentrations in the zooplankton; however, this apparent relationship was not statistically significant over the entire year. Freshly excreted mesozooplankton and salp fecal pellets, which have been strongly implicated in the removal and downward transport of these radionuclides from the upper water column, contained 210 Po and 210 Pb levels ranging from 175 to 878 and 7.5–486 Bq kg −1 dry weight, respectively. Salp pellets contained 5 and 10 times more 210 Po and 210 Pb than in fecal pellets produced by mixed zooplankton, a finding most likely related to their different feeding strategies. During the zooplankton biomass peak observed in May, the 210 Po concentration in zooplankton was at a minimum; however, in contrast to what has been reported to occur in some open sea oligotrophic waters, over the year no statistically significant inverse

  11. Carbon export by vertically migrating zooplankton

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Agnethe Nøhr; Visser, André W.

    2016-01-01

    Through diel vertical migration (DVM), zooplankton add an active transport to the otherwise passive sinking of detrital material that constitutes the biological pump. This active transport has proven difficult to quantify. We present a model that estimates both the temporal and depth characterist...... is transported than at either equatorial or boreal latitudes. We estimate that the amount of carbon transported below the mixed layer by migrating zooplankton in the North Atlantic Ocean constitutes 27% (16–30%) of the total export flux associated with the biological pump in that region...

  12. Marine zooplankton studies in Brazil: a brief evaluation and perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubens M. Lopes

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Marine zooplankton research in Brazil has been primarily descriptive, with most studies focusing on community structure analysis and related issues. The composition and spatial distribution of several taxonomic groups are currently well known, although less-abundant and small-sized taxa as well as initial stages of almost all species have received little attention. Some numerically important taxa such as heterotrophic protists, ctenophores, acoel turbellarians and ostracods remain virtually unstudied. Large sectors of the continental shelf have not been sampled in detail, particularly those areas influenced by the North Brazil Current (5ºN-15ºS. Zooplankton abundance and biomass in offshore waters have seldom been quantified, and information on the distribution and vertical migration of meso- and bathypelagic species are lacking. Additional faunistic assessments must target those less-studied taxa and geographical locations. However, priority in ecological studies should be given to process-oriented investigations aimed at understanding the mechanisms controlling zooplankton distribution, trophic interactions within pelagic food webs and production cycles in relation to the physical environment. An effort should be made to incorporate state-of-the-art sampling technology and analytical methods into future research projects.As pesquisas sobre o zooplâncton marinho no Brasil têm sido primariamente descritivas, com a maioria dos estudos enfocando a análise da estrutura da comunidade e assuntos relacionados. A composição e a distribuição espacial de muitos grupos taxonômicos encontram-se bem estudadas, embora os táxons menos abundantes e de menores dimensões, assimcomo os estágios iniciais do ciclo de vida da maioria das espécies, tenham recebido pouca atenção. Alguns táxons numericamenteimportantes encontram-se pouco estudados, como no caso dos protistas heterotróficos, ctenóforos, turbelários acelos e ostrácodes. Amplos

  13. Monsoon regime in the Indian Ocean and zooplankton variability

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.

    and the estuaries in order to show how the monsoon exerts its influence on zooplankton from different types of environment. In the open ocean, the semi-annually reversing system of currents exert profound influence on the shifting of zooplankton populations and its...

  14. Vertical distribution of zooplankton in the water column of Lago Amapá, Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erlei Cassiano Keppeler

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of investigation was to study the model of vertical distribution in Lago Amapá, taking into consideration the seasonality of its zooplanktonic composition. Lago Amapá (10º2'36"S and 67º50'24"W is located in the floodplain of the Rio Acre. Samplings were conducted at three different depths of the water column, to study the vertical distribution of zooplankton populations and determine some physico-chemical and biological parameters of Lago Amapá. Weekly samples were taken with a Van Dorn sampler. The species showed greater concentrations at the by means of water column. Thirty-eight zooplankton species were found in the samples represented by Rotifera (30, Cladocera (5 and Cyclopoida (3. The temperature of the water column showed a tendency toward relatively high values (about 30ºC with little variation, consequently resulting in low viscosity. Based of Jaccard's index, it was seen that during the low-water phase, S1 and S3 of the three sampling stations studied, had greater similarity (Cj = 0.7058 in the middle of the water column. Lago Amapá showed characteristics in line with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis model, favoring colonization by opportunistic species such as rotifers.O objetivo desta investigação foi observar a distribuição vertical da comunidade do zooplâncton no Lago Amapá (10º2'36"S e 67º50'24"W, localizado na planície de inundação do Rio Acre. Amostragens foram conduzidas em três diferentes profundidades da coluna da água, considerando aspectos sazonais do zooplâncton, parâmetros físicos, químicos e biológicos. Coletas foram realizadas semanalmente com Garrafa de Van Dorn. As espécies apresentaram maiores concentrações no meio da coluna da água. Foram encontradas 38 espécies, assim distribuídas: Rotifera (30, Cladocera (5 e Cyclopoida (3. A temperatura da coluna da água em geral apresentou-se alta, em torno de 30ºC, com pequena variação, resultando em baixa viscosidade. O

  15. Evaluation of the effects of water hardness and chemical pollutants on the zooplankton community in uranium mining lakes with acid mine drainage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nascimento, H.; Ferrari, C.; Nascimento, M.R. [Brazilian Nulcear Energy Commission/Pocos de Caldas Laboratory (Brazil); Rodgher, S. [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho/Science and Technology Institute (Brazil); Wisniewski, M.J. [Alfenas Federal University/Limnology Laboratory (Brazil)

    2014-07-01

    Several mining lakes are characterized by the inorganic pollution of its waters, known as acid mine drainage (AMD). The current study was developed in order to evaluate the effect of water hardness and chemical pollutants on the richness and density of the zoo-planktonic community species. A seasonal study was conducted in a uranium mining lake affected by AMD. In environmental conditions of extremely high hardness water values (960.3 to 1284,9 mg/l), zoo-planktonic species have indicated resistance to the combined effect of elevated average concentrations of chemical pollutants such as Al (81.9 mg/l), Zn (15.5 mg/l), Mn (102.8 mg/l), U (2.9 mg/l) and low pH values (average = 3.8). Thus, in environments of extreme chemical conditions, such as a uranium mining lake affected by AMD, the hardness showed to be the best predictor of the zoo-planktonic community richness, indicating a protective effect of ions Ca{sup +2} over in special to Bosminopsis deitersi, Bosmina sp., Keratella americana and K. cochlearis. Document available in abstract form only. (authors)

  16. Increased zooplankton PAH concentrations across hydrographic fronts in the East China Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Chin-Chang; Ko, Fung-Chi; Gong, Gwo-Ching; Chen, Kuo-Shu; Wu, Jian-Ming; Chiang, Hsin-Lun; Peng, Sen-Chueh; Santschi, Peter H

    2014-06-15

    The Changjiang has transported large quantities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the East China Sea (ECS), but information of these pollutants in zooplankton is limited. To understand PAHs pollution in zooplankton in the ECS, total concentrations of PAHs in zooplankton from surface waters were measured. Values of PAHs ranged from 2 to 3500 ng m(-3) in the ECS, with highest PAHs levels located at the salinity front between the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) and the mid-shelf waters. In contrast, concentrations of zooplankton PAHs in the mid-shelf and outer-shelf waters were significantly lower (2-23 ng m(-3)) than those in the CDW. These results demonstrate that PAHs are conspicuously accumulated in zooplankton at the salinity front between the CDW and the mid-shelf waters. These higher levels of PAHs in zooplankton at the salinity front may be further biomagnified in marine organisms of higher trophic levels through their feeding activities. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  17. Biodiversity and community structure of zooplankton in the Sub-basin of Rio Poxim, Sergipe, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliane Maria de Souza Nogueira

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The zooplankton of aquatic environments is composed mostly of protozoans, rotifers, cladocerans and copepods, which play an important role in the food chain, transferring mass and energy from primary producers to higher trophic levels. This work was prepared with the objective of contributing to the knowledge of zooplankton biodiversity that occurs in the Sub-basin of Rio Poxim. Water samples were taken at monthly intervals at four sampling stations located along the sub-basin in the period August 2009 to July 2010. To obtain the zooplankton community, 100 L of water were filtered on nylon net with an aperture of 50 mm. Were identified 72 taxa distributed in the following taxonomic categories Rotifera, Protozoa, Porifera, Nematoda, Anellida, Cladocera, Copepoda, Ostracoda, Isopoda and Insecta. In terms of species richness, the phylum Rotifera followed by the Protoctista were the most relevant with forty and fifteen taxa, respectively. The most representative taxa in numerical terms were Arcella vulgaris, Notholca sp. Rotary sp. and nematodes. Regarding the community diversity index, the community was characterized as low diversity, but the taxa were distributed evenly in all monitoring points.

  18. Can heterotrophic uptake of dissolved organic carbon and zooplankton mitigate carbon budget deficits in annually bleached corals?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levas, Stephen; Grottoli, Andréa G.; Schoepf, Verena; Aschaffenburg, Matthew; Baumann, Justin; Bauer, James E.; Warner, Mark E.

    2016-06-01

    Annual coral bleaching events due to increasing sea surface temperatures are predicted to occur globally by the mid-century and as early as 2025 in the Caribbean, and severely impact coral reefs. We hypothesize that heterotrophic carbon (C) in the form of zooplankton and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a significant source of C to bleached corals. Thus, the ability to utilize multiple pools of fixed carbon and/or increase the amount of fixed carbon acquired from one or more pools of fixed carbon (defined here as heterotrophic plasticity) could underlie coral acclimatization and persistence under future ocean-warming scenarios. Here, three species of Caribbean coral— Porites divaricata, P. astreoides, and Orbicella faveolata—were experimentally bleached for 2.5 weeks in two successive years and allowed to recover in the field. Zooplankton feeding was assessed after single and repeat bleaching, while DOC fluxes and the contribution of DOC to the total C budget were determined after single bleaching, 11 months on the reef, and repeat bleaching. Zooplankton was a large C source for P. astreoides, but only following single bleaching. DOC was a source of C for single-bleached corals and accounted for 11-36 % of daily metabolic demand (CHARDOC), but represented a net loss of C in repeat-bleached corals. In repeat-bleached corals, DOC loss exacerbated the negative C budgets in all three species. Thus, the capacity for heterotrophic plasticity in corals is compromised under annual bleaching, and heterotrophic uptake of DOC and zooplankton does not mitigate C budget deficits in annually bleached corals. Overall, these findings suggest that some Caribbean corals may be more susceptible to repeat bleaching than to single bleaching due to a lack of heterotrophic plasticity, and coral persistence under increasing bleaching frequency may ultimately depend on other factors such as energy reserves and symbiont shuffling.

  19. Zooplankton biomass and production in the North Sea during the Autumn Circulation experiment, October 1987–March 1988

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hay, S.J.; Kiørboe, Thomas; Matthews, A.

    1991-01-01

    Distribution and abundance of zooplankton in the North Sea during the Autumn Circulation Experiment (October 1987–March 1988) were examined. From shipboard egg production incubations and the distributions of eggs, nauplii and females, the productivity of various copepod species was described. Aga...

  20. Migrant biomass and respiratory carbon flux by zooplankton and micronekton in the subtropical northeast Atlantic Ocean (Canary Islands)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariza, A.; Garijo, J. C.; Landeira, J. M.; Bordes, F.; Hernández-León, S.

    2015-05-01

    Diel Vertical Migration (DVM) in marine ecosystems is performed by zooplankton and micronekton, promoting a poorly accounted export of carbon to the deep ocean. Major efforts have been made to estimate carbon export due to gravitational flux and to a lesser extent, to migrant zooplankton. However, migratory flux by micronekton has been largely neglected in this context, due to its time-consuming and difficult sampling. In this paper, we evaluated gravitational and migratory flux due to the respiration of zooplankton and micronekton in the northeast subtropical Atlantic Ocean (Canary Islands). Migratory flux was addressed by calculating the biomass of migrating components and measuring the electron transfer system (ETS) activity in zooplankton and dominant species representing micronekton (Euphausia gibboides, Sergia splendens and Lobianchia dofleini). Our results showed similar biomass in both components. The main taxa contributing to DVM within zooplankton were juvenile euphausiids, whereas micronekton were mainly dominated by fish, followed by adult euphausiids and decapods. The contribution to respiratory flux of zooplankton (3.4 ± 1.9 mg C m-2 d-1) was similar to that of micronekton (2.9 ± 1.0 mg C m-2 d-1). In summary, respiratory flux accounted for 53% (range 23-71) of the gravitational flux measured at 150 m depth (11.9 ± 5.8 mg C m-2 d-1). However, based on larger migratory ranges and gut clearance rates, micronekton are expected to be the dominant component that contributes to carbon export in deeper waters. Micronekton estimates in this paper as well as those in existing literature, although variable due to regional differences and difficulties in calculating their biomass, suggest that carbon fluxes driven by this community are important for future models of the biological carbon pump.

  1. Climate-induced signatures in the zooplankton communities: a meta-analysis at a European scale.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sónia Cotrim Marques

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Several recent studies have revealed the impacts of the climate variability in the dynamic of zooplankton in different estuarine ecosystems, imposing a need for more and continued global studies. Presently, there is a growing appreciation in international collaborations to compare and contrast estuarine ecosystem response to climate variability across geographical gradients, including long-term changes in zooplankton. We performed a meta-analysis comprising field data from 7 location (Mondego estuary-Portugal, Seine estuary- France, Sheldt estuary- Belgium, Kiel fjord - Germany, Gulf of Riga- Latvia, Gulf of Bothnia – Sweden and Finland Archipelagos. The use of climatic modes (e.g. NAO, ENSO has proven useful in investigating links between climatic variations and ecological patterns. Therefore, the main focus will be to test the influence of the NAO on abundance of organisms, key species, local environment and whether these relationships are generally positive, whether they are sensitive to methodological differences among studies, between taxonomic group and key species. The knowledge gained will contribute to quantitatively evaluate the multi-scale structure of climate and marine environment and to identify a set of environmental indicators to assess the estuarine ecosystem state and risks for ecological shifts.

  2. 210Po/210Pb dynamics in relation to zooplankton biomass and trophic conditions during an annual cycle in northwestern Mediterranean coastal waters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Färber Lorda, Jaime; Fowler, Scott W; Miquel, Juan-Carlos; Rodriguez y Baena, Alessia; Jeffree, Ross A

    2013-01-01

    Monthly sampling in northwestern Mediterranean coastal waters was undertaken to better understand the relationship between zooplankton biomass and the cycling of the natural radionuclide (210)Po/(210)Pb pair during a one-year period (October 1995-November 1996). In conjunction with mesozooplankton collections and (210)Po/(210)Pb measurements in seawater, zooplankton and their fecal pellets, the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter (POM) was also examined at three depths (0, 20 and 50 m) as an indicator of trophic conditions. During May 1996, a strong zooplankton "bloom" was observed which was preceded by a prolonged increase in POM (protein + carbohydrates + lipids) starting at the end of March, and further demonstrated by a concomitant increase in the concentration of smaller particles, two features that are typical of mesotrophic waters. Simultaneous measurements of (210)Po in sea water and zooplankton showed an inverse trend between these two parameters during the sampling period, with the two lowest (210)Po concentrations in the dissolved phase of seawater coincident with the highest radionuclide concentrations in the zooplankton; however, this apparent relationship was not statistically significant over the entire year. Freshly excreted mesozooplankton and salp fecal pellets, which have been strongly implicated in the removal and downward transport of these radionuclides from the upper water column, contained (210)Po and (210)Pb levels ranging from 175 to 878 and 7.5-486 Bq kg(-1) dry weight, respectively. Salp pellets contained 5 and 10 times more (210)Po and (210)Pb than in fecal pellets produced by mixed zooplankton, a finding most likely related to their different feeding strategies. During the zooplankton biomass peak observed in May, the (210)Po concentration in zooplankton was at a minimum; however, in contrast to what has been reported to occur in some open sea oligotrophic waters, over the year no statistically significant inverse

  3. US AMLR Program zooplankton dataset

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton research in the US AMLR Program focuses on the link between prey production, availability, and climate variability in relation to predator and fishery...

  4. Numerical studies of the influence of food ingestion on phytoplankton and zooplankton biomasses

    OpenAIRE

    Lidia Dzierzbicka-G³owacka

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents the numerical simulations of the influence of food ingestion by a herbivorous copepod on phytoplankton and zooplankton biomasses (PZB) in the sea. The numerical studies were carried out using the phytoplankton-zooplankton-nutrient-detritus PhyZooNuDe biological upper layer model. This takes account both of fully developed primary production and regeneration mechanisms and of daily migration of zooplankton. In this model the zooplankton is treated not as a 'biomass' but as ...

  5. Interannual abundance changes of gelatinous carnivore zooplankton unveil climate-driven hydrographic variations in the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Ambrosio, Mariaelena; Molinero, Juan C; Azeiteiro, Ulisses M; Pardal, Miguel A; Primo, Ana L; Nyitrai, Daniel; Marques, Sónia C

    2016-09-01

    The persistent massive blooms of gelatinous zooplankton recorded during recent decades may be indicative of marine ecosystem changes. In this study, we investigated the potential influence of the North Atlantic climate (NAO) variability on decadal abundance changes of gelatinous carnivore zooplankton in the Mondego estuary, Portugal, over the period 2003-2013. During the 11-year study, the community of gelatinous carnivores encompassed a larger diversity of hydromedusae than siphonophores; the former dominated by Obelia spp., Lizzia blondina, Clythia hemisphaerica, Liriope tetraphylla and Solmaris corona, while the latter dominated by Muggiaea atlantica. Gelatinous carnivore zooplankton displayed marked interannual variability and mounting species richness over the period examined. Their pattern of abundance shifted towards larger abundances ca. 2007 and significant phenological changes. The latter included a shift in the mean annual pattern (from unimodal to bimodal peak, prior and after 2007 respectively) and an earlier timing of the first annual peak concurrent with enhanced temperatures. These changes were concurrent with the climate-driven environmental variability mainly controlled by the NAO, which displayed larger variance after 2007 along with an enhanced upwelling activity. Structural equation modelling allowed depicting cascading effects derived from the NAO influence on regional climate and upwelling variability further shaping water temperature. Such cascading effect percolated the structure and dynamics of the community of gelatinous carnivore zooplankton in the Mondego estuary. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Dynamics of the limnological features and diversity of zooplankton populations of the Cross River System SE Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Offem B. O.

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Physico-chemical factors and zooplankton diversity were investigated over a two year period in three regions along the 200 km length of Cross River. The objective of the study was to quantify the relative importance of local environmental conditions and diversity of the principal zooplankton species within sampling sites. Mean conductivity, TDS and chlorides were highest upriver with values 289 ± 198 µs·cm–1, 322.9 ± 101 mg·L–1, and 105.8 ± 77.3 mg·L–1 and lowest downriver with 123.5 ± 78.9 mg·L–1, 45.8 ± 23.7 mg·L–1 and 109 ± 89 µs·cm–1 respectively. Values of wet season water conductivity (406 ± 178 µs·cm–1, TDS (420.4 ± 267 mg·L–1, alkalinity (289.9 ± 34.7, total hardness (205.8 ± 37 mg·L–1, BOD (1.7 ± 0.2, chlorides (205.8 ± 37 and ammonium ions (0.2 ± 0.1 mg·L–1 were significantly higher than dry season values of 156 ± 78.5 µs·cm–1, 0.2 ± 0.1, 123.8 ± 15, 101.4 ± 87.9, 0.2 ± 0.1, 78.1 ± 34.8 and 0.1 ± 0.1 mg·L–1 respectively. Out of twenty seven (27 zooplankton species identified Cladocerans (Ceriodaphnia, Evadne, Alona sp. and Decapods (Lucifer, Penaeid nauphlius, and Hermit crab larva were the most diverse taxonomic group, while Tintinnopsis was the only Ciliate. Rainfall value was positively correlated with hydrological characteristics (size of river, flow velocity, water level, and transparency, which in turn determined values of physico-chemical properties and explained the observed seasonal and spatial changes in zooplankton diversity. Though water quality parameters were within the limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO and European Economic Community (EEC for good water, the changes in hydrological features of Cross River could be suspected to provide highly unstable aquatic habitat that could subsequently affect the stability of zooplankton and other aquatic organisms.

  7. Dynamics of the limnological features and diversity of zooplankton populations of the Cross River System SE Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B.O. Offem

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Physico-chemical factors and zooplankton diversity were investigated over a two year period in three regions along the 200 km length of Cross River. The objective of the study was to quantify the relative importance of local environmental conditions and diversity of the principal zooplankton species within sampling sites. Mean conductivity, TDS and chlorides were highest upriver with values 289 ± 198 µs·cm–1, 322.9 ± 101 mg·L–1, and 105.8 ± 77.3 mg·L–1 and lowest downriver with 123.5 ± 78.9 mg·L–1, 45.8 ± 23.7 mg·L–1 and 109 ± 89 µs·cm–1 respectively. Values of wet season water conductivity (406 ± 178 µs·cm–1, TDS (420.4 ± 267 mg·L–1, alkalinity (289.9 ± 34.7, total hardness (205.8 ± 37 mg·L–1, BOD (1.7 ± 0.2, chlorides (205.8 ± 37 and ammonium ions (0.2 ± 0.1 mg·L–1 were significantly higher than dry season values of 156 ± 78.5 µs·cm–1, 0.2 ± 0.1, 123.8 ± 15, 101.4 ± 87.9, 0.2 ± 0.1, 78.1 ± 34.8 and 0.1 ± 0.1 mg·L–1 respectively. Out of twenty seven (27 zooplankton species identified Cladocerans (Ceriodaphnia, Evadne, Alona sp. and Decapods (Lucifer, Penaeid nauphlius, and Hermit crab larva were the most diverse taxonomic group, while Tintinnopsis was the only Ciliate. Rainfall value was positively correlated with hydrological characteristics (size of river, flow velocity, water level, and transparency, which in turn determined values of physico-chemical properties and explained the observed seasonal and spatial changes in zooplankton diversity. Though water quality parameters were within the limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO and European Economic Community (EEC for good water, the changes in hydrological features of Cross River could be suspected to provide highly unstable aquatic habitat that could subsequently affect the stability of zooplankton and other aquatic organisms.

  8. Pan-Arctic concentrations of mercury and stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ{sup 13}C) and nitrogen (δ{sup 15}N) in marine zooplankton

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pomerleau, Corinne, E-mail: corinne.pomerleau@umanitoba.ca [Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 (Canada); Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, Nuuk 3900, Greenland (Denmark); Stern, Gary A.; Pućko, Monika [Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 (Canada); Foster, Karen L. [Foster Environmental, Peterborough, ON K9J 8L2 (Canada); Macdonald, Robie W. [Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney, BC V8L 4B2 (Canada); Fortier, Louis [Québec-Océan, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6 (Canada)

    2016-05-01

    Zooplankton play a central role in marine food webs, dictating the quantity and quality of energy available to upper trophic levels. They act as “keystone” species in transfer of mercury (Hg) up through the marine food chain. Here, we present the first Pan-Arctic overview of total and monomethylmercury concentrations (THg and MMHg) and stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ{sup 13}C) and nitrogen (δ{sup 15}N) in selected zooplankton species by assembling data collected between 1998 and 2012 from six arctic regions (Laptev Sea, Chukchi Sea, southeastern Beaufort Sea, Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Hudson Bay and northern Baffin Bay). MMHg concentrations in Calanus spp., Themisto spp. and Paraeuchaeta spp. were found to increase with higher δ{sup 15}N and lower δ{sup 13}C. The southern Beaufort Sea exhibited both the highest THg and MMHg concentrations. Biomagnification of MMHg between Calanus spp. and two of its known predators, Themisto spp. and Paraeuchaeta spp., was greatest in the southern Beaufort Sea. Our results show large geographical variations in Hg concentrations and isotopic signatures for individual species related to regional ecosystem features, such as varying water masses and freshwater inputs, and highlight the increased exposure to Hg in the marine food chain of the southern Beaufort Sea. - Highlights: • Assessment of Pan-Arctic variability in zooplankton Hg concentrations • Increased exposure to Hg in the marine food chain of the southern Beaufort Sea • Zooplankton plays a central role in the Hg pathway within Arctic marine food webs.

  9. Seasonal succession in zooplankton feeding traits reveals trophic trait coupling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kenitz, Kasia; Visser, Andre; Mariani, Patrizio

    2017-01-01

    non-motile cells flourishing in spring and motile community dominating during summer. The zooplankton community is dominated by active feeding-current feeders with peak biomass in the late spring declining during summer. The model reveals how zooplankton grazing reinforces protist plankton seasonal...

  10. Selective uptake of 55Fe from seawater by zooplankton

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jennings, C.D.

    1978-01-01

    Iron-55 was measured in water and mixed zooplankton collected in the South Pacific Ocean. The ratios of the specific activity of 55 Fe (pCi/g Fe) between plankton and water from the same locations appear to be about 100, which suggests that zooplankton took up 55 Fe in preference to stable iron in the South Pacific Ocean

  11. A new modelling approach for zooplankton behaviour

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keiyu, A. Y.; Yamazaki, H.; Strickler, J. R.

    We have developed a new simulation technique to model zooplankton behaviour. The approach utilizes neither the conventional artificial intelligence nor neural network methods. We have designed an adaptive behaviour network, which is similar to BEER [(1990) Intelligence as an adaptive behaviour: an experiment in computational neuroethology, Academic Press], based on observational studies of zooplankton behaviour. The proposed method is compared with non- "intelligent" models—random walk and correlated walk models—as well as observed behaviour in a laboratory tank. Although the network is simple, the model exhibits rich behavioural patterns similar to live copepods.

  12. Zooplankton variability in the subtropical estuarine system of Paranaguá Bay, Brazil, in 2012 and 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvador, Bianca; Bersano, José Guilherme F.

    2017-12-01

    Spatial and temporal dynamics of zooplankton assemblages were studied in the Paranaguá Estuarine System (southern Brazil), including data from the summer (rainy) and winter (dry) periods of 2012 and 2013. Zooplankton and environmental data were collected at 37 stations along the estuary and examined by multivariate methods. The results indicated significantly distinct assemblages; differences in abundance were the major source of variability, mainly over the temporal scale. The highest abundances were observed during rainy periods, especially in 2012, when the mean density reached 16378 ind.m-3. Winter assemblages showed lower densities but higher species diversity, due to the more extensive intrusion of coastal waters. Of the 14 taxonomic groups recorded, Copepoda was the most abundant and diverse (92% of total abundance and 22 species identified). The coastal copepods Acartia lilljeborgi (44%) and Oithona hebes (26%) were the most important species in both abundance and frequency, followed by the estuarine Pseudodiaptomus acutus and the neritic Temora turbinata. The results indicated strong influences of environmental parameters on the community structure, especially in response to seasonal variations. The spatial distribution of species was probably determined mainly by their preferences and tolerances for specific salinity conditions. On the other hand, the abundances were strongly related to higher water temperature and precipitation rates, which can drive nutrient inputs and consequently food supply in the system, due to intense continental drainage.

  13. Procedures Involved in Radioecological Studies with Marine Zooplankton

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fowler, S.W.; Small, L.F.

    1976-01-01

    Various procedures in marine radio ecological experiments with zooplankton are considered in the light of the possibility of establishing reference methods for marine radiobiological studies. Methods for collection, handling and maintenance prior to and during experiments are suggested for various types of zooplankton. The importance of physiological and physicochemical parameters are discussed in the context of the experimental design with the aim of achieving comparable results among workers involved in this field of research. (author)

  14. Zooplankton Hydrodynamics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wadhwa, Navish

    flow disturbances that may attract predators. The first part of this thesis attempts to quantify the trade-offs associated with the swimming behaviour of diverse zooplankton. We measured the swimming kinematics and flow fields around the 'jumping' copepod Acartia tonsa at various stages of its life....... We studied how sensing modes and their respective ranges depend on body size. We investigated the physiological constraints on sense organs, together with the physics of signal generation, transmission, and reception. Our analysis revealed a hierarchy of sensing modes - with increasing size, a larger...

  15. Zooplankton as a compound mineralising and synthesizing system: Phosphorus excretion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gulati, R.D.; Martinez, C.P.; Siewertsen, K.

    1995-01-01

    Data on phosphate excretion rates of zooplankton are based on measurements using the pelagic crustacean zoo-plankton of Lake Vechten and laboratory-cultured Daphnia galeata. In case of Daphnia sp we measured the effects of feeding on P-rich algae and P-poor algae (Scenedesmus) as food on the

  16. Using occupancy modeling to compare traditional versus DNA metabarcoding methods for characterizing zooplankton biodiversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    DNA metabarcoding tools could increase our ability to detect changes in zooplankton communities and to detect invasive zooplankton taxa while they are still rare. Nonetheless, the use of DNA-metabarcoding for characterizing zooplankton biodiversity in the Great Lakes has not bee...

  17. Zooplankton From a Reef System Under the Influence of the Amazon River Plume

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigrid Neumann-Leitão

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available At the mouth of the Amazon River, a widespread carbonate ecosystem exists below the river plume, generating a hard-bottom reef (∼9500 km2 that includes mainly large sponges but also rhodolith beds. The mesozooplankton associated with the pelagic realm over the reef formation was characterized, considering the estuarine plume and oceanic influence. Vertical hauls were carried out using a standard plankton net with 200 μm mesh size during September 2014. An indicator index was applied to express species importance as ecological indicators in community. Information on functional traits was gathered for the most abundant copepod species. Overall, 179 zooplankton taxa were recorded. Copepods were the richest (92 species, most diverse and most abundant group, whereas meroplankton were rare and less abundant. Species diversity (>3.0 bits.ind-1 and evenness (>0.6 were high, indicating a complex community. Small holoplanktonic species dominated the zooplankton, and the total density varied from 107.98 ind. m-3 over the reef area to 2,609.24 ind. m-3 in the estuarine plume, with a significant difference between coastal and oceanic areas. The most abundant copepods were the coastal species ithona plumifera and Clausocalanus furcatus and early stages copepodites of Paracalanidae. The holoplanktonic Oikopleura, an important producer of mucous houses, was very abundant on the reefs. The indicator species index revealed three groups: (1 indicative of coastal waters under the influence of the estuarine plume [Euterpina acutifrons, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Oikopleura (Vexillaria dioica and Hydromedusae]; (2 characterized coastal and oceanic conditions (Clausocalanus; (3 characterized the reef system (O. plumifera. Two major copepods functional groups were identified and sorted according to their trophic strategy and coastal-oceanic distribution. The species that dominated the coastal area and the area over the rhodolith beds are indicators of the estuarine

  18. Mandibular gnathobases of marine planktonic copepods – feeding tools with complex micro- and nanoscale composite architectures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Michels

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Copepods are dominant members of the marine zooplankton. Their diets often comprise large proportions of diatom taxa whose silicified frustules are mechanically stable and offer protection against grazers. Despite of this protection, many copepod species are able to efficiently break even the most stable frustule types. This ability requires specific feeding tools with mechanically adapted architectures, compositions and properties. When ingesting food, the copepods use the gnathobases of their mandibles to grab and, if necessary, crush and mince the food items. The morphology of these gnathobases is related to the diets of the copepods. Gnathobases of copepod species that mainly feed on phytoplankton feature compact and stable tooth-like structures, so-called teeth. In several copepod species these gnathobase teeth have been found to contain silica. Recent studies revealed that the siliceous teeth are complex microscale composites with silica-containing cap-like structures located on chitinous exoskeleton sockets that are connected with rubber-like bearings formed by structures with high proportions of the soft and elastic protein resilin. In addition, the silica-containing cap-like structures exhibit a nanoscale composite architecture. They contain some amorphous silica and large proportions of the crystalline silica type α-cristobalite and are pervaded by a fine chitinous fibre network that very likely serves as a scaffold during the silicification process. All these intricate composite structures are assumed to be the result of a coevolution between the copepod gnathobases and diatom frustules in an evolutionary arms race. The composites very likely increase both the performance of the siliceous teeth and their resistance to mechanical damage, and it is conceivable that their development has favoured the copepods’ dominance of the marine zooplankton observed today.

  19. The synergetic effects of turbulence and turbidity on the zooplankton community structure in large, shallow Lake Taihu.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Jian; Qin, Boqiang; Han, Xiaoxia

    2018-01-01

    Climate change is predicted to influence the heat budget of aquatic ecosystems and, in turn, affect the stability of the water column leading to increased turbulence coupled with enhanced turbidity. However, the synergetic effects of turbulence and turbidity on zooplankton community structure remain to be understood in large, shallow lakes. To determine the possible synergetic effects of these factors on zooplankton communities, a 15-day mesocosm experiment was carried out and tested under four turbulence and turbidity regimes namely control (ɛ = 0, 7.6 ± 4.2 NTU), low (ɛ = 6.01 × 10 -8  m 2  s -3 , 19.4 ± 8.6 NTU), medium (ɛ = 2.95 × 10 -5  m 2  s -3 , 55.2 ± 14.4 NTU), and high (ɛ = 2.39 × 10 -4  m 2  s -3 , 741.6 ± 105.2 NTU) conditions, which were comparable to the natural conditions in Lake Taihu. Results clearly showed the negative effects of turbulence and turbidity on zooplankton survival, which also differed among taxa. Specifically, increased turbulence and turbidity levels influenced the competition among zooplankton species, which resulted to the shift from being large body crustacean-dominated (copepods and cladocerans) to rotifer-dominated community after 3 days. The shift could be associated with the decrease in vulnerability of crustaceans in such environments. Our findings suggested that changes in the level of both turbidity and turbulence in natural aquatic systems would have significant repercussions on the zooplankton communities, which could contribute to the better understanding of community and food web dynamics in lake ecosystems exposed to natural mixing/disturbances.

  20. Vegetation composition and structure influences bird species ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Vegetation composition and structure influences bird species community ... variables on bird species diversity and richness of respective foraging guilds, and ... of the species assessed: (1) increasing closed cover due to woody plant density, ...

  1. Toxicity of noradrenaline, a novel anti-biofouling component, to two non-target zooplankton species, Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overturf, C L; Wormington, A M; Blythe, K N; Gohad, N V; Mount, A S; Roberts, A P

    2015-05-01

    Noradrenaline (NA) is the active component of novel antifouling agents and acts by preventing attachment of fouling organisms. The goal of this study was to examine the toxicity of NA to the non-target zooplankton D. magna and C. dubia. Neonates were exposed to one of five concentrations of NA and effects on survival, reproduction and molting were determined. Calculated LC50 values were determined to be 46 and 38 μM in C. dubia and D. magna, respectively. A 10-day C. dubia study found that reproduction metrics were significantly impacted at non-lethal concentrations. In D. magna, concentrations greater than 40 μM significantly impacted molting. A toxicity test was conducted with D. magna using oxidized NA, which yielded similar results. These data indicate that both NA and oxidized NA are toxic to non-target zooplankton. Results obtained from this study can be used to guide future ecological risk assessments of catecholamine-based antifouling agents. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. Effects of increased zooplankton biomass on phytoplankton and cyanotoxins: A tropical mesocosm study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dos Santos Severiano, Juliana; Dos Santos Almeida-Melo, Viviane Lúcia; Bittencourt-Oliveira, Maria do Carmo; Chia, Mathias Ahii; do Nascimento Moura, Ariadne

    2018-01-01

    Zooplankton are important biocontrol agents for algal blooms in temperate lakes, while their potential in tropical and subtropical environments is not well understood. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of increased zooplankton biomass on phytoplankton community and cyanotoxins (microcystins and saxitoxin) content of a tropical reservoir (Ipojuca reservoir, Brazil) using in situ mesocosms. Mesocosms consisted of 50L transparent polyethylene bags suspended in the reservoir for twelve days. Phytoplankton populations were exposed to treatments having 1 (control), 2, 3 and 4 times the biomass of zooplankton found in the reservoir at the beginning of the experiment. Filamentous cyanobacteria such as Planktothrix agardhii and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii were not negatively influenced by increasing zooplankton biomass. In contrast, the treatments with 3 and 4 times zooplankton biomass negatively affected the cyanobacteria Aphanocapsa sp., Chroococcus sp., Dolichospermum sp., Merismopedia tenuissima, Microcystis aeruginosa and Pseudanabaena sp.; the diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana; and the cryptophyte Cryptomonas sp. Total microcystin concentration both increased and decreased at different times depending on zooplankton treatment, while saxitoxin level was not significantly different between the treatments and control. The results of the present study suggest that zooplankton biomass can be manipulated to control the excessive proliferation of non-filamentous bloom forming cyanobacteria (e.g. M. aeruginosa) and their associated cyanotoxins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Effects of acidification and cadmium pollution on the populations and habitats of limnetic zooplankton; Effekter av forsuring og kadmium-forurensning paa populasjoner og samfunn av limnisk zooplankton

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schartau, A K.L. [Norsk Inst. for Naturforskning, Trondheim (Norway)

    1996-01-01

    The conference paper deals with executed field tests on the adding of cadmium alone or combined with acidification of an enclosed space under different nutrient and predatory conditions. The addition of cadmium changed the biomass and the composition of the phytoplankton. In combination with the added nutrient salts, the biomass of special algae increased in the Cd loaded spaces, and the addition of acid changed the effect of Cd concentration by increased production of the same. The effect of a given Cd concentration on the zooplankton varied in a wide range of environmental conditions. 22 refs., 1 tab.

  4. Zooplankton species identities and other data from net tows from NOAA Ship ALBATROSS IV and other platforms from NE Atlantic (limit-40 W) as part of the Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment and Prediction (MARMAP) project from 1977-04-20 to 1986-12-10 (NODC Accession 9400006)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton species identities and other data were collected from net tows from NOAA Ship ALBATROSS IV and other platforms in the NE Atlantic (limit-40 W) from 20...

  5. Trophic pathways of phytoplankton size classes through the zooplankton food web over the spring transition period in the north-west Mediterranean Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, Brian P. V.; Carlotti, François; Donoso, Katty; Pagano, Marc; D'Ortenzio, Fabrizio; Taillandier, Vincent; Conan, Pascal

    2017-08-01

    Knowledge of the relative contributions of phytoplankton size classes to zooplankton biomass is necessary to understand food-web functioning and response to climate change. During the Deep Water formation Experiment (DEWEX), conducted in the north-west Mediterranean Sea in winter (February) and spring (April) of 2013, we investigated phytoplankton-zooplankton trophic links in contrasting oligotrophic and eutrophic conditions. Size fractionated particulate matter (pico-POM, nano-POM, and micro-POM) and zooplankton (64 to >4000 μm) composition and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were measured inside and outside the nutrient-rich deep convection zone in the central Liguro-Provencal basin. In winter, phytoplankton biomass was low (0.28 mg m-3) and evenly spread among picophytoplankton, nanophytoplankton, and microphytoplankton. Using an isotope mixing model, we estimated average contributions to zooplankton biomass by pico-POM, nano-POM, and micro-POM of 28, 59, and 15%, respectively. In spring, the nutrient poor region outside the convection zone had low phytoplankton biomass (0.58 mg m-3) and was dominated by pico/nanophytoplankton. Estimated average contributions to zooplankton biomass by pico-POM, nano-POM, and micro-POM were 64, 28 and 10%, respectively, although the model did not differentiate well between pico-POM and nano-POM in this region. In the deep convection zone, spring phytoplankton biomass was high (1.34 mg m-3) and dominated by micro/nano phytoplankton. Estimated average contributions to zooplankton biomass by pico-POM, nano-POM, and micro-POM were 42, 42, and 20%, respectively, indicating that a large part of the microphytoplankton biomass may have remained ungrazed.Plain Language SummaryThe grazing of zooplankton on algal phytoplankton is a critical step in the transfer of energy through all ocean food webs. Although microscopic, phytoplankton span an enormous size range. The smallest picophytoplankton are generally thought to be too

  6. Fatty acid composition of forage herb species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Warner, D.; Jensen, Søren Krogh; Cone, J.W.

    2010-01-01

    The use of alternative forage species in grasslands for intensive livestock production is receiving renewed attention. Data on fatty acid composition of herbs are scarce, so four herbs (Plantago lanceolata, Achillea millefolium, Cichorium intybus, Pastinaca sativa) and one grass species (timothy......, Phleum pratense) were sown in a cutting trial. The chemical composition and concentration of fatty acids (FA) of individual species were determined during the growing season. Concentrations of crude protein and FA were generally higher in the herbs than in timothy. C. intybus had the highest nutritive...

  7. Diurnal variation in zooplankton in the Zuari Estuary, west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Padmavati, G.; Goswami, S.C.; Vidya, P.S.

    Variations in zooplankton biomass and population density in relation to the prevailing hydrographical conditions were studied in Zuari Estuary, Goa. The physico-chemical parameters showed limited variations. Zooplankton biomass was relatively more...

  8. Contrasting feeding patterns among species of fish larvae from the tropical Andaman Sea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, P.; Munk, Peter; Janekarn, V.

    2005-01-01

    Feeding habits of tropical fish larvae were analysed in a comparative study of four species (Scorpaenodes sp., Carangoides sp., Acanthocepola sp. and Cynoglossus sp.) from the Andaman Sea. We investigated morphological characteristics and their potential influence on larval feeding, and looked...... for common patterns in larval prey preference. Gut contents of a total of 300 larvae were examined and compared with local zooplankton composition. The feeding habits of the investigated larvae shared a number of characteristics. During ontogeny both the preferred prey size and the number of prey in the gut...... increased, and across all larval size classes the relative prey size spectrum stayed constant, of approximately the same magnitude for all four species. On the other hand, larval feeding also differed in a number of aspects, especially differences in the taxonomic composition of preferred prey were apparent...

  9. The zooplankton biodiversity of some freshwater environments in Parnaíba basin (Piauí, Northeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JDN. Paranhos

    Full Text Available The plankton fauna of the state of Piauí, Northeastern Brazil, especially in the Parnaíba basin, is still poorly known; the results of most studies of the subject have not been published and can only be found in grey literature (unpublished scientific works, such as course completion work and consulting reports. Thus, this paper presents data from samples taken recently from different water bodies in Piauí and represents the second study to be published on the region's zooplankton since the pioneering work of Spandl (1926. A total of 38 species were recorded, including 23 new occurrences of rotifers, 10 of cladocerans and 2 of copepods for the state of Piauí. The greatest richness was observed for the rotifers, of which the genus Brachionus must be highlighted, especially at the Joana reservoir. Among the crustaceans, the greatest richness was observed at the Bezerra reservoir, where cladocerans of the genus Bosmina were prominent. The rotifers Brachionus havanaensis Rousselet, 1911 and Filinia longiseta (Ehrenberg, 1834; the cladocerans Diaphanosoma spinulosum Herbst, 1967 and Moina micrura Kurz, 1874; and the copepods Notodiaptomus cearensis Wright, 1936 and Thermocyclops decipiens Kiefer, 1927 occurred in all or in most environments in which the respective groups were studied. The results presented here expand the taxonomic list of zooplankton for the state of Piauí, including a total fauna of 30 species of rotifers, 15 of cladocerans and 3 of copepods. The zooplankton richness was considered low in the studied reservoirs compared to other freshwater ecosystems from Northeastern Brazil; however, the few studies developed in the Parnaíba basin suggest that the diversity for these organisms should be higher.

  10. Using of zooplankton indicators in assessing the quality of waters in two lakes in the Gulf of Finland basin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kulakov Dmitry

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available In 2012–2015 zooplankton studies were carried out and the quality of the waters of the Kopanskoe and the Gorovaldayskoe lakes belonging to the Gulf of Finland basin (Leningrad region was assessed. Under the frame of long-term monitoring studies on these waterbodies, such work has not previously been carried out. The sampling stations were located in the coastal part of the waterbodies. Zooplankton of the lakes included 46 taxons of species and subspecies ranks, it was typical of the North-West of Russia and represented mainly by eurybiontic species with high ecological plasticity. In Gorovaldayskoe lake most affected by the anthropogenic influence, in comparison with the Kopanskoe, showed the lowest species richness and the lowest values of the biodiversity index. Nevertheless, the mass development of Cladocera, which made the main contribution to the population and the biomass of the community, promoted the active development of the processes of biological self-purification of this lake, as evidenced by a decrease by coefficient trophicity. According to the saprobity index in the waters of the studied lakes belonged to the oligosaprobic – β-mesosaprobic zone.

  11. Imazethapyr and imazapic, bispyribac-sodium and penoxsulam: Zooplankton and dissipation in subtropical rice paddy water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reimche, Geovane B., E-mail: geovane_reimche@yahoo.com.br [Department of Plant Protection, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Machado, Sérgio L.O. [Department of Plant Protection, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Oliveira, Maria Angélica [Department of Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Zanella, Renato; Dressler, Valderi Luiz; Flores, Erico M.M. [Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Gonçalves, Fábio F. [School of Chemistry and Food, Federal Foundation University of Rio Grande (FURG), 95500-000 Santo Antônio da Patrulha, RS (Brazil); Donato, Filipe F.; Nunes, Matheus A.G. [Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS (Brazil)

    2015-05-01

    Herbicides are very effective at eliminating weed and are largely used in rice paddy around the world, playing a fundamental role in maximizing yield. Therefore, considering the flooded environment of rice paddies, it is necessary to understand the side effects on non-target species. Field experiment studies were carried out during two rice growing seasons in order to address how the commonly-used herbicides imazethapyr and imazapic, bispyribac-sodium and penoxsulam, used at recommended dosage, affect water quality and the non-target zooplankton community using outdoor rice field microcosm set-up. The shortest (4.9 days) and longest (12.2 days) herbicide half-life mean, estimated of the dissipation rate (k) is shown for imazethapyr and bispyribac-sodium, respectively. Some water quality parameters (pH, conductivity, hardness, BOD{sub 5}, boron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and chlorides) achieved slightly higher values at the herbicide treatment. Zooplankton community usually quickly recovered from the tested herbicide impact. Generally, herbicides led to an increase of cladocera, copepods and nauplius population, while rotifer population decreased, with recovery at the end of the experiment (88 days after herbicide treatment). - Highlights: • Selective herbicides in paddy rice fields, do not affect water quality. • Zooplankton communities show good response with herbicide dissipation. • The use of commercial herbicide mixture has strong effects on freshwater Rotifers.

  12. Zooplankton along the Tamil Nadu coast

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.; Saraswathy, M.

    Zooplankton abundance along two sectors at Cape Comorin and Tuticorin of Tamil Nadu Coast, southeast coast of India was studied. High biomass contributed by Ostracods, Salps, Chaetognaths etc., were observed along Tuticorin transect. In the Cape...

  13. Production and associations of zooplankton in estuarine and nearshore waters of Goa

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.

    Zooplankton production in the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries indicated 2 peaks-one in November and another in March/April. In the nearshore waters very high value of zooplankton biomass was observed in April associated with Trichodesmium bloom. Mean...

  14. Numerical studies of the influence of food ingestion on phytoplankton and zooplankton biomasses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lidia Dzierzbicka-G³owacka

    2002-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the numerical simulations of the influence of food ingestion by a herbivorous copepod on phytoplankton and zooplankton biomasses (PZB in the sea. The numerical studies were carried out using the phytoplankton-zooplankton-nutrient-detritus PhyZooNuDe biological upper layer model. This takes account both of fully developed primary production and regeneration mechanisms and of daily migration of zooplankton. In this model the zooplankton is treated not as a 'biomass' but as organisms having definite patterns of growth, reproduction and mortality. Assuming also that {Zoop} is composed ofi cohorts of copepods with weights Wi and numbers Zi, then {Zoop} = WiZi. The PhyZooNuDe model consists of three coupled, partial second-order differential equations of the diffusion type for phytoplankton, zooplankton and nutrients, and one ordinary first-order differential equation for the benthic detritus pool, together with initial and boundary conditions. The calculations were made during 90 days (April, May and June for the study area P1 (Gdansk Deep in an area 0z<=20 m with a vertical space step of 0.1 m and a time step of 300 s. The simulation given here demonstrated the importance of food ingestion by zooplankton in that it can alter the nature of the interactions of plants and herbivores. The analysis of these numerical studies indicate that the maximal ingestion rate and the half-saturation constant for grazing strongly affect the magnitude of the spring bloom and the cyanobacterial bloom, and also the total zooplankton biomass.

  15. Eutrophication and warming effects on long-term variation of zooplankton in Lake Biwa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. H. Hsieh

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available We compiled and analyzed long-term (1961–2005 zooplankton community data in response to environmental variations in Lake Biwa. Environmental data indicate that Lake Biwa had experienced eutrophication (according to the total phosphorus concentration in the late 1960s and recovered to a normal trophic status around 1985, and then has exhibited warming since 1990. Total zooplankton abundance showed a significant correlation with total phytoplankton biomass. Following a classic pattern, the cladoceran/calanoid and cyclopoid/calanoid abundance ratio was related positively to eutrophication. The zooplankton community exhibited a significant response to the boom and bust of phytoplankton biomass as a consequence of eutrophication-reoligotriphication and warming. Moreover, our analyses suggest that the Lake Biwa ecosystem exhibited a hierarchical response across trophic levels; that is, higher trophic levels may show a more delayed response or no response to eutrophication than lower ones.

    We tested the hypothesis that the phytoplankton community can better explain the variation of the zooplankton community than bulk environmental variables, considering that the phytoplankton community may directly affect the zooplankton succession through predator-prey interactions. Using a variance partition approach, however, we did not find strong evidence to support this hypothesis. We further aggregated zooplankton according to their feeding types (herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous, and parasitic and taxonomic groups, and analyzed the aggregated data. While the pattern remains similar, the results are less clear comparing the results based on finely resolved data. Our research suggests that zooplankton can be bio-indicators of environmental changes; however, the efficacy depends on data resolution.

  16. Fixed-nitrogen loss associated with sinking zooplankton carcasses in a coastal oxygen minimum zone (Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stief, Peter; Lundgaard, Ann Sofie Birch; Morales Ramirez, Alvaro

    2017-01-01

    Oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) in the ocean are of key importance for pelagic fixed-nitrogen loss (N-loss) through microbial denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). Recent studies document that zooplankton is surprisingly abundant in and around OMZs and that the microbial community...... associated with carcasses of a large copepod species mediates denitrification. Here, we investigate the complex N-cycling associated with sinking zooplankton carcasses exposed to the steep O2 gradient in a coastal OMZ (Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica). 15N-stable-isotope enrichment experiments revealed...... that the carcasses of abundant copepods and ostracods provide anoxic microbial hotspots in the pelagic zone by hosting intense anaerobic N-cycle activities even in the presence of ambient O2. Carcass-associated anaerobic N-cycling was clearly dominated by dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) at up...

  17. How well does the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) sample zooplankton? A comparison with the Longhurst Hardy Plankton Recorder (LHPR) in the northeast Atlantic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Anthony J.; John, Eurgain H.; Irigoien, Xabier; Harris, Roger P.; Hays, Graeme C.

    2004-09-01

    The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey has collected data on basin-scale zooplankton abundance in the North Atlantic since the 1930s. These data have been used in many studies to elucidate seasonal patterns and long-term change in plankton populations, as well as more recently to validate ecosystem models. There has, however, been relatively little comparison of the data from the CPR with that from other samplers. In this study we compare zooplankton abundance estimated from the CPR in the northeast Atlantic with near-surface samples collected by a Longhurst-Hardy Plankton Recorder (LHPR) at Ocean Weather Station India (59°N, 19°W) between 1971 and 1975. Comparisons were made for six common copepods in the region: Acartia clausi, Calanus finmarchicus, Euchaeta norvegica, Metridia lucens, Oithona sp., and Pleuromamma robusta. Seasonal cycles based on CPR data were similar to those recorded by the LHPR. Differences in absolute abundances were apparent, however, with the CPR underestimating abundances by a factor of between 5 and 40, with the exception of A. clausi. Active avoidance by zooplankton is thought to be responsible. This avoidance is species specific, so that care must be taken describing communities, as the CPR emphasises those species that are preferentially caught, a problem common to many plankton samplers.

  18. High mortality of Red Sea zooplankton under ambient solar radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Aidaroos, Ali M; El-Sherbiny, Mohsen M O; Satheesh, Sathianeson; Mantha, Gopikrishna; Agustī, Susana; Carreja, Beatriz; Duarte, Carlos M

    2014-01-01

    High solar radiation along with extreme transparency leads to high penetration of solar radiation in the Red Sea, potentially harmful to biota inhabiting the upper water column, including zooplankton. Here we show, based on experimental assessments of solar radiation dose-mortality curves on eight common taxa, the mortality of zooplankton in the oligotrophic waters of the Red Sea to increase steeply with ambient levels of solar radiation in the Red Sea. Responses curves linking solar radiation doses with zooplankton mortality were evaluated by exposing organisms, enclosed in quartz bottles, allowing all the wavelengths of solar radiation to penetrate, to five different levels of ambient solar radiation (100%, 21.6%, 7.2%, 3.2% and 0% of solar radiation). The maximum mortality rates under ambient solar radiation levels averaged (±standard error of the mean, SEM) 18.4±5.8% h(-1), five-fold greater than the average mortality in the dark for the eight taxa tested. The UV-B radiation required for mortality rates to reach ½ of maximum values averaged (±SEM) 12±5.6 h(-1)% of incident UVB radiation, equivalent to the UV-B dose at 19.2±2.7 m depth in open coastal Red Sea waters. These results confirm that Red Sea zooplankton are highly vulnerable to ambient solar radiation, as a consequence of the combination of high incident radiation and high water transparency allowing deep penetration of damaging UV-B radiation. These results provide evidence of the significance of ambient solar radiation levels as a stressor of marine zooplankton communities in tropical, oligotrophic waters. Because the oligotrophic ocean extends across 70% of the ocean surface, solar radiation can be a globally-significant stressor for the ocean ecosystem, by constraining zooplankton use of the upper levels of the water column and, therefore, the efficiency of food transfer up the food web in the oligotrophic ocean.

  19. High mortality of Red Sea zooplankton under ambient solar radiation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali M Al-Aidaroos

    Full Text Available High solar radiation along with extreme transparency leads to high penetration of solar radiation in the Red Sea, potentially harmful to biota inhabiting the upper water column, including zooplankton. Here we show, based on experimental assessments of solar radiation dose-mortality curves on eight common taxa, the mortality of zooplankton in the oligotrophic waters of the Red Sea to increase steeply with ambient levels of solar radiation in the Red Sea. Responses curves linking solar radiation doses with zooplankton mortality were evaluated by exposing organisms, enclosed in quartz bottles, allowing all the wavelengths of solar radiation to penetrate, to five different levels of ambient solar radiation (100%, 21.6%, 7.2%, 3.2% and 0% of solar radiation. The maximum mortality rates under ambient solar radiation levels averaged (±standard error of the mean, SEM 18.4±5.8% h(-1, five-fold greater than the average mortality in the dark for the eight taxa tested. The UV-B radiation required for mortality rates to reach ½ of maximum values averaged (±SEM 12±5.6 h(-1% of incident UVB radiation, equivalent to the UV-B dose at 19.2±2.7 m depth in open coastal Red Sea waters. These results confirm that Red Sea zooplankton are highly vulnerable to ambient solar radiation, as a consequence of the combination of high incident radiation and high water transparency allowing deep penetration of damaging UV-B radiation. These results provide evidence of the significance of ambient solar radiation levels as a stressor of marine zooplankton communities in tropical, oligotrophic waters. Because the oligotrophic ocean extends across 70% of the ocean surface, solar radiation can be a globally-significant stressor for the ocean ecosystem, by constraining zooplankton use of the upper levels of the water column and, therefore, the efficiency of food transfer up the food web in the oligotrophic ocean.

  20. Response of Zooplankton to Climate Variability: Droughts Create a Perfect Storm for Cladocerans in Shallow Eutrophic Lakes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gaohua Ji

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available A major attribute of the Earth’s climate that may be affected by global warming is the amplitude of variability in teleconnections. These global-scale processes involve links between oceanic conditions in one locale and weather in another, often distant, locale. An example is the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO, which can affect rainfall and then the properties of lakes in Europe, Africa, North and South America. It affects rainfall, droughts and the depth of lakes in Florida, USA. It is predicted that the amplitude of variation in the ENSO will increase with global warming and, therefore, droughts will become more severe and periods of rain more intense. We investigated possible effects of climate on the zooplankton in shallow subtropical lakes by studying 16 years of monthly data from six shallow eutrophic lakes located north of Orlando, Florida. Results indicate that water depth and lake volume are tightly coupled with rainfall, as expected. During droughts, when lake depth and volume were greatly reduced, there were intensified cyanobacterial blooms, and the zooplankton shifted towards greater relative biomass of copepods compared to cladocerans. The change of zooplankton was likely due to the intensified selective fish predation in the reduced water volume, and/or selective adverse effects of cyanobacteria on cladocerans. The greatly reduced volume might lead to a ‘perfect storm’ of top-down and bottom-up factors that favor copepods over cladocerans. The mechanism needs further study. Regardless, this study documents a direct link between climate variability and zooplankton composition, and suggests how future changes in climate might affect plankton communities.

  1. NODC Standard Format Marine Zooplankton (F124) Data (1965-1983) (NODC Accession 0014196)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data type contains data from sampling and analysis of marine zooplankton. Information on zooplankton abundance, distribution and productivity derived from these...

  2. Composition and abundance of zooplankton groups from a coral reef lagoon in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, during an annual cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez-Cadena, José N; Ordóñez-López, Uriel; Almaral-Mendivil, Alma Rosa; Uicab-Sabido, Amira

    2009-09-01

    Zooplankton sampling was carried out monthly from January to December 1990 at station A near the coastline, and station B near the reef barrier, in a tropical coral reef lagoon in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. Samplings were made at midnight, near surface, with a conical net (mouth 0.40 m, mesh 330 microm) for 10 min. Salinity varied from 35.1 to 36.3 psu and temperature from 26.3 to 30.2 degrees C. The Bray-Curtis test applied to these results has defined two seasons: the dry season from November to May, and the wet season from June to October. A total of 37 zooplankton groups were found. Copepods were the most abundant contributing 49.0% of the total capture with Acartia espinata, Calanopia americana and Farranula gracilis as the most numerous. In the total zooplankton, however, cirripeds captured in only 15 samples of 24 were second in abundance (20.9%). Decapods, present all year-round and more abundant during the wet season, were third and contributed 19.2%. The rest of the groups were scarce and only amphipods (2.4%) and larvaceans (2.0%) were relatively abundant. The abundance of captured organisms correlated with the abiotic factors measured, thus, in the dry season, abundance was lower (mean 7.3 orgs/m3), while in the wet season the mean catch was 36.8 orgs/m3.

  3. Zooplankton standing stock, community structure and diversity in the northern Arabian Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.; Srivastava, Y.

    The effects of large scale oil spill, which occurred during the Gulf War in 1991 on zooplankton standing stock, community structure and diversity in the northern Arabian Sea were studied. Surface (1-0 m) and vertical zooplankton hauls (200-0 m, 250...

  4. Ingestion of microplastics by natural zooplankton groups in the northern South China Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xiaoxia; Li, Qingjie; Zhu, Mingliang; Liang, Junhua; Zheng, Shan; Zhao, Yongfang

    2017-02-15

    The ingestion of microplastics by five natural zooplankton groups in the northern South China Sea was studied for the first time and two types of sampling nets (505μm and 160μm in mesh size) were compared. The microplastics were detected in zooplankton sampled from 16 stations, with the fibrous microplastics accounting for the largest proportion (70%). The main component of the found microplastics was polyester. The average length of the microplastics was 125μm and 167μm for Nets I and II, respectively. The encounter rates of microplastics/zooplankton increased with trophic levels. The average encounter rate of microplastics/zooplankton was 5%, 15%, 34%, 49%, and 120% for Net I, and 8%, 21%, 47%, 60%, and 143% for Net II for copepods, chaetognaths, jellyfish, shrimp, and fish larvae, respectively. The average abundance of microplastics that were ingested by zooplankton was 4.1pieces/m 3 for Net I and 131.5pieces/m 3 for Net II. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Algal Diet of Small-Bodied Crustacean Zooplankton in a Cyanobacteria-Dominated Eutrophic Lake.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilmar Tõnno

    Full Text Available Small-bodied cladocerans and cyclopoid copepods are becoming increasingly dominant over large crustacean zooplankton in eutrophic waters where they often coexist with cyanobacterial blooms. However, relatively little is known about their algal diet preferences. We studied grazing selectivity of small crustaceans (the cyclopoid copepods Mesocyclops leuckarti, Thermocyclops oithonoides, Cyclops kolensis, and the cladocerans Daphnia cucullata, Chydorus sphaericus, Bosmina spp. by liquid chromatographic analyses of phytoplankton marker pigments in the shallow, highly eutrophic Lake Võrtsjärv (Estonia during a seasonal cycle. Copepods (mainly C. kolensis preferably consumed cryptophytes (identified by the marker pigment alloxanthin in gut contents during colder periods, while they preferred small non-filamentous diatoms and green algae (identified mainly by diatoxanthin and lutein, respectively from May to September. All studied cladoceran species showed highest selectivity towards colonial cyanobacteria (identified by canthaxanthin. For small C. sphaericus, commonly occuring in the pelagic zone of eutrophic lakes, colonial cyanobacteria can be their major food source, supporting their coexistence with cyanobacterial blooms. Pigments characteristic of filamentous cyanobacteria and diatoms (zeaxanthin and fucoxanthin, respectively, algae dominating in Võrtsjärv, were also found in the grazers' diet but were generally avoided by the crustaceans commonly dominating the zooplankton assemblage. Together these results suggest that the co-occurring small-bodied cyclopoid and cladoceran species have markedly different algal diets and that the cladocera represent the main trophic link transferring cyanobacterial carbon to the food web in a highly eutrophic lake.

  6. Incorporation of nitrogen from N2 fixation into amino acids of zooplankton

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Loick-Wilde, Natalie; Dutz, Jörg; Miltner, Anja

    2012-01-01

    quantified the direct incorporation of 15N tracer from N2-fixing N. spumigena (diazotroph nitrogen) and ammonium-utilizing R. salina into the amino acid nitrogen (AA-N) of zooplankton using complementary gas chromatography– combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry...... consistently low in E. affinis when exposed to N. spumigena, suggesting that these animals were reluctant to feed on N. spumigena. Essential isoleucine received most of the diazotroph nitrogen in field zooplankton, while nonessential amino acids received most 15N tracer in E. affinis. N. spumigena was clearly...... an important amino acid nitrogen source for Baltic Sea zooplankton...

  7. Future marine zooplankton research - a perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bathmann, U.; Bundy, M.H.; Clarke, M.E.

    2001-01-01

    and existence of dominant zooplankton taxa, and (2) the control of biodiversity and biocomplexity, for example, in the tropical ocean where diversity is high. These recommendations come from an assemblage of chemical, physical and biological oceanographers with experience in major interdisciplinary studies...

  8. Magnetic Field Fluctuations Due to Diel Vertical Migrations of Zooplankton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dean, C.; Soloviev, A.

    2016-12-01

    Dean et al. (2016) have indicated that at high zooplankton concentrations, diel vertical migrations (DVM) cause velocity fluctuations and a respective increase of the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). In this work, we used a 3D non-hydrostatic computational fluid dynamics model with Lagrangian particle injections (a proxy for migrating organisms) via a discrete phase model to simulate the effect of turbulence generation by DVM. We tested a range of organism concentrations from 1000 to 10,000 organisms/m3. The simulation at an extreme concentration of zooplankton showed an increase in dissipation rate of TKE by two to three orders of magnitude during DVM over background turbulence, 10-8 W kg-1. At lower concentrations (Frank, J. Wood, 2016: Biomixing due to diel vertical migrations of zooplankton. Ocean Modelling 98, 51-64.

  9. Population dynamics of Chaoborus flavicans and Daphnia spp.: effects on a zooplankton community in a volcanic eutrophic lake with naturally high metal concentrations (L. Monticchio Grande, Southern Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Letizia GARIBALDI

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available The response of Daphnia populations to invertebrate predators involves morphological or behavioural changes. Few studies suggest that contaminant aqueous metals, like Cu or Ni at environmentally relevant concentrations, interfere with invertebrate chemical communication systems, such as that which operates between Daphnia and Chaoborus. The objective of our study was to determine if this interference could be also observed in lakes naturally rich in dissolved metals, such as volcanic lake (Lago Grande di Monticchio. This study aimed to assess if natural dissolved metals (e.g., Fe, Mn and Sr could impair the ability of Daphnia pulex and D. galeata × hyalina × cucullata 'complex' populations to respond to Chaoborus kairomones by producing morphological defenses against potential predation, and to understand how Chaoborus predation might affect zooplankton community composition and overall zooplankton density. The predator impact did not result in: i any morphological changes; ii any apparent shift in body size pattern of the prey population; iii any shift in life history traits. Chaoborus accounted for high mortality rates in Cladocera and strongly reduced the chance of individuals to reach maturity. Moreover, highly significant negative correlations between abundance of dominant taxa of zooplankton and C. flavicans were found. The last larval instars of C. flavicans seem to reduce the number of crustaceans, particularly cladocerans and copepod adults and could play an important role in structuring zooplankton communities. Our results suggest that metal inhibition of defence strategies induction probably occurs along the signal transduction pathway in Lake Grande di Monticchio. Impairment of chemosensory response to predatory chemical cues may have widespread ecological consequences in aquatic systems. Chaoborus predation effects can greatly affect both zooplankton biomass and community composition, impact interactions at lower trophic levels

  10. SEAPODYM-LTL: a parsimonious zooplankton dynamic biomass model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conchon, Anna; Lehodey, Patrick; Gehlen, Marion; Titaud, Olivier; Senina, Inna; Séférian, Roland

    2017-04-01

    Mesozooplankton organisms are of critical importance for the understanding of early life history of most fish stocks, as well as the nutrient cycles in the ocean. Ongoing climate change and the need for improved approaches to the management of living marine resources has driven recent advances in zooplankton modelling. The classical modeling approach tends to describe the whole biogeochemical and plankton cycle with increasing complexity. We propose here a different and parsimonious zooplankton dynamic biomass model (SEAPODYM-LTL) that is cost efficient and can be advantageously coupled with primary production estimated either from satellite derived ocean color data or biogeochemical models. In addition, the adjoint code of the model is developed allowing a robust optimization approach for estimating the few parameters of the model. In this study, we run the first optimization experiments using a global database of climatological zooplankton biomass data and we make a comparative analysis to assess the importance of resolution and primary production inputs on model fit to observations. We also compare SEAPODYM-LTL outputs to those produced by a more complex biogeochemical model (PISCES) but sharing the same physical forcings.

  11. Flow disturbances generated by feeding and swimming zooplankton

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiørboe, Thomas; Jiang, Haisong; Goncalves, R. J.

    2014-01-01

    that zooplankton, in which feeding and swimming are separate processes, produce flow disturbances during swimming with a much faster spatial attenuation (velocity u varies with distance r as u ∝ r−3 to r−4) than that produced by zooplankton for which feeding and propulsion are the same process (u ∝ r−1 to r−2...... vortex rings, or by “breast-stroke swimming.” Both produce rapidly attenuating flows. The more “noisy” swimming of those that are constrained by a need to simultaneously feed is due to constantly beating flagella or appendages that are positioned either anteriorly or posteriorly on the (cell) body...

  12. Zooplankton community structure in the presence of low levels of cyanotoxins: a case study in a high altitude tropical reservoir (Valle de Bravo, Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael A. Figueroa-Sanchez

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Valle de Bravo water reservoir in the State of Mexico is being intensively studied since it provides water to about 2,500,000 people living in Mexico City. Cyanobacterial blooms reduce the water quality in this reservoir and this poses health risks. We hypothesize that one of the reasons for these persistent blooms is the dominance of small sized zooplankton throughout the year. Zooplankton samples were collected monthly by filtering 50 L of water from the surface (10-20 cm using a 50 µm mesh and the samples were fixed in 4% formalin in the field. We measured temperature, pH, conductivity, Secchi disk transparency, dissolved oxygen, nitrates and phosphates. The microcystin levels were also quantified. The Secchi depth ranged from 0.86 to 9 m, nitrate levels were low (0.28 to 2.06 mg L-1, while phosphates were in the range of 1 to 14 mg L-1. The temperature varied from 14 to 25 °C. The zooplankton community was represented by 25 species of rotifers Keratella cochlearis had the highest density (840 ind L-1, followed by Polyarthra vulgaris (750 ind L-1. As compared to previous studies where the genus Brachionus was practically absent, we found four brachionid species. Among cladocerans, Bosmina longirostris was the dominant taxa reaching up to 100 ind L-1. Small sized zooplankton (<200 µm dominated throughout the year. The zooplankton biomass in the winter months (December to February was contributed by Daphnia laevis, copepodites and adult copepods. Unlike a decade ago when a dominance by cyanobacteria was recorded, in this study we found that the phytoplankton was dominated by diatoms and chlorophytes with an occasional presence of the cyanobacteria Anabaena spp. and Microcystis spp. The concentration of microcystins ranged from 0.5 to 0.7 µg L-1 and was within the parameters set by the WHO. Carlson’s Trophic State Index and Sladecek’s Brachionus/Trichocera ratio indicated that the reservoir was mesotrophic during the study period.

  13. Influence of a carp invasion on the zooplankton community in Laguna Medina, a Mediterranean shallow lake

    OpenAIRE

    Norbert, Florian; López-Luque, raquel; Ospina-Álvarez, Natalia; Hufnagel, Levente; Green, Andy J.

    2016-01-01

    The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a highly invasive species and an ecological engineer. It has been repeatedly shown to increase nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton biomass while destroying submerged macrophytes, although there are few studies from the Mediterranean region. We studied its impact on the zooplankton community in Laguna de Medina lake, a shallow lake in Jerez de la Frontera, south-west Spain. Carp were removed with rotenone in 2007 but returned in 2010-2011. ...

  14. Relation between 234Th scavenging and zooplankton biomass in Mediterranean surface waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, S.; Reyss, J.L.; Buat-Menard, P.; Nival, P.; Baker, M.

    1992-01-01

    Dissolved and particulate 234 Th activities were determined and phyto-and zooplankton biomass were periodically measured 8 miles off Nice (Mediterranean Sea) during spring 1987. The results show a strong variability of 234 Th distribution on short time scales in northwestern Mediterranean surface waters. The good correlation observed the zooplankton biomass and the rate of 234 Th export to deep water in particulate form is agreement with the assumption that the residence time of particulate 234 Th in oceanic surface waters is controlled by zooplankton grazing. Moreover, our results indicate the importance of salps in particular as efficient removers of small suspended particles in surface waters

  15. Role of zooplankton dynamics for Southern Ocean phytoplankton biomass and global biogeochemical cycles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Le Quéré, Corinne; Buitenhuis, Erik T.; Moriarty, Róisín

    2016-01-01

    zooplankton community, despite iron limitation of phytoplankton community growth rates. This result has implications for the representation of global biogeochemical cycles in models as zooplankton faecal pellets sink rapidly and partly control the carbon export to the intermediate and deep ocean....

  16. Diurnal variation of zooplankton off Versova (Bombay)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gajbhiye, S.N.; Nair, V.R.; Desai, B.N.

    Physicochemical parameters and diurnal variaion of zooplankton were studied off Versova on 17/18 February 1981. Salinity and dissolved oxygen showed limited variation during the period of study. Nutrient values followed the tidal rhythm and high...

  17. Moonlight Drives Ocean-Scale Mass Vertical Migration of Zooplankton during the Arctic Winter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Last, Kim S; Hobbs, Laura; Berge, Jørgen; Brierley, Andrew S; Cottier, Finlo

    2016-01-25

    In extreme high-latitude marine environments that are without solar illumination in winter, light-mediated patterns of biological migration have historically been considered non-existent [1]. However, diel vertical migration (DVM) of zooplankton has been shown to occur even during the darkest part of the polar night, when illumination levels are exceptionally low [2, 3]. This paradox is, as yet, unexplained. Here, we present evidence of an unexpected uniform behavior across the entire Arctic, in fjord, shelf, slope and open sea, where vertical migrations of zooplankton are driven by lunar illumination. A shift from solar-day (24-hr period) to lunar-day (24.8-hr period) vertical migration takes place in winter when the moon rises above the horizon. Further, mass sinking of zooplankton from the surface waters and accumulation at a depth of ∼50 m occurs every 29.5 days in winter, coincident with the periods of full moon. Moonlight may enable predation of zooplankton by carnivorous zooplankters, fish, and birds now known to feed during the polar night [4]. Although primary production is almost nil at this time, lunar vertical migration (LVM) may facilitate monthly pulses of carbon remineralization, as they occur continuously in illuminated mesopelagic systems [5], due to community respiration of carnivorous and detritivorous zooplankton. The extent of LVM during the winter suggests that the behavior is highly conserved and adaptive and therefore needs to be considered as "baseline" zooplankton activity in a changing Arctic ocean [6-9]. VIDEO ABSTRACT. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  18. The impact of different hydrographic conditions and zooplankton communities on provisioning Little Auks along the West coast of Spitsbergen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwasniewski, Slawomir; Gluchowska, Marta; Jakubas, Dariusz; Wojczulanis-Jakubas, Katarzyna; Walkusz, Wojciech; Karnovsky, Nina; Blachowiak-Samolyk, Katarzyna; Cisek, Malgorzata; Stempniewicz, Lech

    2010-10-01

    Composition and abundance of zooplankton were studied simultaneously with feeding ecology of planktivorous Little Auks ( Alle alle) in two different sea shelf areas of West Spitsbergen, Norway, in summer 2007. Zooplankton was collected adjacent to bird colonies in Magdalenefjorden (influenced by Atlantic West Spitsbergen Current) and Hornsund (dominated by the Arctic Sørkapp Current). In spite of different hydrological situations, the abundance of prey preferred by Little Auks, Arctic Calanus glacialis copepodids stage V, among zooplankton was similar in both localities. However, there was much more of Atlantic Calanus finmarchicus on the shelf outside Magdalenefjorden compared to Hornsund, resulting in different abundance ratios of Arctic to Atlantic copepods in the two areas (1:14 and 1:1, respectively). Even greater differences between the two areas occurred in the ratio of C. glacialis CV to other zooplankters, amounting to 1:40 in Magdalenefjorden and 1:6 in Hornsund. In both Little Auk colonies food brought by parents to their chicks contained mainly C. glacialis CV, albeit the proportion of this copepod in meals was significantly higher in Hornsund. Meals delivered to Little Auk chicks in Hornsund had also higher zooplankton numbers, biomass and energy content. In Magdalenefjorden, on the other hand, a higher number of feedings and longer duration of foraging trips were recorded. These differences became more apparent with increasing energy requirements of the fast growing nestlings. This was probably a consequence of lower relative abundance of the Little Auks’ preferred prey in the sea adjacent to Magdalenefjorden colony. It seems that searching for the preferred food items, such as C. glacialis, among abundant but less favored C. finmarchicus, may require more time and energy demanding foraging behavior. As a consequence, foraging effort of the Little Auk parents from Magdalenefjorden was higher, and feeding efficiency lower, than those of birds from

  19. Ecological factors affecting the distribution of zooplankton ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USER

    and ecological functioning of aquatic ecosystems, which must be taken into account ... zooplankton, which is its key position in the trophic chain, gives a fundamental role ..... suspended solids can block the filtering apparatus and impede their ...

  20. Terrestrial carbohydrates support freshwater zooplankton during phytoplankton deficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taipale, Sami J; Galloway, Aaron W E; Aalto, Sanni L; Kahilainen, Kimmo K; Strandberg, Ursula; Kankaala, Paula

    2016-08-11

    Freshwater food webs can be partly supported by terrestrial primary production, often deriving from plant litter of surrounding catchment vegetation. Although consisting mainly of poorly bioavailable lignin, with low protein and lipid content, the carbohydrates from fallen tree leaves and shoreline vegetation may be utilized by aquatic consumers. Here we show that during phytoplankton deficiency, zooplankton (Daphnia magna) can benefit from terrestrial particulate organic matter by using terrestrial-origin carbohydrates for energy and sparing essential fatty acids and amino acids for somatic growth and reproduction. Assimilated terrestrial-origin fatty acids from shoreline reed particles exceeded available diet, indicating that Daphnia may convert a part of their dietary carbohydrates to saturated fatty acids. This conversion was not observed with birch leaf diets, which had lower carbohydrate content. Subsequent analysis of 21 boreal and subarctic lakes showed that diet of herbivorous zooplankton is mainly based on high-quality phytoplankton rich in essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. The proportion of low-quality diets (bacteria and terrestrial particulate organic matter) was <28% of the assimilated carbon. Taken collectively, the incorporation of terrestrial carbon into zooplankton was not directly related to the concentration of terrestrial organic matter in experiments or lakes, but rather to the low availability of phytoplankton.

  1. Indicator Properties of Baltic Zooplankton for Classification of Environmental Status within Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorokhova, Elena; Lehtiniemi, Maiju; Postel, Lutz; Rubene, Gunta; Amid, Callis; Lesutiene, Jurate; Uusitalo, Laura; Strake, Solvita; Demereckiene, Natalja

    2016-01-01

    The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires the EU Member States to estimate the level of anthropogenic impacts on their marine systems using 11 Descriptors. Assessing food web response to altered habitats is addressed by Descriptor 4 and its indicators, which are being developed for regional seas. However, the development of simple foodweb indicators able to assess the health of ecologically diverse, spatially variable and complex interactions is challenging. Zooplankton is a key element in marine foodwebs and thus comprise an important part of overall ecosystem health. Here, we review work on zooplankton indicator development using long-term data sets across the Baltic Sea and report the main findings. A suite of zooplankton community metrics were evaluated as putative ecological indicators that track community state in relation to Good Environmental Status (GES) criteria with regard to eutrophication and fish feeding conditions in the Baltic Sea. On the basis of an operational definition of GES, we propose mean body mass of zooplankton in the community in combination with zooplankton stock measured as either abundance or biomass to be applicable as an integrated indicator that could be used within the Descriptor 4 in the Baltic Sea. These metrics performed best in predicting zooplankton being in-GES when considering all datasets evaluated. However, some other metrics, such as copepod biomass, the contribution of copepods to the total zooplankton biomass or biomass-based Cladocera: Copepoda ratio, were equally reliable or even superior in certain basin-specific assessments. Our evaluation suggests that in several basins of the Baltic Sea, zooplankton communities currently appear to be out-of-GES, being comprised by smaller zooplankters and having lower total abundance or biomass compared to the communities during the reference conditions; however, the changes in the taxonomic structure underlying these trends vary widely across the sea basins due to

  2. Phytoplankton species composition of four ecological provinces in Yellow Sea, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaoqian; Feng, Yuanyuan; Leng, Xiaoyun; Liu, Haijiao; Sun, Jun

    2017-12-01

    The ecological province based on phytoplankton species composition is important to understanding the interplay between environmental parameters and phytoplankton species composition. The aim of this study was to establish phytoplankton species composition ecological pattern thus elucidate the relationship between environmental factors and the phytoplankton species composition in the ecological provinces. Phytoplankton samples were collected from 31 stations in Yellow Sea (121.00°-125.00°E, 32.00°-39.22°N) in November 2014. The samples were enumerated and identified with the Utermöhl method under an optical inverted microscope-AE2000 with magnifications of 200 × or 400 ×. In the present study, a total of 141 taxa belonging to 60 genera of 4 phyla of phytoplankton were identified, among them 101 species of 45 genera were Bacillariophyta, 36 species of 11 genera were Dinophyta, 3 species of 3 genera were Chrysophyta and 1 species of 1 genera was Chlorophyta. The study area was divided into 4 ecological provinces according to an unsupervised cluster algorithm applied to the phytoplankton biomass. A T-S (Temperature-Salinity) scatter diagram depicted with data of water temperature and salinity defined by environmental provinces matched well with the ecological provinces. The results of Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) indicated that the phytoplankton species composition was mainly correlated with temperature, salinity and silicate concentration in the studied area. A method of establishing ecological provinces is useful to further understanding the environmental effects on the marine phytoplankton species composition and the consequent marine biogeochemistry.

  3. Zooplankton data: Vertical distributions of zooplankton in the Norweigian and Greenland Seas during summer, 1989

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lane, P.V.Z.; Smith, S.L.; Schwarting, E.M.

    1993-08-01

    Recent studies of zooplankton populations in the Greenland Sea have focused on processes at the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) and the areas immediately adjacent to it under the ice and in open water. These studies have shown a relatively short period of intense secondary productivity which is closely linked temporally and spatially to phytoplankton blooms occurring near the ice edge in spring and early summer. During the summer of 1989 we participated in a project focusing on benthic and water column processes in the basins of the Norwegian and Greenland Seas. This study allowed us to compare biological processes at the MIZ with those occurring in the open waters of the Greenland Sea, and to compare processes at both of these locations with those in the Norwegian Sea. The data presented in this report are the results of zooplankton net tows covering the upper 1000 meters of the water column over the Norwegian Sea basin and the Greenland Sea basin, and the upper 500 meters of open water adjacent to the MIZ in the Greenland Sea. Sampling was conducted between 12 and 29 July 1989.

  4. Zooplankton ecology of the mangrove habitats of Goa

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.

    and fish larvae constituted bulk of zooplankton. Majority of these organisms were stragglers. The zooplankters showing better eco-physiological adaptations colonized in pools surroundEd. by thick mangroves vegetation...

  5. Zooplankton, physical, and other data collected from net and bottle casts in North Pacific Ocean from HAKUHO-MARU; 22 November 1982 to 14 February 1983 (NODC Accession 9600145)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton species identities, physical, and other data were collected using net and bottle casts in the North Pacific Ocean from HAKUHO-MARU. Data were collected...

  6. Nutrient supply, surface currents, and plankton dynamics predict zooplankton hotspots in coastal upwelling systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messié, Monique; Chavez, Francisco P.

    2017-09-01

    A simple combination of wind-driven nutrient upwelling, surface currents, and plankton growth/grazing equations generates zooplankton patchiness and hotspots in coastal upwelling regions. Starting with an initial input of nitrate from coastal upwelling, growth and grazing equations evolve phytoplankton and zooplankton over time and space following surface currents. The model simulates the transition from coastal (large phytoplankton, e.g., diatoms) to offshore (picophytoplankton and microzooplankton) communities, and in between generates a large zooplankton maximum. The method was applied to four major upwelling systems (California, Peru, Northwest Africa, and Benguela) using latitudinal estimates of wind-driven nitrate supply and satellite-based surface currents. The resulting zooplankton simulations are patchy in nature; areas of high concentrations coincide with previously documented copepod and krill hotspots. The exercise highlights the importance of the upwelling process and surface currents in shaping plankton communities.

  7. Distribution of toxic metals, Hg, Cd and Pb in zooplankton along the Indian coasts

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sengupta, R.; Kureishy, T.W.

    Distribution of toxic metals such as Hg, Cd and Pb in zooplankton is assessed with a view to correlate it with the prevalent environmental conditions along the Indian coast. While Hg could not be detected in zooplankton the concentrations of Cd...

  8. Integrated study of labelled contaminant or substrate-biological species interactions in a selected aquatic ecosystem. Part of a coordinated programme on isotopic-tracer aided research and monitoring on agricultural residue - biological interactions in aquatic ecosystems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perry, A.S.

    1982-06-01

    Repetitive exposure of a eutrophic fish pond ecosystem, enclosed in limnocorrals to 30 ppb parathion resulted in elimination of the potentially dominant zooplankton species, Moina micrura. Consequently, the populations of the rotifers Brachionus and Asplanchna markedly increased. Changes in the zooplankton composition and abundance were followed by increased fluctuations in phytoplankton biomass, phytoplankton photosynthesis, plankton respiration and community metabolism. Similar responses to parathion treatment were observed in previous studies under fish pond conditions. In the presence of fish the effect of parathion on the ecosystem was generally less pronounced and not uniform. The collapse of the zooplankton community and the rapid changes in limnological conditions in the control (untreated) limnocorrals severely limited the duration of the experiment. The results suggest that under eutrophic conditions, small enclosures may be useful for evaluation of the effect of toxicants on the ecosystem only in short term experiments with short lived chemicals. This document is out of INIS subject scope and is included because it is published by the IAEA

  9. Hg, Pb and Cd in zooplankton from an area of the Adriatic opposite the Romagna coast line

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crisetig, G; Cattani, O; Massa, D; Poletti, R

    1982-09-15

    The concentrations of heavy metals Hg, Pb and Cd found in zooplankton samples collected in two stations off Cesenatico (Northern Adriatic Sea) from March 1978 to January 1979, have been reported. The Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations showed large variations which did not seem to be correlated with taxonomic composition. The detected levels of metals were higher at the offshore than the nearshore station, accordingly with the sediment pattern. The high concentration of Hg were apparently associated with sources of local industrial pollution.

  10. The effects of juvenile American shad planktivory on zooplankton production in Columbia River food webs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haskell, Craig A.; Tiffan, Kenneth F.; Rondorf, Dennis W.

    2013-01-01

    Columbia River reservoirs support a large population of nonnative American Shad Alosa sapidissima that consume the zooplankton that native fishes also rely on. We hypothesized that the unprecedented biomass of juvenile American Shad in John Day Reservoir is capable of altering the zooplankton community if these fish consume a large portion of the zooplankton production. We derived taxon-specific estimates of zooplankton production using field data and a production model from the literature. Empirical daily ration was estimated for American Shad and expanded to population-level consumption using abundance and biomass data from hydroacoustic surveys. Daphnia spp. production was high in early summer but declined to near zero by September as shad abundance increased. American Shad sequentially consumed Daphnia spp., copepods, and Bosmina spp., which tracked the production trends of these taxa. American Shad evacuation rates ranged from 0.09 to 0.24/h, and daily rations ranged from 0.008 to 0.045 g·g−1·d−1 (dry weight) over all years. We observed peak American Shad biomass (45.2 kg/ha) in 1994, and daily consumption (1.6 kg/ha) approached 30% (5.3 kg/ha) of zooplankton production. On average, American Shad consumed 23.6% of the available zooplankton production (range, food web in John Day Reservoir, potentially affecting native fishes, including Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp.

  11. The effect of Kingston Harbour outflow on the zooplankton populations of Hellshire, south-east coast, Jamaica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindo, Mona K.

    1991-06-01

    Zooplankton sampling was conducted at 16 stations located at the mouth of Kingston Harbour and throughout the Hellshire area from November 1985 to March 1987. Parameters examined included total biomass, total numbers and numbers of numerically important zooplankton species. Maximum values were recorded west of the Harbour mouth (station 1) and these gradually decreased with distance from the Harbour especially at the 'offshore' stations, producing a gradient effect in this area. Mean biomass and abundance for the period sampled ranged from 14 g m -3 and 16 313 individuals m -3 at the western side of the Harbour mouth to 0·4 g m -3 and 172 individuals m -3 at Wreck Reef. Stations within the bays of Hellshire occasionally had values similar to those recorded at the mouth of Kingston Harbour and here there was less evidence of a gradual decline. Considerable monthly fluctuation occurred in these parameters but there was no discernible seasonal pattern. Copepods dominated the population at most stations and the sergestid Lucifer faxoni also proved an important member at the western Harbour mouth station.

  12. Zooplancton de la Bahía de Mochima: Retrospectiva y prospectiva | Zooplancton of the Mochima Bay: Retrospective and prospective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brightdoom Márquez-Rojas

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This compilation presents a historical synthesis of the studies carried out (publications, thesis, monogrphs on the zooplankton in the Bay of Mochima, Sucre State, Venezuela. The Plankton Laboratory of the Institute of Zoology and Tropical Ecology (IZET and the Zooplankton Laboratory of the Venezuelan Oceanographic Institute (IOV have carried out numerous studies of the zooplankton community, in which they emphasize taxonomic and ecological aspects including the effects of upwelling events. Among these, the level of information is very uneven. A list of zooplankton composition and richness is presented. The holoplankton components include jellyfish (19 species, siphonophores (5 species, copepods (75 species, cladocerans (4 species, chaetognatha (3 species, holoplanktonic mollusks (2 species, mysidacea (2 species, appendicularians (16 species. Within the meroplankton are larvae of decapod crustaceans, cirripedes and ichthyoplankton. In general, copepods were the most abundant group, with differences in upwelling events and represented the highest proportion of biomass. Temporal and spatial biomass fluctuations, zooplankton abundance and related physical and chemical variables were analyzed. However, the variables needed to estimate production, such as annual cycles and trophic relationships, have been poorly studied. Depending on the lack of information, the main problems were identified and recommendations for future research are proposed.

  13. AMINOACID COMPOSITION OF SOME SPECIES FROM INULA GENUS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. A. Kruglaya

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The majority of medicinal plants and medicinal plant raw materials are understudied pharmacgostically. These plants include species from Inula genus, which range in Russia amounts to up to 40 species. Rhizomes and roots of the Inula helenium L. are broadly applied in scientific and traditional medicine. They have expectorate, styptic, and anti-inflammatory properties.The purpose of the study was to determine the amino-acid composition of some species from Inula genus (Inula germanica, Inula ensifolia, Inula aspera, Inula orientalis, which grow in different regions if the North Caucasus.Methods. The studies were carried out using AAA 400 amino acid analyzer, highly specialized automatized liquid chromatographer with computer management. Aboveground parts of the plants, gathered in mass blossom phase from wild-growing plants and then dried out were the objects of the study.Results. For the first time the amino acid composition and raw protein of some species from Inula genus was determined (Inula germanica, Inula ensifolia, Inula aspera, Inula orientalis, 16 amino acids were discovered, 7 of which were essential, and raw proteins which substantival composition amounted to 16.19% in Inula germanica, 10.78% in Inula ensifolia, Inula aspera (11.15%, Inula orientalis (13.94%.Conclusion. The results of the studies conducted broaden the data about amino acids and protein composition and quantitative content in the species from Inula genus and can be used to develop methods of analysis of the drugs, obtained from these plants.

  14. Elemental concentration of zooplankton and their particulate products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fowler, S.W.; Oregioni, B.

    1974-01-01

    Since zooplankton fecal pellets and molts are major vectors in the vertical transport of zinc in the sea, analyses have been made also for other trace metals in these particulate products. Euphausiids and pelagic shrimp were collected live off the Monaco coast by taking several short oblique tows with an Issacs-Kidd midwater trawl. Animals were placed in clean sea water, sorted according to species and immediately transported to the laboratory in plastic containers filled with filtered sea water taken at the collection site. Samples of microplankton, which serve as food for the macroplankton were also taken. Elemental concentrations in whole euphausiids and shrimp were measured. It was observed that molt analyses strongly support the contention that crustacean molts play an important role in the transport of metals and radionuclides in marine ecosystems. Molts can release metals to the water column or sediments upon decomposition or serve as a rich source of metals for organisms of other trophic levels which ingest them

  15. DNA barcoding of Arctic Ocean holozooplankton for species identification and recognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bucklin, Ann; Hopcroft, Russell R.; Kosobokova, Ksenia N.; Nigro, Lisa M.; Ortman, Brian D.; Jennings, Robert M.; Sweetman, Christopher J.

    2010-01-01

    Zooplankton species diversity and distribution are important measures of environmental change in the Arctic Ocean, and may serve as 'rapid-responders' of climate-induced changes in this fragile ecosystem. The scarcity of taxonomists hampers detailed and up-to-date monitoring of these patterns for the rarer and more problematic species. DNA barcodes (short DNA sequences for species recognition and discovery) provide an alternative approach to accurate identification of known species, and can speed routine analysis of zooplankton samples. During 2004-2008, zooplankton samples were collected during cruises to the central Arctic Ocean and Chukchi Sea. A ˜700 base-pair region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene was amplified and sequenced for 82 identified specimens of 41 species, including cnidarians (six hydrozoans, one scyphozoan), arthropod crustaceans (five amphipods, 24 copepods, one decapod, and one euphausiid); two chaetognaths; and one nemertean. Phylogenetic analysis used the Neighbor-Joining algorithm with Kimura-2-Parameter (K-2-P) distances, with 1000-fold bootstrapping. K-2-P genetic distances between individuals of the same species ranged from 0.0 to 0.2; genetic distances between species ranged widely from 0.1 to 0.7. The mtCOI gene tree showed monophyly (at 100% bootstrap value) for each of the 26 species for which more than one individual was analyzed. Of seven genera for which more than one species was analyzed, four were shown to be monophyletic; three genera were not resolved. At higher taxonomic levels, only the crustacean order Copepoda was resolved, with bootstrap value of 83%. The mtCOI barcodes accurately discriminated and identified known species of 10 taxonomic groups of Arctic Ocean holozooplankton. A comprehensive DNA barcode database for the estimated 300 described species of Arctic holozooplankton will allow rapid assessment of species diversity and distribution in this climate-vulnerable ocean ecosystem.

  16. Dynamics of anopheline vector species composition and reported ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Indoor resting mosquitoes were collected between November 2013 and May 2014 using Pyrethrum spray collection (PSC). The mosquitoes were identified using morphological keys and species specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. The species composition of members of the An. gambiae complex and ...

  17. Zooplankton Distribution in Four Western Norwegian Fjords

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorsky, G.; Flood, P. R.; Youngbluth, M.; Picheral, M.; Grisoni, J.-M.

    2000-01-01

    A multi-instrumental array constructed in the Laboratoire d'Ecologie du Plancton Marin in Villefranche sur mer, France, named the Underwater Video Profiler (UVP), was used to investigate the vertical distribution of zooplankton in four western Norwegian fjords in the summer 1996. Six distinct zoological groups were monitored. The fauna included: (a) small crustaceans (mainly copepods), (b) ctenophores (mainly lobates), (c) siphonophores (mainly physonects), (d) a scyphomedusa Periphylla periphylla, (e) chaetognaths and (f) appendicularians. The use of the non-disturbing video technique demonstrated that the distribution of large zooplankton is heterogeneous vertically and geographically. Furthermore, the abundance of non-migrating filter feeders in the deep basins of the fjords indicates that there is enough food (living and non-living particulate organic matter) to support their dietary needs. This adaptation may be considered as a strategy for survival in fjords. Specifically, living in dark, deep water reduces visual predation and population loss encountered in the upper layer due to advective processes.

  18. Diurnal variation of zooplankton in Malad creek, Bombay

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gajbhiye, S.N.; Nair, V.R.; Desai, B.N.

    stock and total population were higher in night than in day collections. Abundance and diversity of zooplankton were directly correlated to the prevailing tide and pollution load. Copepods formed the predominant group followed by decapods, gastropods...

  19. Spatial patterns of littoral zooplankton assemblages along a salinity gradient in a brackish sea: A functional diversity perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helenius, Laura K.; Leskinen, Elina; Lehtonen, Hannu; Nurminen, Leena

    2017-11-01

    The distribution patterns and diversity of littoral zooplankton are both key baseline information for understanding the functioning of coastal ecosystems, and for identifying the mechanisms by which the impacts of recently increased eutrophication are transferred through littoral food webs. In this study, zooplankton community structure and diversity along a shallow coastal area of the northern Baltic Sea were determined in terms of horizontal environmental gradients. Spatial heterogeneity of the zooplankton community was examined along the gradient. Altogether 31 sites in shallow sandy bays on the coast of southwest Finland were sampled in the summer periods of 2009 and 2010 for zooplankton and environmental variables (surface water temperature, salinity, turbidity, wave exposure, macrophyte coverage, chlorophyll a and nutrients). Zooplankton diversity was measured as both taxonomic as well as functional diversity, using trait-based classification of planktonic crustaceans. Salinity, and to a lesser extent turbidity and temperature, were found to be the main predictors of the spatial patterns and functional diversity of the zooplankton community. Occurrence of cyclopoid copepods, as well as abundances of the calanoid copepod genus Acartia and the rotifer genus Keratella were found to be key factors in differentiating sites along the gradient. As far as we know, this is the first extensive study of functional diversity in Baltic Sea coastal zooplankton communities.

  20. Effect of tide on the variability of zooplankton in the nearshore waters of Thal, Maharashtra

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gajbhiye, S.N; Nair, V.R.; Krishnakumari, L; Desai, B.N

    Quantitative and qualitative difference in zooplankton in relation to the tide were studied along 3 transects located off Thal, Maharashtra, India during Feb. 1980 to Jan. 1981. Variation in zooplankton biomass for the flood and ebb period were 2...

  1. Demography of zooplankton (Anuraeopsis fissa, Brachionus rubens and Moina macrocopa) fed Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus acutus cultured on different media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales-Ventura, Jesús; Nandini, S; Sarma, S S S; Castellanos-Páez, Maria Elena

    2012-09-01

    Generally zooplankton growth is often limited by the quality of their algal diet. A cheaper common practice in aquaculture, is to culture algae with fertilizers; however, the demography of zooplankton when fed these algae has not yet been evaluated. We studied the population growth and life table demography of the rotifers Anuraeopsis fissa and Brachionus rubens, and the cladoceran Moina macrocopa. For this, the algae Scenedesmus acutus or Chlorella vulgaris were cultured on defined (Bold's basal) medium or the commercial liquid fertilizer (Bayfolan). Experiments were conducted at one algal concentration 1.0 x 10(6) cells/mL of C. vulgaris or its equivalent dry weight of 0.5 x 10(6) cells/mL of S. acutus. The population dynamics were tested at 23 +/- 1 degrees C in 100 mL transparent jars, each with 50mL of the test medium, with an initial density of 0.5indiv/mL, for a total of 48 test jars (3 zooplankton 2 algal species x 2 culture media x 4 replicates). For the life table experiments with M. macrocopa, we introduced 10 neonates (vulgaris cultured in Bold medium. Regardless of the culture medium, Chlorella resulted in significantly higher gross and net reproductive rates for B. rubens than S. acutus diets. The reproductive rates of M. macrocopa were significantly higher in all the tested diets except when fed with S. acutus in Bold medium. The population increase rate, derived from growth experiments of A. fissa and B. rubens, ranged from 0.1-0.25/d and were significantly higher on C vulgaris cultured in liquid fertilizer as compared to the other diets. The growth rates of M. macrocopa ranged from 0.1 to 0.38/d, and were highest with diets of C. vulgaris cultured in Bold medium and S. acutus cultured in fertilizer. Thus, regardless of the culture medium used, the growth rates of the evaluated zooplankton species were higher with Chlorella than with Scenedesmus. The peak population density was highest (2 800ind/mL) for A. fissa fed Chlorella that was cultured on

  2. Stratification of zooplankton in the northwestern Indian Ocean

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Paulinose, V.T.; Gopalakrishnan, T.C.; Nair, K.K.C.; Aravindakshan, P.N.

    Study on stratification of zooplankton in the north western Indian Ocean was carried out with special reference to its relative abundance and distribution. Samples were collected using multiple plankton net, during first cruise of ORV Sagar Kanya...

  3. Evaluation of sound extinction and echo interference in densely aggregated zooplankton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia Gorska

    2000-09-01

    Full Text Available The investigation of sound extinction and echo interference is important as regards the accurate assessment of the abundance of densely aggregated zooplankton. To study these effects,the analytical model describing sound backscattering by an aggregation of isotropic scatterers (Rytov et al. 1978, Sun & Gimenez 1992 has been extended to the case of densely aggregated elongated zooplankton. The evaluation of the effects in the case of a dense krill aggregation demonstrates that they can be significant and should be taken into account.

  4. The effects of power plant passage on zooplankton mortalities: Eight years of study at the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, M.S.; Warren, G.J.; Page, D.I.

    1986-01-01

    Zooplankton mortalities resulting from passage through the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant (southeastern Lake Michigan) were studied over an 8-year (1975-1982) period. The power plant operated at a low ΔT ( 0 C) and discharge water temperatures did not exceed 35 0 C (except September 1978). While zooplankton mortalities were significantly greater in discharge than intake waters, differences were small, averaging <3%. There was no evidence of additional delayed effects on zooplankton mortality following plant passage. There was no relationship between zooplankton mortalities and temperature (ΔT, discharge water temperature). Mechanical stresses appeared to be the major cause of zooplankton mortality. The authors hypothesize that fish predation, rather than power plant operation, probably was the major source of zooplankton mortality in inshore waters during much of the year. (author)

  5. Vertical distribution and in situ feeding of marine particle-grazers in relation to their food, the microplankton

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Napp, J.M.

    1986-01-01

    A cruise was completed to measure the vertical distributions of plant biomass, growth, size and species composition, nutritional content and the zooplankton biomass and species composition. There were no consistent differences in the size spectra of particles between the regions of highest plant biomass and highest growth rates. Species known to be noxious or distasteful to the zooplankton were not members of either assemblage. The nutritional content of the particulate matter was greatest at the plant biomass maximum. Thus there was no evidence that the region of higher plant growth rates was a better place for zooplankton to feed. The diurnal distribution of zooplankton biomass was not consistently related to the vertical distributions of plant biomass, primary productivity, or productivity/chlorophyll. At night, the vertical distribution of zooplankton biomass was consistently related to the vertical distribution of plant biomass. There were species whose vertical distributions were consistently related to either the vertical distribution of plant biomass or productivity/chlorophyll a but not primary productivity, contrary to the observations of others. The total grazing pressure, measured in situ with a new design of grazing chamber and an isotopic carrier which labels the particulate matter day and night, indicated that the daily production of plant carbon was much greater than its rate of removal by the grazers. Thus, it is not necessary for the grazer biomass maximum to be located above the chlorophyll a maximum in order for that feature to persist

  6. Dredging induced changes in zooplankton community and water ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    water characteristics and zooplankton community structure in Dal Lake. An assessment was done ... et al., 2007; Zhang et al., 2010). In aquatic ecosystems, .... generally high in fine grain sediment (Fisher et al., 1982;. Valiela, 1995). In post ...

  7. FORMATION OF BACTERIAL AND ZOOPLANKTON COMPONENT OF NATURAL FOOD BASE UNDER EFFECT OF TRADITIONAL ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Krazhan

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Characterization of bacteria and zooplankton in rearing ponds using traditional fertilizers: cattle manure and bird droppings in modern conditions for fish farming. Methodology. Material collection and processing were carried out according to conventional hydrochemical and hydrobiological methods. Findings. We consider forming of bacteria and zooplankton component of natural food base of Irkliiv herbivorous fish nursery rearing ponds under the influenced of traditional organic fertilizers such as bird droppings (0,12 t/ha and cattle manure (2,0 t/ha. Each pond was planted by ongrowing Nyvka carp larvae (40,0 thousand ind./ha with silver carp (1,0 thousand ind./ha and grass carp larvae (1,0 thousand ind./ha. Qualitative and quantitative development of bacteria and zooplankton in fish-breeding ponds was investigated. The results show that in the development of the studied invertebrate groups of zooplankton in production ponds had no significant differences, except for rotifers, which group prevailed by the biomass to 3,6 times in the pond with the introduction of humus. Originality. The parameters of bacteria and zooplankton by the application of traditional organic fertilizers at present fish farming are studied. Practical value. These quantitative indicators of bacteria and zooplankton of fish-rearing ponds with water supply from Kremenchug reservoir, the application of cattle manure and bird droppings could be offered as an optimum data at present fish production stage.

  8. The characteristic of a zooplankton in the contaminated bottom stream of the Pripyat' river and backwaters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarubaw, A.I.; Malatkow, D.V.

    1994-01-01

    The researches of zooplankton are conducted on two stations on the Pripyat' river, but also on two backwaters which are in the Chernobyl NPP contamination zone. The rotifera is dominant group of zooplankton. Their quantity is more than 10 samples/litter. An absolute and relative fertility of rotifera is determined. It is established an structural and functional reorganization of the rotifera dominant complexes occurs. Any influence of contamination on a zooplankton condition is not found out. 5 refs., 2 tabs., 2 figs

  9. Annual variation in neustonic micro- and meso-plastic particles and zooplankton in the Bay of Calvi (Mediterranean-Corsica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collignon, Amandine; Hecq, Jean-Henri; Galgani, François; Collard, France; Goffart, Anne

    2014-02-15

    The annual variation in neustonic plastic particles and zooplankton was studied in the Bay of Calvi (Corsica) between 30 August 2011 and 7 August 2012. Plastic particles were classified into three size classes, small microplastics (0.2-2mm), large microplastics (2-5mm) and mesoplastics (5-10mm). 74% of the 38 samples contained plastic particles of varying composition: e.g. filaments, polystyrene, thin plastic films. An average concentration of 6.2 particles/100 m(2) was observed. The highest abundance values (69 particles/100 m(2)) observed occurred during periods of low offshore wind conditions. These values rose in the same order of magnitude as in previous studies in the North Western Mediterranean. The relationships between the abundance values of the size classes between zooplankton and plastic particles were then examined. The ratio for the intermediate size class (2-5mm) reached 2.73. This would suggest a potential confusion for predators regarding planktonic prey of this size class. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Foraging mode and prey size spectra of suspension-feeding copepods and other zooplankton

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiørboe, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Prey size spectra of suspension-feeding zooplankton may be predicted from foraging mode and a mechanistic understanding of prey perception and capture. I examine this for suspension-feeding copepods where 2 foraging modes can be distinguished: ambush feeding and active (i.e. cruising and feeding-...... the prediction. I also make qualitative predictions of food size spectra in zooplankton with other prey perception mechanisms that accord with observations....

  11. Stable isotope methods: The effect of gut contents on isotopic ratios of zooplankton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, J. M.; McQuaid, C. D.

    2011-05-01

    In the past decade there has been an increased awareness of the potential for methodological bias resulting from multiple pre-analytical procedures in foodweb interpretations based on stable isotope techniques. In the case of small organisms, this includes the effect of gut contents on whole body signatures. Although gut contents may not reflect actual assimilation, their carbon and nitrogen values will be isotopically lighter than after the same material has been assimilated. The potential skewing of isotopic ratios in whole organism samples is especially important for aquatic environments as many studies involve trophic relationships among small zooplankton. This is particularly important in pelagic waters, where herbivorous zooplankton comprise small taxa. Hence this study investigated the effect of gut contents on the δ13C and δ15N ratios of three size classes of zooplankton (1.0-2.0, 2.0-4.0 and >4.0 mm) collected using bongo net tows in the tropical waters of the south-west Indian Ocean. Animals were collected at night, when they were likely to be feeding, sieved into size classes and separated into genera. We focused on Euphausia spp which dominated zooplankton biomass. Three treatment types were processed: bulk animals, bulk animals without guts and tail muscle from each size class at 10 bongo stations. The δ15N ratios were influenced by zooplankton size class, presumably reflecting ontogenetic changes in diet. ANOVA post hoc results and correlations in δ15N signatures among treatments suggest that gut contents may not affect overall nitrogen signatures of Euphausia spp., but that δ13C signatures may be significantly altered by their presence. Carbon interpretations however, were complicated by potential effects of variation in chitin, lipids and metabolism among tissues and the possibility of opportunistic omnivory. Consequently we advocate gut evacuation before sacrifice in euphausiids if specific tissue dissection is impractical and recommend

  12. Zooplankton data from zooplankton net casts and other instruments in the Delaware Bay and North Atlantic Ocean as part of the Ocean Continental Shelf (OCS - Mid Atlantic) project, 03 November 1976 - 18 November 1977 (NODC Accession 7800340)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton data were collected using zooplankton net casts and other instruments in the Delaware Bay and North Atlantic Ocean from November 3, 1976 to November 18,...

  13. Acoustic insights into the zooplankton dynamics of the eastern Weddell Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cisewski, Boris; Strass, Volker H.

    2016-05-01

    The success of any efforts to determine the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems depends on understanding in the first instance the natural variations, which contemporarily occur on the interannual and shorter time scales. Here we present results on the environmental controls of zooplankton distribution patterns and behaviour in the eastern Weddell Sea, Southern Ocean. Zooplankton abundance and vertical migration are derived from the mean volume backscattering strength (MVBS) and the vertical velocity measured by moored acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), which were deployed simultaneously at 64°S, 66.5°S and 69°S along the Greenwich Meridian from February, 2005, until March, 2008. While these time series span a period of full three years they resolve hourly changes. A highly persistent behavioural pattern found at all three mooring locations is the synchronous diel vertical migration (DVM) of two distinct groups of zooplankton that migrate between a deep residence depth during daytime and a shallow depth during nighttime. The DVM was closely coupled to the astronomical daylight cycles. However, while the DVM was symmetric around local noon, the annual modulation of the DVM was clearly asymmetric around winter solstice or summer solstice, respectively, at all three mooring sites. DVM at our observation sites persisted throughout winter, even at the highest latitude exposed to the polar night. Since the magnitude as well as the relative rate of change of illumination is minimal at this time, we propose that the ultimate causes of DVM separated from the light-mediated proximal cue that coordinates it. In all three years, a marked change in the migration behaviour occurred in late spring (late October/early November), when DVM ceased. The complete suspension of DVM after early November is possibly caused by the combination of two factors: (1) increased availability of food in the surface mixed layer provided by the phytoplankton spring bloom, and

  14. Zooplankton abundance in the River Kars, Northeast Turkey: Impact ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PRECIOUS

    2009-11-02

    Nov 2, 2009 ... Turkey: Impact of environmental variables. H. Özbay1* and ... in the river. Key words: River Kars, zooplankton, running water, environmental factors. ..... tergestina (Branchiopoda: Onychopoda) in Guanabara Bay, Brazil. Braz.

  15. Proximate and mineral composition of four edible mushroom species

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Owner

    Key words: Edible mushrooms; food composition. INTRODUCTION. Mushrooms are saprophytes. ... riboflavin, biotin and thiamine (Chang and Buswell,. 1996). Ogundana and Fagade (1981) indicated that ... Four edible mushroom species were analyzed for food composition according to the Association of Official Analytical ...

  16. Food habits of Juvenile American Shad and dynamics of zooplankton in the lower Columbia River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haskell, C.A.; Tiffan, K.F.; Rondorf, D.W.

    2006-01-01

    As many as 2.4 million adult American shad annually pass John Day Dam, Columbia River to spawn upriver, yet food web interactions of juvenile shad rearing in John Day Reservoir are unexplored. We collected zooplankton and conducted mid-water trawls in McNary (June-July) and John Day reservoirs (August-November) from 1994 through 1996 during the outmigration of subyearling American shad and Chinook salmon. Juvenile American shad were abundant and represented over 98% of the trawl catch in late summer. The five major taxa collected in zooplankton tows were Bosmina longirostris, Daphnia, cyclopoid cope-pods, rotifers, and calanoid copepods. We evaluated total crustacean zooplankton abundance and Daphnia biomass in relation to water temperature, flow, depth, diel period, and cross-sectional location using multiple regression. Differences in zooplankton abundance were largely due to differences in water temperature and flow. Spatial variation in total zooplankton abundance was observed in McNary Reservoir, but not in John Day Reservoir. Juvenile American shad generally fed on numerically abundant prey, despite being less preferred than larger bodied zooplankton. A decrease in cladoceran abundance and size in August coupled with large percentages of Daphnia in juvenile American shad stomachs indicated heavy planktivory. Smaller juvenile American shad primarily fed on Daphnia in August, but switched to more evasive copepods as the mean size of fish increased and Daphnia abundance declined. Because Daphnia are particularly important prey items for subyearling Chinook salmon in mainstem reservoirs in mid to late summer, alterations in the cladoceran food base is of concern for the management of outmigrating salmonids and other Columbia River fishes. ?? 2006 by the Northwest Scientific Association. All rights reserved.

  17. Genome- and transcriptome-assisted development of nuclear insertion/deletion markers for Calanus species (Copepoda: Calanoida) identification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Smolina, I.; Kollias, S.; Poortvliet, M.

    2014-01-01

    Copepods of the genus Calanus are key zooplankton species in temperate to arctic marine ecosystems. Despite their ecological importance, species identification remains challenging. Furthermore, the recent report of hybrids among Calanus species highlights the need for diagnostic nuclear markers t...

  18. Zooplankton community structure and dynamics during the transition ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigates the zooplankton community structure and dynamics of Kufena Rock Pool during the transition from dry season (March to April) to rainy season (May to June) in Zaria, Nigeria. Physicochemical parameters such as temperature, hydrogen ion concentration, electrical conductivity and total dissolved ...

  19. Fatty acids composition of 10 microalgal species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thidarat Noiraksar

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available Fatty acids composition of 10 species of microalgae was determined at the exponential phase and the stationary phase. The microalgae consist of two species of diatoms, Bacillariophyceae, (Nitzschia cf. ovalis, Thalassiosira sp. five species of green microalgae, Prasinophyceae (Tetraselmis sp. and Chlorophyceae, (Dictyosphaerium pulchellum, Stichococcus sp., Chlorella sp., Scenedesmus falcatus and three species of blue green microalgae, Cyanophyceae (Anacystis sp., Synechococcus sp., Synechocystis sp..Medium for culture diatoms and green microalgae was F/2, and BG-11 media was used for Cyanophyceae. The microalgae were cultured beneath light intensity 143 μEm-2s-1, light: dark illustration 12:12 hrs., temperature 28ºC, and salinities 8-30 psu. The microalgae were harvested for analyzing fatty acid by centrivugal machine at 3500 rpm. for 5 min. at temperature 20ºC and stored at -80ºC prior to analysis.Fatty acids composition of microalgae differed from species to species. The majority fatty acids composition of diatoms at the exponential phase and the stationary phase were C16:1n-7 (17.12-31.47% and 28.22-42.02%, C16:0 (13.25-19.61% and 18.83-20.67%, C20:5 n-3 (16.65-26.67% and 11.32-23.68% respectively. The principle fatty acids composition of green microalgae, Prasinophyceae, Tetraselmis sp. were C18:3n-3 (16.17-16.67%, C16:0 (15.33-17.45%, C18:1n-9 (12.25-15.43%, C18:2n-6 (9.66-19.97%. The fatty acids composition of green microalgae, Chlorophyceae, were C18:3 n-3 (20.02-26.49% and 15.35- 30.63%, C16:0 (5.76-17.61% and 11.41-20.03%, C18:2n-6 (4.67-17.54% and 7.48-20.61% respectively. The major amounts of fatty acids content of blue green microalgae were C16:1n-7 (9.28-34.91% and 34.48- 35.04%, C14:0 (13.34-25.96% and 26.69-28.24%, C16:0 (5.89-29.15% and 5.70-16.81% except for Anacystis sp.which had a high amount of C18:3 n-3 (23.18-27.98% but low amount of C14:0 (3.66-4.98%.Bacillariophyceae contained the highest amount of highly unsaturated

  20. Metals in coastal zooplanktons - A coastal living resource hazard

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Paimpillil, J.S.; Joseph, T.; Rejomon, G.; Gerson, V.J.

    are linked to bioaccumulation. The biological concentration factor and metal contents in zooplankton is appreciably varied for all the elements except for iron and zinc. The above findings clearly indicates the importance of bioavailability of metals...

  1. Effect of pig dung fertilizer on zooplankton production

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SARAH

    2014-12-29

    Dec 29, 2014 ... Key-words: pig dung, fertilization, zooplankton production. ... an already widespread practice in many Asian countries (fukusho, et al., ..... Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company,. New York ... Effect on Water Quality, pond productivity and. Growth of ... McQueen DJ, Johannes MRS, Post JR, Stewart TJ, Lean.

  2. Biomass estimates of freshwater zooplankton from length-carbon regression equations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrizia COMOLI

    2000-02-01

    Full Text Available We present length/carbon regression equations of zooplankton species collected from Lake Maggiore (N. Italy during 1992. The results are discussed in terms of the environmental factors, e.g. food availability, predation, controlling biomass production of particle- feeders and predators in the pelagic system of lakes. The marked seasonality in the length-standardized carbon content of Daphnia, and its time-specific trend suggest that from spring onward food availability for Daphnia population may be regarded as a simple decay function. Seasonality does not affect the carbon content/unit length of the two predator Cladocera Leptodora kindtii and Bythotrephes longimanus. Predation is probably the most important regulating factor for the seasonal dynamics of their carbon biomass. The existence of a constant factor to convert the diameter of Conochilus colonies into carbon seems reasonable for an organism whose population comes on quickly and just as quickly disappears.

  3. Secondary production and zooplankton abundance in the coastal waters from Vengurla to Malpe, west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.

    Secondary production and zooplankton abundance in surface and vertical hauls at different stations along 7 transects from Vengurla to Malpe, Maharashtra, India were studied. Zooplankton production varied with the depth of sampling station and type...

  4. ZOOPLANKTON DIVERSITY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN MANI RESERVOIR OF WESTERN GHATS, REGION, HOSANAGAR TALUK, SHIVAMOGA DISTRICT KARNATAKA, INDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. N. Veerendra

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Studies on relationship between zooplankton abundance and water quality parameter in Mani reservoir were made between January 2008 and December 2008. In the current investigation, impact of different physico-chemical parameters on zooplankton population was found. Ten genera of zooplankton were identified. The relationship between zooplankton and water quality parameters was varied from place to place depending upon the condition of the reservoir water.

  5. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of pelagic zooplankton elucidate ecohydrographic features in the oligotrophic Red Sea

    KAUST Repository

    Kürten, Benjamin

    2015-11-10

    , and of small phytoplankton in the central Red Sea. Consistent variation across taxonomic and trophic groups at latitudinal scale, corresponding with patterns of nutrient stoichiometry and phytoplankton composition, indicates that the zooplankton ecology in the Red Sea is largely influenced by hydrographic features. It suggests that the primary ecohydrography of the Red Sea is driven not only by the thermohaline circulation, but also by mesoscale activities that transports nutrients to the upper water layers and interact with the general circulation pattern. Ecohydrographic features of the Red Sea, therefore, aid in explaining the observed configurations of isoscapes at the macroecological scale.

  6. Understanding cyanobacteria-zooplankton interactions in a more eutrophic world

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ger, K.A.; Hansson, L.; Lurling, M.F.L.L.W.

    2014-01-01

    1.We review and update recent observations of cyanobacteria–zooplankton interactions, identify theoretical and methodological limitations and evaluate approaches necessary for understanding the effects of increasing cyanobacterial blooms on plankton dynamics. 2.The emphasis on oversimplified studies

  7. Essential oil composition of four Artemisia species from Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Asfaw

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The essential oil composition of four Artemisia species, namely A. schimperi Sch. Bip. ex Engl. A. abyssinica Sch. Bip. ex A. Rich., A. afra Jacq. ex Willd., and A. absinthium L. (previously called A. rehan from Ethiopia has been studied. The essential oil obtained from A. absinthium (seedling from Europe grown in two places in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa and Butajira was also analyzed for comparison. Morphological study on the leaves of A. absinthium L. from Ethiopia (previously called A. rehan and A. absinthium (from Europe was also conducted. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS. Forty three compounds representing 76 to 94% of the oils were identified. The composition of the essential oils of A. schimperi, A. afra and A. abyssinica are mainly dominated by irregular monoterpenes: yogomi alcohol (13.5-37.6%, artemisyl acetate (12.7-35.5%, and artemisia ketone (2.3-13.2%. The composition of the oil of A. absinthium (previously A. rehan however, differs from the other three species in having camphor (21.2-28.3% and davanone (21.3-26.5% as major components. The composition of A. absinthum (Europe was found to have β-thujone (42.3-66.4% and chamazulene (11.3-24.2% as major components. The study indicated that the composition of the essential oil of A. absinthium (previously A. rehan is not only different from the other three species but also from A. absinthium from Europe and does not belong to any of the chemotypes described for the species in the literature. The morphological study on the leaves also showed that it differs from that of A. absinthium from Europe. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v29i1.11

  8. Zooplankton assemblages and biomass during a 4-period survey in a northern Mediterranean coastal lagoon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam-Hoai, T; Rougier, C

    2001-01-01

    The authors proposed to examine zooplankton biomass at three stations inside (T and Z) and outside (M) a coastal lagoon of the north-western Mediterranean Sea. Station T represented the lagoon central area, and station Z was positioned in a shellfish farming sector, while the seaside station (M) served as a reference of marine environment. Analyses were designed to outline the net zooplankton assemblages (taxonomic structures and length distributions) in different environmental conditions, including the farming activity. A discriminant analysis of environmental variables determined that temperature, salinity and phytoplankton implied mainly in spatial pattern of the samples. An ordination of taxa biomasses showed two main factors which might contribute to the organisation of the zooplankton assemblages: the geographical position and the thermal period. The geographical position integrated the lagoon-sea water exchange under forcing parameters (habitat, tides and winds). The thermal period reflected both the populations development cycles and the environmental constraints (temperature, salinity, trophic resources). The resulting effects appeared in structured zooplankton assemblages in space and time. The number of 50 microns interval length classes and of taxa decreased from the seaside and the lagoon central area free of farming activity to the shallower farming zone. But the biomass-length distribution profiles did not closely follow such an expected opposition between opened and confined areas: more extended profiles were observed at station Z. Biomass dominant size classes concerned the range up to 300 microns. This size category appeared to collapse in terms of biomass from the seaside or central area of the lagoon towards the farming area, similarly to zooplankton global biomass fluctuations. Difference between biomass levels and between biomass structures suggested that net zooplankton partly acted as food competitors of macro-filtering organisms, and as

  9. Effects of natural banks of free-floating plants on zooplankton community in a shallow subtropical lake in Southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa Gazulha

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to test the effects of natural free-floating plants on zooplankton distribution in a shallow subtropical lake. First, the hypothesis that free-floating plants have an effect on physico-chemicals, leading to a decrease on nutrient availability and influencing the phytoplankton biomass and zooplankton community was tested. Second, the hypothesis that free-floating plants act as a refuge for zooplankton was tested. Three microhabitats were selected: free-floating plants, littoral area and open water. Results demonstrated that the effects of different microhabitats on phytoplankton biomass and physico-chemicals were not significant, indicating a weak influence of the plants. Zooplankton densities were higher in free-floating plants and littoral area, although the effect of microhabitats was weak for most of the predominant genera. The absence of free-floating plant effects on phytoplankton and physico-chemicals showed that it was not a factor influencing the microcrustacean distribution in the microhabitats. Low differences in densities of zooplankton among microhabitats and low abundance of large-bodied cladocerans led to reject the hypothesis that free-floating plants act as a refuge for zooplankton.

  10. Trace metal concentrations in marine zooplankton from the western Bay of Bengal

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rejomon, G.; Balachandran, K.K.; Nair, M.; Joseph, T.

    on the interrelationships of zooplankton and phytoplankton. – Journal of Marine Biological Association U.K 32: 375-445. [2] Brooks, R.R., Presley, B.J., Kaplan, I.R. (1967): APDC-MIBK extraction system for the determination of trace elements in saline waters by Atomic... of contaminants in the food web dynamics as well as in the biogeochemical cycling of trace elements. Zooplanktons are the most abundant animals in the sea, which play an important role in the marine food chain. They mostly feed on phytoplankton and in turn...

  11. Modern tree species composition reflects ancient Maya "forest gardens" in northwest Belize.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Nanci J

    2011-01-01

    Ecology and ethnobotany were integrated to assess the impact of ancient Maya tree-dominated home gardens (i.e., "forest gardens"), which contained a diversity of tree species used for daily household needs, on the modern tree species composition of a Mesoamerican forest. Researchers have argued that the ubiquity of these ancient gardens throughout Mesoamerica led to the dominance of species useful to Maya in the contemporary forest, but this pattern may be localized depending on ancient land use. The tested hypothesis was that species composition would be significantly different between areas of dense ancient residential structures (high density) and areas of little or no ancient settlement (low density). Sixty-three 400-m2 plots (31 high density and 32 low density) were censused around the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve in northwestern Belize. Species composition was significantly different, with higher abundances of commonly utilized "forest garden" species still persisting in high-density forest areas despite centuries of abandonment. Subsequent edaphic analyses only explained 5% of the species composition differences. This research provides data on the long-term impacts of Maya forests gardens for use in development of future conservation models. For Mesoamerican conservation programs to work, we must understand the complex ecological and social interactions within an ecosystem that developed in intimate association with humans.

  12. Water Browning Influences the Behavioral Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Zooplankton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raoul Wolf

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In the last decades, limnic water bodies in the Northern hemisphere have experienced a noticeable browning, i.e., increasing levels of dissolved organic matter (DOM. While the effects on primary producers is usually considered negative (light attenuation, zooplankton is thought to benefit from increased DOM, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation (UVR. However, behavioral alterations due to browning in zooplankton have not yet been studied. We investigated the effects of a DOM gradient, alone and in combination with UVR, on the swimming behavior of Daphnia magna. Making use of a computer-controlled imaging system, we repeatedly filmed individuals over 6 h and analyzed the video material to unravel effects on exploration behavior and other motility patterns. The results show that increasing DOM buffers the detrimental effects of UVR on swimming behavior. This is likely due to attenuation of UVR by DOM. Interestingly, DOM also raised the overall swimming activity independent of UVR exposure. Our findings highlight the importance of DOM in freshwater systems, not only because of its physico-chemical properties, but also due to its higher-level effects on zooplankton communities.

  13. Palmer LTER: Patterns of distribution of five dominant zooplankton species in the epipelagic zone west of the Antarctic Peninsula, 1993 2004

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Robin M.; Quetin, Langdon B.; Martinson, Douglas G.; Iannuzzi, Rich A.; Stammerjohn, Sharon E.; Smith, Raymond C.

    2008-09-01

    Variability in the temporal-spatial distribution and abundance of zooplankton was documented each summer on the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) grid west of the Antarctic Peninsula between Anvers and Adelaide Islands during a 12-yr time series. Oblique tows to 120 m with a 2×2 m fixed-frame net were made at about 50 stations each January/February between 1993 and 2004. The numerically dominant macro- and mesozooplanktonic species >2 mm included three species of euphausiids ( Euphausia superba, Antarctic krill; Thysanoëssa macrura; Euphausia crystallorophias, ice krill), a shelled pteropod ( Limacina helicina), and a salp ( Salpa thompsoni). Life cycles, life spans, and habitat varied among these species. Abundance data from each year were allocated to 100 km by 20 km (alongshore by on/offshore) grid cells centered on cardinal transect lines and stations within the Palmer LTER grid. The long-term mean or climatology and means for each year were used to calculate annual anomalies across the grid. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to analyze for patterns and trends in the temporal-spatial variability of the five species. Questions included whether there are groups of species with similar patterns, and whether population cycles, species interactions or seasonal sea-ice parameters were correlated with detected patterns. Patterns in the climatology were distinct, and matched those of physical parameters. Common features included higher abundance in the north than in the south, independent of the cross-shelf gradients, and cross-shelf gradients with higher abundance either inshore ( E. crystallorophias) or offshore ( S. thompsoni). Anomalies revealed either cycles in the population, as episodic recruitment in Antarctic krill, or changes in anomaly pattern between the first and second half of the sampling period. The 1998 year, which coincided with a rapid change from a negative to a positive phase in the SOI, emerged as a year with either

  14. Limnology of Eifel maar lakes

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Scharf, Burkhard W; Björk, Sven

    1992-01-01

    ... : Species composition & seasonal periodicity - Qualitative & quantitative investigations on cladoceran zooplankton of oligotrophic maar lakes - Population dynamics of pelagic copepods in maar lakes - Population dynamics...

  15. Meso-zooplankton movement through the newly constructed Mfolozi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results show that the beach spillway has facilitated recruitment into St Lucia from the ocean and the Mfolozi River. Further research is needed to ascertain what effect this recruitment has on long-term zooplankton community structure. Key words: iSimangaliso Wetland Park, relinkage, Mfolozi channel, ebb and flood tides, ...

  16. Comparative larval growth and mortality of mesopelagic fishes and their predatory impact on zooplankton in the Kuroshio region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sassa, Chiyuki; Takahashi, Motomitsu

    2018-01-01

    Larvae of mesopelagic fishes usually dominate in oceanic larval fish assemblages, but detailed investigations of their ecology are limited and thus preclude full assessment of the ecosystem structure and dynamics in oceanic waters. Here, we examined the growth and mortality of six taxa of numerically dominant mesopelagic fish larvae and their predatory impact on zooplankton in the Kuroshio region off southern Japan during late winter. The weight-specific growth coefficient (Gw) ranged from 0.077 (Sigmops gracilis) to 0.156 d-1 (Vinciguerria nimbaria), and the instantaneous daily mortality coefficient (M) from 0.067 (S. gracilis) to 0.143 d-1 (Myctophum asperum). The ratio Gw/M, an index of stage-specific survival of the larvae, was from 0.90 (Notoscopelus japonicus) to 1.24 (V. nimbaria), without a significant difference from a value of 1 in all species. Based on the reported relationship between Gw and ingestion rate of the larval fishes, the daily ration of each species was calculated to be 32-57% of body dry weight d-1. Mean and 95% confidence interval of food requirements of the six taxa of larvae was 1.41 ± 0.55 mg C m-2 d-1. Predatory impact of the mesopelagic fish larvae on the production rate of the available prey was estimated to be approximately 3.5-5.2%, implying that the larvae have a low level but consistent effect on zooplankton production in the oligotrophic Kuroshio region.

  17. Demography of zooplankton (Anuraeopsis fissa, Brachionus rubens and Moina macrocopa fed Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus acutus cultured on different media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús Morales-Ventura

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Generally zooplankton growth is often limited by the quality of their algal diet. A cheaper common practice in aquaculture, is to culture algae with fertilizers; however, the demography of zooplankton when fed these algae has not yet been evaluated. We studied the population growth and life table demography of the rotifers Anuraeopsis fissa and Brachionus rubens, and the cladoceran Moina macrocopa. For this, the algae Scenedesmus acutus or Chlorella vulgaris were cultured on defined (Bold’s basal medium or the commercial liquid fertilizer (Bayfolan. Experiments were conducted at one algal concentration 1.0x10(6cells/mL of C. vulgaris or its equivalent dry weight of 0.5x10(6cells/mL of S. acutus. The population dynamics were tested at 23±1ºC in 100mL transparent jars, each with 50mL of the test medium, with an initial density of 0.5indiv/mL, for a total of 48 test jars (3 zooplankton 2 algal species x 2 culture media x 4 replicates. For the life table experiments with M. macrocopa, we introduced 10 neonates (<24h old into each test jar containing the specific algal type and concentration. For the rotifer experiments, we set 5mL tubes with one neonate each and 10 replicates for each algal species and culture medium. We found that the average rotifer life span was not influenced by the diet, but for M. macrocopa fed S. acutus cultured in Bold’s medium, the average lifespan was significantly lower than with the other diets. The gross and net reproductive rates of A. fissa (ranging from 18-36 offspring per female were significantly higher for C. vulgaris cultured in Bold medium. Regardless of the culture medium, Chlorella resulted in significantly higher gross and net reproductive rates for B. rubens than S. acutus diets. The reproductive rates of M. macrocopa were significantly higher in all the tested diets except when fed with S. acutus in Bold medium. The population increase rate, derived from growth experiments of A. fissa and B. rubens

  18. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of pelagic zooplankton elucidate ecohydrographic features in the oligotrophic Red Sea

    KAUST Repository

    Kü rten, Benjamin; Al-Aidaroos, Ali M.; Kurten, Saskia; El-Sherbiny, Mohsen M.; Devassy, Reny P.; Struck, Ulrich; Zarokanellos, Nikolaos; Jones, Burton; Hansen, Thomas; Bruss, Gerd; Sommer, Ulrich

    2015-01-01

    Although zooplankton occupy key roles in aquatic biogeochemical cycles, little is known about the pelagic food web and trophodynamics of zooplankton in the Red Sea. Natural abundance stable isotope analysis (SIA) of carbon (δ13C) and N (δ15N) is one

  19. Micro-zooplankton and its abundance relative to the larger zooplankton and other seston components, 08 February 1967 to 27 February 1967 (NODC Accession 0000916)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Micro-zooplankton populations in the upper 100 m were sampled from 5 marine environments in the northeast Pacific Ocean extending from slope waters off San Diego to...

  20. Fish species composition, density-distribution patterns, and impingement during upwelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spigarelli, S.A.; Sharma, R.K.

    1975-01-01

    The effects of cooling system intakes and discharges on Lake Michigan fishes are highly dependent on inshore species composition and spatial distribution which, in turn, are affected by natural hydrological conditions. Significant (5 to 10 C) short-term decreases in water temperature (due to upwelling) could cause cold shock in fish equilibrated to either ambient or plume temperatures; substantial changes in distribution due to avoidance or attraction responses; and resultant changes in susceptibility to impingement. The objectives of this study are to characterize the changes in fish species composition, density, and thermal distribution as a result of natural upwellings, and to relate these factors to intake and discharge effects. Day and night sampling was conducted in ambient (reference) and thermal plume waters near the Zion Nuclear Plant on four occasions between 17 July and 11 September 1975. Density-distribution patterns and species composition of fish were determined by means of gill nets, bottom trawls, seines, and a sonic fish locater

  1. Aging of microplastics promotes their ingestion by marine zooplankton

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vroom, Renske J.E.; Koelmans, Bart; Besseling, Ellen

    2017-01-01

    Microplastics (<5 mm) are ubiquitous in the marine environment and are ingested by zooplankton with possible negative effects on survival, feeding, and fecundity. The majority of laboratory studies has used new and pristine microplastics to test their impacts, while aging processes such as

  2. Remnant trees affect species composition but not structure of tropical second-growth forest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandor, Manette E; Chazdon, Robin L

    2014-01-01

    Remnant trees, spared from cutting when tropical forests are cleared for agriculture or grazing, act as nuclei of forest regeneration following field abandonment. Previous studies on remnant trees were primarily conducted in active pasture or old fields abandoned in the previous 2-3 years, and focused on structure and species richness of regenerating forest, but not species composition. Our study is among the first to investigate the effects of remnant trees on neighborhood forest structure, biodiversity, and species composition 20 years post-abandonment. We compared the woody vegetation around individual remnant trees to nearby plots without remnant trees in the same second-growth forests ("control plots"). Forest structure beneath remnant trees did not differ significantly from control plots. Species richness and species diversity were significantly higher around remnant trees. The species composition around remnant trees differed significantly from control plots and more closely resembled the species composition of nearby old-growth forest. The proportion of old-growth specialists and generalists around remnant trees was significantly greater than in control plots. Although previous studies show that remnant trees may initially accelerate secondary forest growth, we found no evidence that they locally affect stem density, basal area, and seedling density at later stages of regrowth. Remnant trees do, however, have a clear effect on the species diversity, composition, and ecological groups of the surrounding woody vegetation, even after 20 years of forest regeneration. To accelerate the return of diversity and old-growth forest species into regrowing forest on abandoned land, landowners should be encouraged to retain remnant trees in agricultural or pastoral fields.

  3. Simulation Modeling of Zooplankton and Benthos in Reservoirs: Documentation and Development of Model Constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-03-01

    additional food sources were available. 111. Porter (1973), who examined in situ the selective grazing of algae by a zooplankton community in Fuller Pond...large green algae increased. 112. Anabaena affinis and A. flos- aguae were rarely consumed by the zooplankton and were unaffected by increased grazing...grazing rates over the limited temperature range of 170 to 21*C. Nauwerck (1959), who conducted in situ experiments at Lake Erken, Sweden, with Daphnia

  4. Tree species composition within Kano State University of science ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study accessed the tree species composition within the Kano State University of Science and Technology Wudil, Kano State, Nigeria with the view of providing information that will help in the management and conservation of tree species within the campus. The study area was stratified into four (4) sections from which ...

  5. Changes in Species Richness and Composition of Tiger Moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) among Three Neotropical Ecoregions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beccacece, Hernán Mario; Zeballos, Sebastián Rodolfo; Zapata, Adriana Inés

    2016-01-01

    Paraná, Yungas and Chaco Serrano ecoregions are among the most species-rich terrestrial habitats at higher latitude. However, the information for tiger moths, one of the most speciose groups of moths, is unknown in these ecoregions. In this study, we assess their species richness and composition in all three of these ecoregions. Also we investigated whether the species composition of tiger moths is influenced by climatic factors and altitude. Tiger moth species were obtained with samples from 71 sites using standardized protocols (21 sites were in Yungas, 19 in Paraná and 31 in Chaco Serrano). Rarefaction-extrapolation curves, non-parametric estimators for incidence and sample coverage indices were performed to assess species richness in the ecoregions studied. Non metric multidimensional scaling and adonis tests were performed to compare the species composition of tiger moths among ecoregions. Permutest analysis and Pearson correlation were used to evaluate the relationship among species composition and annual mean temperature, annual temperature range, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality and altitude. Among ecoregions Paraná was the richest with 125 species, followed by Yungas with 63 species and Chaco Serrano with 24 species. Species composition differed among these ecoregions, although Yungas and Chaco Serrano were more similar than Paraná. Species composition was significantly influenced by climatic factors and altitude. This study showed that species richness and species composition of tiger moths differed among the three ecoregions assessed. Furthermore, not only climatic factors and altitude influence the species composition of tiger moths among ecoregions, but also climatic seasonality at higher latitude in Neotropical South America becomes an important factor. PMID:27681478

  6. Changes in Species Richness and Composition of Tiger Moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae among Three Neotropical Ecoregions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hernán Mario Beccacece

    Full Text Available Paraná, Yungas and Chaco Serrano ecoregions are among the most species-rich terrestrial habitats at higher latitude. However, the information for tiger moths, one of the most speciose groups of moths, is unknown in these ecoregions. In this study, we assess their species richness and composition in all three of these ecoregions. Also we investigated whether the species composition of tiger moths is influenced by climatic factors and altitude. Tiger moth species were obtained with samples from 71 sites using standardized protocols (21 sites were in Yungas, 19 in Paraná and 31 in Chaco Serrano. Rarefaction-extrapolation curves, non-parametric estimators for incidence and sample coverage indices were performed to assess species richness in the ecoregions studied. Non metric multidimensional scaling and adonis tests were performed to compare the species composition of tiger moths among ecoregions. Permutest analysis and Pearson correlation were used to evaluate the relationship among species composition and annual mean temperature, annual temperature range, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality and altitude. Among ecoregions Paraná was the richest with 125 species, followed by Yungas with 63 species and Chaco Serrano with 24 species. Species composition differed among these ecoregions, although Yungas and Chaco Serrano were more similar than Paraná. Species composition was significantly influenced by climatic factors and altitude. This study showed that species richness and species composition of tiger moths differed among the three ecoregions assessed. Furthermore, not only climatic factors and altitude influence the species composition of tiger moths among ecoregions, but also climatic seasonality at higher latitude in Neotropical South America becomes an important factor.

  7. Zooplankton standing and diversity in the Gulf of Kachchh with special reference to larvae of decapoda and pisces

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Paulinose, V.T.; Devi, C.B.L.; Nair, V.R.; Ramaiah, Neelam; Gajbhiye, S.N.

    Zooplankton characteristics of the Gulf of Kachchh including the major creek systems of Nakti, Kandla and Hansthal were studied for monsoon, postmonsoon and pre- monsoon periods. Zooplankton collections were made at 7 locations. The area was very...

  8. spatial and temporal variation of zooplanktonic fauna composition ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMIN

    composition and distribution in the Jakara-Getsi River system, Kano. Sampling was ... watershed of the Kano metropolis, which carries urban domestic wastewater as ... urban centers of. Kano city only, capital of Kano state (Figure 1), Kano.

  9. Occurrence, inter-annual variability and zooplankton-predation impact of the invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi and the native jellyfish Aurelia aurita in Limfjorden (Denmark) in 2010 and 2011

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riisgaard, Hans Ulrik; Jaspers, Cornelia; Serre, Sandrine

    2012-01-01

    In 2007, the invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi was observed for the first time in Limfjorden (Denmark) where it exhibited mass occurrence in late summer while the indigenous and usually dominating common jellyfish, Aurelia aurita, was nearly absent. Both species were further studied in 2008 a...... in the Black Sea in 1989 when the zooplankton and fish stocks collapsed. Analysis of available hydrographic data and model calculations indicates that re-invasion of M. leidyi from the North Sea seeded the autumn population in Limfjorden in mid-September...... and 2009 and it was found that the additional predation pressure by M. leidyi caused the zooplankton stocks to be severely depressed. Here, we report on the population dynamics and predation impact of M. leidyi and A. aurita in Limfjorden in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, M. leidyi was observed in Limfjorden...... for the first time in August with the highest density and largest size in the central parts (Skive Fjord). The estimated half-life of zooplankton (copepods) was only important in Skive Fjord in mid August 2010 when the jointpredation impact of A. aurita and M. leidyi was 2.3 d. In 2011, no M. leidyi were...

  10. Grasshopper species composition shifts following a severe rangeland grasshopper outbreak

    Science.gov (United States)

    Little is known about how grasshopper species abundances shift during and following severe outbreaks, as sampling efforts usually end when outbreaks subside. Grasshopper densities, species composition and vegetation have infrequently been sampled during and after a severe outbreak in the western U.S...

  11. Factors affecting the species composition of arable field boundary vegetation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kleijn, D.; Verbeek, M.

    2000-01-01

    1. In recent decades the botanical diversity of arable field boundaries has declined drastically. To determine the most important factors related to the species composition of arable field boundaries, the vegetation composition of 105 herbaceous boundaries, 1-m wide, in the central and eastern

  12. Some ecological implications of a neem (azadirachtin) insecticide disturbance to zooplankton communities in forest pond enclosures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreutzweiser, David P; Sutton, Trent M; Back, Richard C; Pangle, Kevin L; Thompson, Dean G

    2004-04-28

    A neem-based insecticide, Neemix 4.5, was applied to forest pond enclosures at concentrations of 10, 17, and 28 microg l(-1) azadirachtin (the active ingredient). At these test concentrations, significant, concentration-dependent reductions in numbers of adult copepods were observed, but immature copepod and cladoceran populations were unaffected. There was no evidence of recovery of adult copepods within the sampling season (May to October). The ecological significance of this disturbance to the zooplankton community was examined by determining biomass as a measure of food availability for higher predators, plankton community respiration, dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations, and conductivity as functional indicators of ecosystem stress, and zooplankton food web stability as a measure of effects on trophic structure. The selective removal or reduction of adult copepods was sufficient to measurably reduce total zooplankton biomass for several weeks mid-season. During the period of maximal impact (about 4-9 weeks after the applications), total plankton community respiration was significantly reduced, and this appeared to contribute to significant, concentration-dependent increases in dissolved oxygen and decreases in conductivity among treated enclosures. The reductions in adult copepods resulted in negative effects on zooplankton food web stability through eliminations of a trophic link and reduced interactions and connectance. Comparing the results here to those from a previous study with tebufenozide, which was selectively toxic to cladocerans and had little effect on food web stability, indicates that differential sensitivity among taxa can influence the ecological significance of pesticide effects on zooplankton communities.

  13. Composition, Abundance and Distribution of Brachyuran Larvae in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... Ocypodidae, Grapsidae and Xanthidae. Abundance of brachyuran larvae was significantly positively correlated with total zooplankton abundance (r2 = 0.8) and salinity (r2 = 0.71). Keywords: Brachyuran larvae, abundance, composition, Mida creek, Kenya West Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science Vol. 3 (2) 2004: pp.

  14. Size-dependent responses of zooplankton to submerged macrophyte restoration in a subtropical shallow lake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Lei; He, Feng; Zhang, Yi; Liu, Biyun; Dai, Zhigang; Zhou, Qiaohong; Wu, Zhenbin

    2018-03-01

    To explore the size-dependent responses of zooplankton to submerged macrophyte restoration, we collected macrophyte, zooplankton and water quality samples seasonally from a subtropical shallow lake from 2010 to 2012. Special attention was given to changes in rotifers and crustaceans (cladocerans and copepods). The rotifers were grouped into three size classes (400 μm) to explore their size-related responses to macrophyte restoration. The results showed that during the restoration, the annual mean biomass and macrophyte coverage increased significantly from 0 to 637 g/m2 and 0 to 27%, respectively. In response, the density and biomass of crustaceans and the crustacean-to-rotifer ratio increased significantly, while the rotifer density decreased significantly. Moreover, rotifers showed significant sizedependent responses to macrophyte restoration. Specially, rotifers sized zooplankton tended to boom, while that of small rotifers was inhibited during macrophyte restoration. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed positive correlations between macrophytes and crustaceans, rotifers and COD or Chl- a, but negative correlations between macrophytes and COD or Chl- a, and between crustaceans and Chl- a. Moreover, the results indicate that increased predation on phytoplankton by large-sized zooplankton might be an important mechanism for macrophyte restoration during development of aquatic ecosystems, and that this mechanism played a very important role in promoting the formation of a clear-water state in subtropical shallow lakes.

  15. VARIATION OF MACROMYCETES SPECIES COMPOSITION IN TWO FOREST HABITATS FROM GIUMALĂU MASSIF (EASTERN CARPATHIANS, ROMANIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BÎRSAN Ciprian

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Norway spruce (Picea abies is the most common species with a large spreading in forests from Giumalău Massif. In this study the authors investigated the macromycetes species composition in two forest communities from Giumalău Massif: Hieracio transsilvanico-Piceetum and Leucanthemo waldsteinii-Fagetum. A total of 243 macromycetes species in 30 sampling areas have been identified. Changes in macromycetes species composition have been related to environmental factors (altitude and vegetation (canopy cover, plant species diversity. The results suggest that variation in macromycetes species composition in the two forests types from Giumalău Massif is directly related to abiotic factors (altitude, woody species composition and plants communities’ structure.

  16. Chemical composition of hydroethanolic extracts from five species of the Passiflora genus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marna E Sakalem

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The diversified genus Passiflora is well distributed all over Brazil, and many species have been long used as medicinal plants, mainly against anxiety disturbances. This effect has been attributed to its rich flavonoid composition. Flavonoids’ main class, flavonoid glycosides, has presented central action, particularly as sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic and analgesic. The objective of the present study was to make a phytochemical screening of five little studied Passiflora species, in order to evaluate their phenolic composition. For this aim, HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS was used. After the preparation of the hydroalcoholic extracts, each species was evaluated by direct injection electrospray ionization (ESI and tandem mass spectrometry. Although belonging to the same genus, the composition of each species presented particularities; this justifies the importance of studies aiming for the phenolic composition of different Passiflora species. Flavones C-glycosides were detected in all extracts, and are found as the main constituents in P. vitifolia, P. coccinea, P. bahiensis and P. sidifolia. In this last one, flavone-6,8-di-C-glycoside, apigenin-6-C-rhamnosyl-8-C-arabinoside are present in high content. Cyclopassiflosides were found in high content together with cyanogenic glycosides in P. quadrangularis, while in P. coccinea, besides flavones-C-glycosides were also found procyanidins.

  17. Chemical composition of hydroethanolic extracts from five species of the Passiflora genus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marna E Sakalem

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The diversified genus Passiflora is well distributed all over Brazil, and many species have been long used as medicinal plants, mainly against anxiety disturbances. This effect has been attributed to its rich flavonoid composition. Flavonoids’ main class, flavonoid glycosides, has presented central action, particularly as sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic and analgesic. The objective of the present study was to make a phytochemical screening of five little studied Passiflora species, in order to evaluate their phenolic composition. For this aim, HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS was used. After the preparation of the hydroalcoholic extracts, each species was evaluated by direct injection electrospray ionization (ESI and tandem mass spectrometry. Although belonging to the same genus, the composition of each species presented particularities; this justifies the importance of studies aiming for the phenolic composition of different Passiflora species. Flavones C-glycosides were detected in all extracts, and are found as the main constituents in P. vitifolia, P. coccinea, P. bahiensis and P. sidifolia. In this last one, flavone-6,8-di-C-glycoside, apigenin-6-C-rhamnosyl-8-C-arabinoside are present in high content. Cyclopassiflosides were found in high content together with cyanogenic glycosides in P. quadrangularis, while in P. coccinea, besides flavones-C-glycosides were also found procyanidins.

  18. Seasonal and inter-annual variations in methyl mercury concentrations in zooplankton from boreal lakes impacted by deforestation or natural forest fires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Edenise; Carignan, Richard; Lean, David R S

    2007-08-01

    We compared the effects of natural and anthropogenic watershed disturbances on methyl mercury (MeHg) concentration in bulk zooplankton from boreal Shield lakes. MeHg in zooplankton was monitored for three years in nine lakes impacted by deforestation, in nine lakes impacted by wildfire, and in twenty lakes with undisturbed catchments. Lakes were sampled during spring, mid- and late summer. MeHg in zooplankton showed a seasonal trend: concentrations were the lowest in spring, then peaked in mid-summer and decreased in late summer. Over the three study years, MeHg concentrations observed in mid-summer in zooplankton from forest harvested lakes were significantly higher than in reference and fire-impacted lakes, whereas differences between these two groups of lakes were not significant. The pattern of distribution of MeHg in zooplankton during the different seasons paralleled that of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which is known as a vector of Hg from watershed soils to lake water. Besides DOC, MeHg in zooplankton also showed a positive significant correlation with epilimnetic temperature and sulfate concentrations. An inter-annual decreasing trend in MeHg was observed in zooplankton from reference and fire-impacted lakes. In forest harvested lakes, however, MeHg concentrations remained higher and nearly constant over three years following the impact. Overall these results indicate that the MeHg pulse observed in zooplankton following deforestation by harvesting is relatively long-lived, and may have repercussions to the accumulation of MeHg along the food chain. Therefore, potential effects of deforestation on the Hg contamination of fish should be taken into account in forest management practices.

  19. Molecular Quantification of Zooplankton Gut Content: The Case For qPCR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frischer, M. E.; Walters, T. L.; Gibson, D. M.; Nejstgaard, J. C.; Troedsson, C.

    2016-02-01

    The ability to obtain information about feeding selectivity and rates in situ for zooplankton is vital for understanding the mechanisms structuring marine ecosystems. However, directly estimating feeding selection and rates of zooplankton, without bias, associated with culturing conditions has been notoriously difficult. A potential approach for addressing this problem is to target prey-specific DNA as a marker for prey ingestion and selection. In this study we report the development of a differential length amplification quantitative PCR (dla-qPCR) assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene to validate the use of a DNA-based approach to quantify consumption of specific plankton prey by the pelagic tunicate (doliolid) Dolioletta gegenbauri. Compared to copepods and other marine animals, the digestion of prey genomic DNA inside the gut of doliolids is low. This method minimizes potential underestimations, and therefore allows prey DNA to be used as an effective indicator of prey consumption. We also present an initial application of a qPCR-assay to estimate consumption of specific prey species on the southeastern continental shelf of the U.S., where doliolids stochastically bloom in response to upwelling events. Estimated feeding rates, based on qPCR, were in the same range as those estimated from clearance rates in laboratory feeding studies. In the field, consumption of specific prey, including the centric diatom Thalassiosira spp. was detected in the gut of wild caught D. gegenbauri at the levels consistent with their abundance in the water column at the time of collection. Thus, both experimental and field investigations support the hypothesis that a qPCR approach will be useful for the quantitative investigation of the in situ diet of D. gegenbauri without introduced bias' associated with cultivation.

  20. Effect of planktivores, zooplankton, and macrobenthos on material flow in a small lake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Starkel, W.M.

    1985-01-01

    Planktivores, zooplankton grazers, and macrobenthos were studied to determine how changes in animal community structure may alter the flow of material in Dunham Pond, CT. Chaoborus and chironomid larvae were studied to determine how they affect the flux of matter across the sediment/water interface. This was done by incubating undisturbed cores in situ and relating changes in water chemistry to larval density. The log-transformed flux rates of iron, manganese, and phosphorus were linearly related to larval biomass. Functional groups may be successfully used to predict rates of material flow. Changes in the mass of macroinvertebrates affect the flux rates of redox-active substances across the sediment/water interface. The use of population densities and feeding characteristics to estimate trophic transfer in Dunham Pond indicate that (1) visual planktivory by larval perch may result in overutilization of prey, (2) ambush planktivory by univoltine Chaoborus appears to under utilize prey, and (3) zooplankton grazing tracks net primary productivity, regardless of zooplankton community structure. Animal groups cycle 30-100% of the phosphorus required for 14 C productivity in Dunham Pond

  1. Spatio-temporal variability of the North Sea cod recruitment in relation to temperature and zooplankton.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delphine Nicolas

    Full Text Available The North Sea cod (Gadus morhua, L. stock has continuously declined over the past four decades linked with overfishing and climate change. Changes in stock structure due to overfishing have made the stock largely dependent on its recruitment success, which greatly relies on environmental conditions. Here we focus on the spatio-temporal variability of cod recruitment in an effort to detect changes during the critical early life stages. Using International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS data from 1974 to 2011, a major spatio-temporal change in the distribution of cod recruits was identified in the late 1990s, characterized by a pronounced decrease in the central and southeastern North Sea stock. Other minor spatial changes were also recorded in the mid-1980s and early 1990s. We tested whether the observed changes in recruits distribution could be related with direct (i.e. temperature and/or indirect (i.e. changes in the quantity and quality of zooplankton prey effects of climate variability. The analyses were based on spatially-resolved time series, i.e. sea surface temperature (SST from the Hadley Center and zooplankton records from the Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey. We showed that spring SST increase was the main driver for the most recent decrease in cod recruitment. The late 1990s were also characterized by relatively low total zooplankton biomass, particularly of energy-rich zooplankton such as the copepod Calanus finmarchicus, which have further contributed to the decline of North Sea cod recruitment. Long-term spatially-resolved observations were used to produce regional distribution models that could further be used to predict the abundance of North Sea cod recruits based on temperature and zooplankton food availability.

  2. Cyanobacteria dominance influences resource use efficiency and community turnover in phytoplankton and zooplankton communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filstrup, Christopher T; Hillebrand, Helmut; Heathcote, Adam J; Harpole, W Stanley; Downing, John A

    2014-04-01

    Freshwater biodiversity loss potentially disrupts ecosystem services related to water quality and may negatively impact ecosystem functioning and temporal community turnover. We analysed a data set containing phytoplankton and zooplankton community data from 131 lakes through 9 years in an agricultural region to test predictions that plankton communities with low biodiversity are less efficient in their use of limiting resources and display greater community turnover (measured as community dissimilarity). Phytoplankton resource use efficiency (RUE = biomass per unit resource) was negatively related to phytoplankton evenness (measured as Pielou's evenness), whereas zooplankton RUE was positively related to phytoplankton evenness. Phytoplankton and zooplankton RUE were high and low, respectively, when Cyanobacteria, especially Microcystis sp., dominated. Phytoplankton communities displayed slower community turnover rates when dominated by few genera. Our findings, which counter findings of many terrestrial studies, suggest that Cyanobacteria dominance may play important roles in ecosystem functioning and community turnover in nutrient-enriched lakes. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

  3. Seasonal Variations in the Composition and Distribution of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The composition and distribution of planktonic fauna (adult form of zooplankton and planktonic juvenile forms of higher animals) within the eastern part of the Lagos Lagoon were investigated in July, 2008 and March, 2009 representing rainy and dry season respectively. Samples of water and planktonic fauna were ...

  4. Species Composition, Relative Abundance and Distribution of the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Species Composition, Relative Abundance and Distribution of the Avian Fauna of Entoto Natural Park and Escarpment, Addis Ababa. ... Eucalyptus plantation, soil erosion, deforestation, habitat fragmentation, settlement and land degradation were the main threats for the distribution of birds in the present study area.

  5. The crustacean zooplankton assemblage of a relatively pristine Utor ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The water quality and crustacean zooplankton of Utor River, a relatively pristine freshwater body in Edo State, Nigeria was investigated at four stations. The Utor River is slightly acidic, well oxygenated, oligotrophic and low in solids, conductivity, cations and heavy metals. A total of 380 individuals comprising eleven taxa ...

  6. 210Po and 210Pb trophic transfer within the phytoplankton-zooplankton-anchovy/sardine food web: a case study from the Gulf of Lion (NW Mediterranean Sea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strady, Emilie; Harmelin-Vivien, Mireille; Chiffoleau, Jean François; Veron, Alain; Tronczynski, Jacek; Radakovitch, Olivier

    2015-05-01

    The transfer of (210)Po and (210)Pb in the food web of small pelagic fishes (from phytoplankton and zooplankton to anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardina pilchardus) is investigated in the Gulf of Lion (GoL). We present original data of (210)Po and (210)Pb activity concentrations, C and N stable isotope ratios, measured (i) from different size classes of phytoplankton and zooplankton during spring and winter in different environments of the GoL, and (ii) in two fish species. Significant spatial patterns based on (210)Po, (210)Pb activity concentrations and (210)Po/(210)Pb ratios in the different plankton size classes are evidenced by hierarchical clustering, both in spring and winter. This variability, also observed for C and N stable isotopes ratios, is connected to local specific pelagic habitats and hydrodynamics. The sampling strategy suggests that (210)Po bioaccumulation in the GoL remains at a constant level from the first (dominated by phytoplankton) to the second trophic level (zooplankton), while (210)Pb bioaccumulation shows an increase in winter. Based on stable N isotope ratios and (210)Po activity concentrations measured in anchovies and sardines, we evidence (210)Po bio-magnification along the trophic food web of these two planktivorous pelagic fishes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Inter- and intra-specific diurnal habitat selection of zooplankton during the spring bloom observed by Video Plankton Recorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sainmont, Julie; Gislason, Astthor; Heuschele, Jan

    2014-01-01

    Recorder (VPR), a tool that allows mapping of vertical zooplankton distributions with a far greater spatial resolution than conventional zooplankton nets. The study took place over a full day–night cycle in Disko Bay, Greenland, during the peak of the phytoplankton spring bloom. The sampling revealed...

  8. Near infra-red spectroscopy quantitative modelling of bivalve protein, lipid and glycogen composition using single-species versus multi-species calibration and validation sets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartlett, Jill K.; Maher, William A.; Purss, Matthew B. J.

    2018-03-01

    Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) quantitative modelling was used to measure the protein, lipid and glycogen composition of five marine bivalve species (Saccostrea glomerata, Ostrea angasi, Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Anadara trapezia) from multiple locations and seasons. Predictive models were produced for each component using individual species and aggregated sample populations for the three oyster species (S. glomerata, O. angasi and C. gigas) and for all five bivalve species. Whole animal tissues were freeze dried, ground to > 20 μm and scanned by NIRS. Protein, lipid and glycogen composition were determined by traditional chemical analyses and calibration models developed to allow rapid NIRS-measurement of these components in the five bivalve species. Calibration modelling was performed using wavelet selection, genetic algorithms and partial least squares analysis. Model quality was assessed using RPIQ and RMESP. For protein composition, single species model results had RPIQ values between 2.4 and 3.5 and RMSEP between 8.6 and 18%, the three oyster model had an RPIQ of 2.6 and an RMSEP of 10.8% and the five bivalve species had an RPIQ of 3.6 and RMSEP of 8.7% respectively. For lipid composition, single species models achieved RPIQ values between 2.9 and 5.3 with RMSEP between 9.1 and 11.2%, the oyster model had an RPIQ of 3.6 and RMSEP of 6.8 and the five bivalve model had an RPIQ of 5.2 and RMSEP of 6.8% respectively. For glycogen composition, the single species models had RPIQs between 3.8 and 18.9 with RMSEP between 3.5 and 9.2%, the oyster model had an RPIQ of 5.5 and RMSEP of 7.1% and the five bivalve model had an RPIQ of 4 and RMSEP of 7.6% respectively. Comparison between individual species models and aggregated models for three oyster species and five bivalve species for each component indicate that aggregating data from like species produces high quality models with robust and reliable quantitative application. The benefit of

  9. Zooplankton diversity across three Red Sea reefs using pyrosequencing

    KAUST Repository

    Pearman, John K.

    2014-07-30

    Coral reefs are considered among the most diverse ecosystems on Earth, yet little is known about the diversity of plankton in the surrounding water column. Moreover, few studies have utilized genomic methods to investigate zooplankton diversity in any habitat. This study investigated the diversity of taxa by sampling 45 stations around three reef systems in the central/southern Red Sea. The diversity of metazoan plankton was investigated by targeting the 18S rRNA gene and clustering OTUs at 97% sequence similarity. A total of 754 and 854 metazoan OTUs were observed in the data set for the 1380F and 1389F primer sets respectively. The phylum Arthropoda dominated both primer sets accounting for ~60% of reads followed by Cnidaria (~20%). Only about 20% of OTUs were shared between all three reef systems and the relation between geographic distance and Jaccard Similarity measures was not significant. Cluster analysis showed that there was no distinct split between reefs and stations from different reefs clustered together both for metazoans as a whole and for the phyla Arthropoda, Cnidaria and Chordata separately. This suggests that distance may not be a determining factor in the taxonomic composition of stations.

  10. A new species of Caligus (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida from the plankton of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela with a key to species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Suarez-Morales

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available During a survey of the zooplankton community of Bahía Amuay, Venezuelan Caribbean, specimens of an undescribed species of Caligus Müller were collected. It resembles C. xystercus Cressey and C. ocyurus Cressey, both known only from the Caribbean Sea. The new species can be distinguished from these and other congeners by a combination of characters including the armature of legs 1 and 4, but mainly by its unique female genital complex. This is the first species of Caligus described from Venezuela. The species is described in full and a key to the species of the genus recorded in Venezuela is provided.

  11. A new species of Caligus (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida) from the plankton of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela with a key to species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suárez-Morales, Eduardo; Camisotti, Humberto; Martín, Alberto

    2012-01-01

    Abstract During a survey of the zooplankton community of Bahía Amuay, Venezuelan Caribbean, specimens of an undescribed species of Caligus Müller were collected. It resembles Caligus xystercus Cressey and Caligus ocyurus Cressey, both known only from the Caribbean Sea. The new species can be distinguished from these and other congeners by a combination of characters including the armature of legs 1 and 4, but mainly by its unique female genital complex. This is the first species of Caligus described from Venezuela. The species is described in full and a key to the species of the genus recorded in Venezuela is provided. PMID:22768004

  12. Biomass, organic carbon and calorific content of zooplankton from the Arabian Sea off Central West coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Krishnakumari, L.; Nair, V.R.

    Organic carbon content and calorific values of zooplankton varied from 18.35 to 32.49% (av. 27.8%) and from 2.56 to 4.71 k cal. g-1 dry wt (av. 3.99) respectively. Areawise off Gujarat sustained higher standing stock of zooplankton (77.18 mg m-3...

  13. Emergent Macrophytes Support Zooplankton in a Shallow Tropical Lake: A Basis for Wetland Conservation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gebrehiwot, Mesfin; Kifle, Demeke; Triest, Ludwig

    2017-12-01

    Understanding the biodiversity value of littoral zones of lakes is a priority for aquatic biodiversity conservation. However, less emphasis has been given to the littoral part of tropical African lakes, with many of the previous researches focusing only on the open water side. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to investigate the impact of the littoral zone of a shallow freshwater tropical lake (Ziway, Ethiopia), dominated by two emergent macrophytes, on zooplankton community structure. We hypothesized that the wetland vegetation serves as a preferred microhabitat for zooplankton communities. A lake with substantial coverage of emergent macrophytes was monitored monthly from January to August, 2016. The monitoring included the measurements of physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Sampling sites were selected to represent areas of the macrophyte vegetation ( Typha latifolia and Phragmites australis) and the open water part of the lake. Sites with macrophyte vegetation were found to be the home of more dense and diverse zooplankton community. However, during the period of high vegetation loss, the density of crustacean zooplankton showed significant reduction within the patches of macrophytes. From biodiversity conservation perspective, it was concluded that the preservation of such small areas of macrophytes covering the littoral zone of lakes could be as important as protecting the whole lake. However, the rapid degradation of wetland vegetation by human activities is a real threat to the lake ecosystem. In the not-too-far future, it could displace and evict riparian vegetation and the biota it supports.

  14. The scale of divergence: a phylogenetic appraisal of intercontinental allopatric speciation in a passively dispersed freshwater zooplankton genus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamowicz, Sarah J; Petrusek, Adam; Colbourne, John K; Hebert, Paul D N; Witt, Jonathan D S

    2009-03-01

    Molecular studies have enlightened our understanding of freshwater zooplankton biogeography, yet questions remain regarding the scale and commonality of geographic speciation. Here, we present a mtDNA-based phylogenetic hypothesis for 92 Daphnia species from all seven continents, with a focus on North and South America, Europe, and Australia, and use it to explore the frequency, scale, and geographical orientation of allopatric divergence events. Allopatric speciation can conservatively account for at least 42% of cladogenetic events among the species included in our study; most of these involve intercontinental splits. Closely related species pairs are concentrated in the circumarctic region and between northern and southern continents, aligned with bird migration routes, suggesting recent dispersal. By contrast, deeper phylogenetic patterns are consistent with vicariance scenarios linked to continental fragmentation. The possible reasons for the puzzling persistence of these ancient patterns in light of the eroding force of dispersal are considered. Our results demonstrate the high frequency and complex pattern of allopatric speciation in this ancient, passively dispersed genus.

  15. Biological data for water in Lake Powell and from Glen Canyon Dam releases, Utah and Arizona, 1990–2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vernieu, William S.

    2015-10-06

    Biological samples from various locations on Lake Powell and in the Colorado River in the tail water downstream of Glen Canyon Dam were collected by the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey from December 1990 through December 2009 as part of a long-term water-quality monitoring program that began in 1964. These samples consisted of discrete (1-m deep) chlorophyll samples, discrete (1-m deep) wholewater phytoplankton samples, and 30-m vertically composited zooplankton samples filtered through an 80-µm plankton net. Chlorophyll concentration was determined by acetone extraction followed by trichromatic spectroscopy on 2,051 samples. Phytoplankton analysis consisted of identification to the genus or species level, enumeration, and estimation of biovolume on 1,397 samples. Phytoplankton analysis identified 646 different phytoplankton taxa. Zooplankton analysis consisted of identification to the genus or species level, enumeration, and estimation of biomass from 1,898 samples. Zooplankton analysis identified 114 different zooplankton taxa.

  16. Restoring lakes by using artificial plant beds: habitat selection of zooplankton in a clear and a turbid shallow lake

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schou, Majbritt Overgård; Risholt, Casper; Lauridsen, Torben L.

    2009-01-01

    1. Return of large-bodied zooplankton populations is of key importance for creating a shift from a turbid to a clear-water state in shallow lakes after a nutrient loading reduction. In temperate lakes, recovery is promoted by submerged macrophytes which function as a daytime refuge for large...... zooplankton. However, recovery of macrophytes is often delayed and use of artificial plant beds (APB) has been suggested as a tool to enhance zooplankton refuges, thereby reinforcing the shift to a clear-water state and, eventually, colonisation of natural plants. 2. To further evaluate the potential of APB...... in lake restoration, we followed the day–night habitat choices of zooplankton throughout summer in a clear and a turbid lake. Observations were made in the pelagic and littoral zones and in APB in the littoral representing three different plant densities (coverage 0%, 40% and 80%). 3. In the clear lake...

  17. Interactive effects of temperature, ultraviolet radiation and food quality on zooplankton alkaline phosphatase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolinski, Laura; Modenutti, Beatriz; Souza, Maria Sol; Balseiro, Esteban

    2016-06-01

    Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) is a stressor for aquatic organisms affecting enzyme activities in planktonic populations because of the increase in reactive oxygen species. In addition, UVR exposure combined with other environmental factors (i.e. temperature and food quality) could have even higher detrimental effects. In this work, we aimed to determine the effect of UVR on somatic Alkaline Phosphatase Activity (APA) and Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) activity on the cladoceran Daphnia commutata under two different temperatures (10 °C and 20 °C) and under three food qualities (carbon:phosphorus ratios: 1150, 850 and 550). APA is a biomarker that is considered as a P deficiency indicator in zooplankton. Since recovery from UVR damage under dark conditions is an ATP depending reaction we also measured APA during recovery phases. We carried out a laboratory experiment combining different temperatures and food qualities with exposition to UVR followed by luminic and dark phases for recovery. In addition, we exposed organisms to H2O2, to establish if the response on APA to UVR was a consequence of the reactive oxygen species produced these short wavelengths. Our results showed that somatic APA was negatively affected by UVR exposure and this effect was enhanced under high temperature and low food quality. Consistently, GST activity was higher when exposed to UVR under both temperatures. The H2O2 experiments showed the same trend as UVR exposure, indicating that APA is affected mainly by oxidative stress than by direct effect of UVR on the enzyme. Finally, APA was affected in the dark phase of recovery confirming the P demands. These results enlighten the importance of food quality in the interacting effect of UVR and temperature, showing that C:P food ratio could determine the success or failure of zooplanktonic populations in a context of global change. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Estimating cyclopoid copepod species richness and geographical distribution (Crustacea across a large hydrographical basin: comparing between samples from water column (plankton and macrophyte stands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilmar Perbiche-Neves

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Species richness and geographical distribution of Cyclopoida freshwater copepods were analyzed along the "La Plata" River basin. Ninety-six samples were taken from 24 sampling sites, twelve sites for zooplankton in open waters and twelve sites for zooplankton within macrophyte stands, including reservoirs and lotic stretches. There were, on average, three species per sample in the plankton compared to five per sample in macrophytes. Six species were exclusive to the plankton, 10 to macrophyte stands, and 17 were common to both. Only one species was found in similar proportions in plankton and macrophytes, while five species were widely found in plankton, and thirteen in macrophytes. The distinction between species from open water zooplankton and macrophytes was supported by nonmetric multidimensional analysis. There was no distinct pattern of endemicity within the basin, and double sampling contributes to this result. This lack of sub-regional faunal differentiation is in accordance with other studies that have shown that cyclopoids generally have wide geographical distribution in the Neotropics and that some species there are cosmopolitan. This contrasts with other freshwater copepods such as Calanoida and some Harpacticoida. We conclude that sampling plankton and macrophytes together provided a more accurate estimate of the richness and geographical distribution of these organisms than sampling in either one of those zones alone.

  19. Impact of chromium and aluminium pollution on the diversity of zooplankton: a case study in the Chimaliapan wetland (Ramsar site) (Lerma basin, Mexico).

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-García, Gerardo; Nandini, S; Sarma, S S S; Martínez-Jerónimo, Fernando; Jiménez-Contreras, Jorge

    2012-01-01

    Biological monitoring and the use of biotic indices are important in evaluating the health of aquatic systems. However, zooplankton are rarely included in biomonitoring protocols. We conducted a one-year study (March 2008-February 2009) at two sites from the Chimaliapan wetland, with concentrations of aluminium (Al) and chromium (Cr) above and within the permissible limits, respectively. Metals in the sediment and water were analyzed from three locations per site every two months. In addition to analyses of the abundance and diversity of rotifers, cladocerans and copepods, we sampled 11 physicochemical variables in the water and six from the sediments. The metal concentration in the polluted site (significantly above the permissible limits) ranged between 7266-8174 mg Kg(-1) of Al and 14.6-18.3 mg Kg(-1) of Cr. We found 92 species of rotifers, cladocerans and copepods. The Brillouin index for both sites ranged from 3.9-5.4, the Shannon-Wiener index from 4.2-5.5 while the Brachionus-Trichocerca ratio ranged between 1.0 and 1.7. The Wetland Zooplankton Index was significantly different among the sites; 2.63 at site 1 and 2.13 at site 2. The saprobic index was 3.2 for both sites. Data analyses using multifactorial techniques suggested that zooplankton can be used to evaluate the impact of the metals aforementioned, since these organisms are generally more sensitive than other groups and also have a high ecological relevance.

  20. Floristic composition, environmental variation and species distribution patterns in burned grassland in southern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overbeck, G E; Müller, S C; Pillar, V D; Pfadenhauer, J

    2006-11-01

    In regularly burned grassland on Morro Santana, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, we investigated differences in the floristic composition and their relation to soil properties, aspect and distance from the forest border. In 48 plots of 0.75 m2, we identified a total of 201 species from a local species pool of approximately 450 to 500 species. Most species occurred in low frequencies, showing clumpy distribution patterns in the studied area. Multivariate analysis showed that plots close to the forest edge clearly differed from plots in the open grassland concerning composition and structure. Plots exposed to the north differed from plots on the top of the hill both in the composition of species as well as in soil variables, mainly due to shallower soil in the former. No strong relation between soil properties and variation in vegetation composition could be detected at a finer scale. The studied grassland, as all grassland vegetation in southern Brazil, is very rich in species compared to other grassland formations worldwide. However, this high biodiversity and conservational value of Campos vegetation in general has so far not been recognized properly. Disturbance is essential to maintain this open vegetation type and its species richness. Fire should be considered as a management option in the absence of grazing.

  1. Environmental and zooplankton parameter changes during the drying of a saline shallow temporary lake in central Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicia María Vignatti

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Central Argentina has numerous saline lakes sustained by groundwater sources and rainfall. These lakes are temporary and experience significant changes in water level and salinity, depending on wet and dry climate cycles. This study aims to investigate the scarcely known dynamics of environmental and zooplankton parameters during the drying phase of one of these lakes. Monthly samples were taken from December 2 012 to July 2 013 in the Ojo de Agua Uriburu lake, previous to its drying. At the beginning of the study, the lake’s depth was 0.7 m and its salinity was 16.65 g L−1, later, in July, its depth decreased to 0.06 m and its salinity increased to 92.9 g L−1. Zooplankton species richness was low (three crustaceans and three rotifers, with Boeckella poopoensis and Moina eugeniae dominating in the system. Maximum density and biomass were attained by the two dominant species in April (318.5 i nd L−1 and 3 029.1 µg L−1 dry weight; and 242.4 i nd L −1 and 1 530.4 µg L−1 dry weight, for B. poopoensis and M. ugeniae, respectively, and no correlation was found between these parameters and salinity. Maximum average body lengths for both species were observed in the last months of sampling (M. eugeniae: 1 020 ± 84.2 µm and B. poopoensis: 1 348.8 ± 89.0 µm. At this point of the study, neither juvenile nor larval stages were found. The increase in average body size is, arguably, the result of increased salinity in the system through a negative effect on reproduction. Because this lake reached hypersalinity, its ecological dynamics are unique among those of other temporary, saline lakes that dried in central Argentina. Similar studies on other temporary ecosystems are needed to increase the information on these little known ecological aspects.

  2. SPECIES COMPOSITION OF PSAMMOPHILIC CILIATES OF SUMGAIT CASPIAN COAST

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Kh. Alekperov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. Comparative data on the species composition and species saprobic indicators of the psammon ciliates from Sumgait coast of the Caspian Sea are given.Methods. “Alive” samples were collected using a small clean plastic wide mouth bottles. Further processing was carried out under laboratory conditions. Small quantities of soil were examined under a binocular microscope MBS-9 . Ciliates detected microvessel caught and fixed castors for further impregnation kinetoma silver nitrate (Chatton et Lwoff, 1930 or silver proteinate. To determine the keys for ciliates used Foyssner’s major publications (Foissner et al., 1991, 1992, 1999 and “Free-living ciliates Atlas” (Alekperov, 2005.Results. We observed 75 species of ciliates during the studies, which species composition and distribution of the collection points are shown in table 1. Diagrams with average data were made relations groups psammophilous ciliates indicators saprobity different zones for each of the sites investigated Sumgait coast.Main conclusions. Environmental analysis using benthic ciliates indicators saprobity different zones showed that as expected, the industrial zone of Sumgayit coast coast, despite the decline in recent years, the total amount of pollution that is still highly contaminated portion of the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea.

  3. Species composition of insects in contaminated areas of Apsheron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guseynzadeh, G.A; Mamedova, T.G; Atakishiyeva, A.M; Hajiyeva, S.A

    2010-01-01

    Full text:The main area of the Apsheron Peninsula, semi-complete urbanization area, where as a result of human impact, in particular oil production and processing large areas of once fertile land have been ruined. As a result, formed locally contaminated sites where the oil soaks into the soil to a depth of 1m or more, the mold is completely ruined. The aim of our research was to study the species composition of bugs, beetles, butterflies, bees in these locally contaminated areas of Absheron, their relationships and nutritive degree of occurrence. Expeditionary trips were made in the following areas: Karadag, Seaside, Bibi Geybatsky, Surakhani, Sabunchu Oil Gas Mining Management, Ramaninsky iodine plant. These areas are divided into three gradations of anthropogenic strain:1) The weak degree of load-zone relatively clean; 2) The average degree of load-space of moderate economic use; A strong degree of load-immediately adjacent to the locally-contaminated sites. According to the results of environmental monitoring of terrestrial invertebrates group found: bugs, 22 species, 10 species of beetles, butterflies, eight species of bee-25, found food and the degree of occurrence of communication. Identified several types of bee-bioindicators: Zholletes similes, Schylaeus variegate, Andrew Flavipes. Identification of these species will provide an opportunity to determine in advance the impact of background radiation in this ecosystem and to conduct cleaning, remediation work. On the basis of faunal material collected in Table 1 shows the species composition of the above insects, food relations and the degree of occurrence.

  4. Implementation of the zooplankton functional response in plankton models: State of the art, recent challenges and future directions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morozov, Andrew; Poggiale, Jean-Christophe; Cordoleani, Flora

    2012-09-01

    The conventional way of describing grazing in plankton models is based on a zooplankton functional response framework, according to which the consumption rate is computed as the product of a certain function of food (the functional response) and the density/biomass of herbivorous zooplankton. A large amount of literature on experimental feeding reports the existence of a zooplankton functional response in microcosms and small mesocosms, which goes a long way towards explaining the popularity of this framework both in mean-field (e.g. NPZD models) and spatially resolved models. On the other hand, the complex foraging behaviour of zooplankton (feeding cycles) as well as spatial heterogeneity of food and grazer distributions (plankton patchiness) across time and space scales raise questions as to the existence of a functional response of herbivores in vivo. In the current review, we discuss limitations of the ‘classical’ zooplankton functional response and consider possible ways to amend this framework to cope with the complexity of real planktonic ecosystems. Our general conclusion is that although the functional response of herbivores often does not exist in real ecosystems (especially in the form observed in the laboratory), this framework can be rather useful in modelling - but it does need some amendment which can be made based on various techniques of model reduction. We also show that the shape of the functional response depends on the spatial resolution (‘frame’) of the model. We argue that incorporating foraging behaviour and spatial heterogeneity in plankton models would not necessarily require the use of individual based modelling - an approach which is now becoming dominant in the literature. Finally, we list concrete future directions and challenges and emphasize the importance of a closer collaboration between plankton biologists and modellers in order to make further progress towards better descriptions of zooplankton grazing.

  5. Lack of congruence in species diversity indices and community structures of planktonic groups based on local environmental factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doi, Hideyuki; Chang, Kwang-Hyeon; Nishibe, Yuichiro; Imai, Hiroyuki; Nakano, Shin-ichi

    2013-01-01

    The importance of analyzing the determinants of biodiversity and community composition by using multiple trophic levels is well recognized; however, relevant data are lacking. In the present study, we investigated variations in species diversity indices and community structures of the plankton taxonomic groups-zooplankton, rotifers, ciliates, and phytoplankton-under a range of local environmental factors in pond ecosystems. For each planktonic group, we estimated the species diversity index by using linear models and analyzed the community structure by using canonical correspondence analysis. We showed that the species diversity indices and community structures varied among the planktonic groups and according to local environmental factors. The observed lack of congruence among the planktonic groups may have been caused by niche competition between groups with similar trophic guilds or by weak trophic interactions. Our findings highlight the difficulty of predicting total biodiversity within a system, based upon a single taxonomic group. Thus, to conserve the biodiversity of an ecosystem, it is crucial to consider variations in species diversity indices and community structures of different taxonomic groups, under a range of local conditions.

  6. Terrestrial carbohydrates support freshwater zooplankton during phytoplankton deficiency

    OpenAIRE

    Taipale, Sami J.; Galloway, Aaron W. E.; Aalto, Sanni L.; Kahilainen, Kimmo K.; Strandberg, Ursula; Kankaala, Paula

    2016-01-01

    Freshwater food webs can be partly supported by terrestrial primary production, often deriving from plant litter of surrounding catchment vegetation. Although consisting mainly of poorly bioavailable lignin, with low protein and lipid content, the carbohydrates from fallen tree leaves and shoreline vegetation may be utilized by aquatic consumers. Here we show that during phytoplankton deficiency, zooplankton (Daphnia magna) can benefit from terrestrial particulate organic matter by using terr...

  7. Characterisation of large zooplankton sampled with two different gears during midwinter in Rijpfjorden, Svalbard

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Błachowiak-Samołyk Katarzyna

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available During a midwinter cruise north of 80°N to Rijpfjorden, Svalbard, the composition and vertical distribution of the zooplankton community were studied using two different samplers 1 a vertically hauled multiple plankton sampler (MPS; mouth area 0.25 m2, mesh size 200 μm and 2 a horizontally towed Methot Isaacs Kidd trawl (MIK; mouth area 3.14 m2, mesh size 1500 μm. Our results revealed substantially higher species diversity (49 taxa than if a single sampler (MPS: 38 taxa, MIK: 28 had been used. The youngest stage present (CIII of Calanus spp. (including C. finmarchicus and C. glacialis was sampled exclusively by the MPS, and the frequency of CIV copepodites in MPS was double that than in MIK samples. In contrast, catches of the CV-CVI copepodites of Calanus spp. were substantially higher in the MIK samples (3-fold and 5-fold higher for adult males and females, respectively. The MIK sampling clearly showed that the highest abundances of all three Thysanoessa spp. were in the upper layers, although there was a tendency for the larger-sized euphausiids to occur deeper. Consistent patterns for the vertical distributions of the large zooplankters (e.g. ctenophores, euphausiids collected by the MPS and MIK samplers provided more complete data on their abundances and sizes than obtained by the single net. Possible mechanisms contributing to the observed patterns of distribution, e.g. high abundances of both Calanus spp. and their predators (ctenophores and chaetognaths in the upper water layers during midwinter are discussed.

  8. Man-induced hydrological changes, metazooplankton communities and invasive species in the Berre Lagoon (Mediterranean Sea, France)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delpy, Floriane; Pagano, Marc; Blanchot, Jean; Carlotti, François; Thibault-Botha, Delphine

    2012-01-01

    The Berre Lagoon has been under strong anthropogenic pressure since the early 1950s. The opening of the hydroelectric EDF power plant in 1966 led to large salinity drops. The zooplankton community was mainly composed of two common brackish species: Acartia tonsa and Brachionus plicatilis. Since 2006, European litigation has strongly constrained the input of freshwater, maintaining the salinity above 15. A study was performed between 2008 and 2010 to evaluate how these modifications have impacted the zooplankton community. Our results show that the community is more diverse and contains several coastal marine species (i.e., Centropages typicus, Paracalanus parvus and Acartia clausi). A. tonsa is still present but is less abundant, whereas B. plicatilis has completely disappeared. Strong predatory marine species, such as chaetognaths, the large conspicuous autochtonous jellyfish Aurelia aurita and the invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, are now very common as either seasonal or permanent features of the lagoon.

  9. Zooplankton data collected from SWIMMER/DIVER in Coastal Waters of Hawaii; 07 February 1995 to 15 March 1995 (NODC Accession 9800149)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton data were collected using zooplankton net casts in Coastal Waters of Hawaii from SWIMMER / DIVER. Data were collected from 07 February 1995 to 15 March...

  10. Mechanisms underlying recovery of zooplankton in Lake Orta after liming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta Piscia

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this study was to improve the understanding of the large-scale mechanisms underlying the recovery of the zooplankton of Lake Orta from historical contamination, following reduced input of ammonia and metals and the subsequent 1989/90 liming intervention. The industrial pollution had been severe and long-lasting (1929-1990. Zooplankton biodiversity has improved, but most of the new taxa appearing in our counts are rotifers, while many calanoids and the large cladoceran predators (Bythotrephes and Leptodora that are common in the nearby Lake Maggiore, were still absent from Lake Orta 17 years after liming. To aid understanding of the large-scale mechanisms controlling changes in annual richness, we assessed the annual persistence (P of Crustacea and Rotifera taxa as an estimator of whether propagules that survived introduction, as result of the natural recolonization process, also thrived. We found that the rate of introduction of zooplankton colonists and their persistence in the water column of Lake Orta changed from 1971 to 2007. New rotifer taxa appeared in the lake after the mid-1980s, when discharge of toxic substances decreased, but their annual persistence was low (P<0.5 until the turn of the century. The numerical values of rotifer and crustacean persistence in Lake Orta were unexpectedly high in 2001 and 2007 (0.55 and 0.72 for rotifers, 0.85 and 0.86 for crustacean, respectively, much higher than in limed lakes in Sudbury, Canada, and in adjacent Lake Maggiore. We hypothesize this could be related to the lack of Cladoceran predators and zooplanktivorous fish in the pelagic waters of Lake Orta.

  11. Determining sample size for assessing species composition in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Species composition is measured in grasslands for a variety of reasons. Commonly, observations are made using the wheel-point apparatus, but the problem of determining optimum sample size has not yet been satisfactorily resolved. In this study the wheel-point apparatus was used to record 2 000 observations in each of ...

  12. A coupled oscillator model describes normal and strange zooplankton swimming behaviour

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ringelberg, J.; Lingeman, R.

    2003-01-01

    "Normal" swimming in marine and freshwater zooplankton is often intermittent with active upward and more passive downward displacements. In the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia, the pattern is sometimes regular enough to demonstrate the presence of a rhythm. Abnormal swimming patterns were also

  13. Mixture of commercial herbicides based on 2,4-D and glyphosate mixture can suppress the emergence of zooplankton from sediments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portinho, Jorge L; Nielsen, Daryl L; Daré, Luana; Henry, Raoul; Oliveira, Régis C; Branco, Ciro C Z

    2018-07-01

    It is generally assumed that zooplankton can recolonize lakes that have been exposed to pesticides, via their dormant egg banks. Hitherto, few studies have evaluated the relative importance of dormant egg bank recruitment in the re-establishment of zooplankton communities in the presence of pesticide. This study investigated the effects of commercial products Bratt ® (a.i. 2,4-D), Roundup ® (a.i. glyphosate) and their mixture on the emergence (abundance and taxon richness) of dormant zooplankton egg banks from natural lake sediment. Sediment samples were collected from the surface sediment (commercial products Bratt ® , Roundup ® and their mixture can suppress the emergence of rotifers, thereby influencing zooplankton recruitment potential in lakes impacted by the presence of these commercial herbicides. Our results stress the importance of the need for additional studies to assess the effects of pesticides on dormant egg banks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Dinucleotide Composition in Animal RNA Viruses Is Shaped More by Virus Family than by Host Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Giallonardo, Francesca; Schlub, Timothy E; Shi, Mang; Holmes, Edward C

    2017-04-15

    Viruses use the cellular machinery of their hosts for replication. It has therefore been proposed that the nucleotide and dinucleotide compositions of viruses should match those of their host species. If this is upheld, it may then be possible to use dinucleotide composition to predict the true host species of viruses sampled in metagenomic surveys. However, it is also clear that different taxonomic groups of viruses tend to have distinctive patterns of dinucleotide composition that may be independent of host species. To determine the relative strength of the effect of host versus virus family in shaping dinucleotide composition, we performed a comparative analysis of 20 RNA virus families from 15 host groupings, spanning two animal phyla and more than 900 virus species. In particular, we determined the odds ratios for the 16 possible dinucleotides and performed a discriminant analysis to evaluate the capability of virus dinucleotide composition to predict the correct virus family or host taxon from which it was isolated. Notably, while 81% of the data analyzed here were predicted to the correct virus family, only 62% of these data were predicted to their correct subphylum/class host and a mere 32% to their correct mammalian order. Similarly, dinucleotide composition has a weak predictive power for different hosts within individual virus families. We therefore conclude that dinucleotide composition is generally uniform within a virus family but less well reflects that of its host species. This has obvious implications for attempts to accurately predict host species from virus genome sequences alone. IMPORTANCE Determining the processes that shape virus genomes is central to understanding virus evolution and emergence. One question of particular importance is why nucleotide and dinucleotide frequencies differ so markedly between viruses. In particular, it is currently unclear whether host species or virus family has the biggest impact on dinucleotide frequencies and

  15. Species effects on ecosystem processes are modified by faunal responses to habitat composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulling, Mark T; Solan, Martin; Dyson, Kirstie E; Hernandez-Milian, Gema; Luque, Patricia; Pierce, Graham J; Raffaelli, Dave; Paterson, David M; White, Piran C L

    2008-12-01

    Heterogeneity is a well-recognized feature of natural environments, and the spatial distribution and movement of individual species is primarily driven by resource requirements. In laboratory experiments designed to explore how different species drive ecosystem processes, such as nutrient release, habitat heterogeneity is often seen as something which must be rigorously controlled for. Most small experimental systems are therefore spatially homogeneous, and the link between environmental heterogeneity and its effects on the redistribution of individuals and species, and on ecosystem processes, has not been fully explored. In this paper, we used a mesocosm system to investigate the relationship between habitat composition, species movement and sediment nutrient release for each of four functionally contrasting species of marine benthic invertebrate macrofauna. For each species, various habitat configurations were generated by selectively enriching patches of sediment with macroalgae, a natural source of spatial variability in intertidal mudflats. We found that the direction and extent of faunal movement between patches differs with species identity, density and habitat composition. Combinations of these factors lead to concomitant changes in nutrient release, such that habitat composition effects are modified by species identity (in the case of NH4-N) and by species density (in the case of PO4-P). It is clear that failure to accommodate natural patterns of spatial heterogeneity in such studies may result in an incomplete understanding of system behaviour. This will be particularly important for future experiments designed to explore the effects of species richness on ecosystem processes, where the complex interactions reported here for single species may be compounded when species are brought together in multi-species combinations.

  16. Combining projected changes in species richness and composition reveals climate change impacts on coastal Mediterranean fish assemblages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albouy, Camille; Guilhaumon, François; Bastos Araujo, Miguel

    2012-01-01

    future climatic niches of 288 coastal Mediterranean fish species based on a global warming scenario. We then aggregated geographically the species-level projections to analyse the projected changes in species richness and composition. Our results show that projected changes in assemblage composition....... nestedness), separately. We also present a mapping strategy to simultaneously visualize changes in species richness and assemblage composition. To illustrate our approach, we used the Mediterranean coastal fish fauna as a case study. Using Bioclimatic Envelope Models (BEMs) we first projected the potential......, the joint exploration of changes in species richness and composition coupled with the distinction between species replacement and nestedness bears important information for understanding the nature of climate change impacts on biodiversity. These methodological advances should help decision...

  17. BOREAS TGB-3 Plant Species Composition Data over the NSA Fen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bubier, Jill L.; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Conrad, Sara K. (Editor)

    2000-01-01

    The BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study Trace Gas Biogeochemistry (BOREAS TGB-3) team collected several data sets that contributed to understanding the measured trace gas fluxes over sites in the Northern Study Area (NSA). This data set contains information about the composition of plant species that were within the collars used to measure Net Ecosystem Exchange of CO2 (NEE). The species composition was identified to understand the differences in NEE among the various plant communities in the NSA fen. The data were collected in July of 1994 and 1996. The data are contained in comma-delimited, ASCII files.

  18. Does mechanical disturbance affect the performance and species composition of submerged macrophyte communities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qian; Xu, Ying-Shou; Huang, Lin; Xue, Wei; Sun, Gong-Qi; Zhang, Ming-Xiang; Yu, Fei-Hai

    2014-05-01

    Submerged macrophyte communities are frequently subjected to disturbance of various frequency and strength. However, there is still little experimental evidence on how mechanical disturbance affects the performance and species composition of such plant communities. In a greenhouse experiment, we constructed wetland communities consisting of five co-occurring clonal submerged macrophyte species (Hydrilla verticillata, Elodea canadensis, Ceratophyllum demersum, Chara fragilis, and Myriophyllum spicatum) and subjected these communities to three mechanical disturbance regimes (no, moderate and strong disturbance). Strong mechanical disturbance greatly decreased overall biomass, number of shoot nodes and total shoot length, and increased species diversity (evenness) of the total community. It also substantially decreased the growth of the most abundant species (H. verticillata), but did not affect growth of the other four species. Our data reveal that strong disturbance can have different effects on different submerged macrophyte species and thus alters the performance and species composition of submerged macrophyte communities.

  19. Species Composition at the Sub-Meter Level in Discontinuous Permafrost in Subarctic Sweden

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, S. M.; Palace, M. W.; Layne, M.; Varner, R. K.; Crill, P. M.

    2013-12-01

    Northern latitudes are experiencing rapid warming. Wetlands underlain by permafrost are particularly vulnerable to warming which results in changes in vegetative cover. Specific species have been associated with greenhouse gas emissions therefore knowledge of species compositional shift allows for the systematic change and quantification of emissions and changes in such emissions. Species composition varies on the sub-meter scale based on topography and other microsite environmental parameters. This complexity and the need to scale vegetation to the landscape level proves vital in our estimation of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions and dynamics. Stordalen Mire (68°21'N, 18°49'E) in Abisko and is located at the edge of discontinuous permafrost zone. This provides a unique opportunity to analyze multiple vegetation communities in a close proximity. To do this, we randomly selected 25 1x1 meter plots that were representative of five major cover types: Semi-wet, wet, hummock, tall graminoid, and tall shrub. We used a quadrat with 64 sub plots and measured areal percent cover for 24 species. We collected ground based remote sensing (RS) at each plot to determine species composition using an ADC-lite (near infrared, red, green) and GoPro (red, blue, green). We normalized each image based on a Teflon white chip placed in each image. Textural analysis was conducted on each image for entropy, angular second momentum, and lacunarity. A logistic regression was developed to examine vegetation cover types and remote sensing parameters. We used a multiple linear regression using forwards stepwise variable selection. We found statistical difference in species composition and diversity indices between vegetation cover types. In addition, we were able to build regression model to significantly estimate vegetation cover type as well as percent cover for specific key vegetative species. This ground-based remote sensing allows for quick quantification of vegetation

  20. An experimental analysis of harmful algae-zooplankton interactions and the ultimate defense

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remmel, E.J.; Kohmescher, N.; Larson, J.H.; Hambright, K.D.

    2011-01-01

    We examined effects of the invasive, toxigenic haptophyte Prymnesium parvum on grazing rates, feeding behaviors, and life-history characteristics of clonal lineages of three daphniid zooplankton species. Grazing experiments revealed similar clearance rates for P. parvum and a common green alga. Behavioral observations revealed no significant effects of P. parvum on daphniid feeding behaviors after 30 min, but major declines in appendage beat rates after 1 h. Chronic exposure (10 d) to P. parvum resulted in severe reductions in daphniid growth rates, age at first reproduction, fecundity, and survivorship at densities as low as 7750 cells mL-1. Thus, in addition to direct fish mortality during P. parvum blooms of 50,000-200,000 cells mL-1, the entire food web of an invaded system may be subjected to potentially severe negative consequences even at nonbloom densities of P. parvum. ?? 2011, by the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc.

  1. Zooplankton from the shelf watrs off the west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.; Peter, G.

    Zooplankton in the shelf waters of India from Dabhol to Tuticorin was studied during the 17th cruise of R.V. Gaveshani in March 1977. Biomass values were relatively high in the central zone between Mangalore and Alleppey. In the region between...

  2. Zooplankton data collected from unidentified platforms in Coastal Waters of Washington / Oregon; 22 May 1979 to 06 August 1980 (NODC Accession 9800143)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton data were collected using zooplankton net and bottle casts in Coastal Waters of Washington / Oregon from unidentified platforms from Canada. Data were...

  3. Wood Chemical Composition in Species of Cactaceae: The Relationship between Lignification and Stem Morphology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canché-Escamilla, Gonzalo; Soto-Hernández, Marcos

    2015-01-01

    In Cactaceae, wood anatomy is related to stem morphology in terms of the conferred support. In species of cacti with dimorphic wood, a unique process occurs in which the cambium stops producing wide-band tracheids (WBTs) and produces fibers; this is associated with the aging of individuals and increases in size. Stem support and lignification have only been studied in fibrous tree-like species, and studies in species with WBTs or dimorphic wood are lacking. In this study, we approach this process with a chemical focus, emphasizing the role of wood lignification. We hypothesized that the degree of wood lignification in Cactaceae increases with height of the species and that its chemical composition varies with wood anatomy. To test this, we studied the chemical composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content) in 13 species (2 WBTs wood, 3 dimorphic, and 8 fibrous) with contrasting growth forms. We also analyzed lignification in dimorphic and fibrous species to determine the chemical features of WBTs and fibers and their relationship with stem support. The lignin contents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography. We found that 11 species have a higher percentage (>35%) of lignin in their wood than other angiosperms or gymnosperms. The lignin chemical composition in fibrous species is similar to that of other dicots, but it is markedly heterogeneous in non-fibrous species where WBTs are abundant. The lignification in WBTs is associated with the resistance to high water pressure within cells rather than the contribution to mechanical support. Dimorphic wood species are usually richer in syringyl lignin, and tree-like species with lignified rays have more guaiacyl lignin. The results suggest that wood anatomy and lignin distribution play an important role in the chemical composition of wood, and further research is needed at the cellular level. PMID:25880223

  4. Wood chemical composition in species of Cactaceae: the relationship between lignification and stem morphology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Reyes-Rivera

    Full Text Available In Cactaceae, wood anatomy is related to stem morphology in terms of the conferred support. In species of cacti with dimorphic wood, a unique process occurs in which the cambium stops producing wide-band tracheids (WBTs and produces fibers; this is associated with the aging of individuals and increases in size. Stem support and lignification have only been studied in fibrous tree-like species, and studies in species with WBTs or dimorphic wood are lacking. In this study, we approach this process with a chemical focus, emphasizing the role of wood lignification. We hypothesized that the degree of wood lignification in Cactaceae increases with height of the species and that its chemical composition varies with wood anatomy. To test this, we studied the chemical composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content in 13 species (2 WBTs wood, 3 dimorphic, and 8 fibrous with contrasting growth forms. We also analyzed lignification in dimorphic and fibrous species to determine the chemical features of WBTs and fibers and their relationship with stem support. The lignin contents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography. We found that 11 species have a higher percentage (>35% of lignin in their wood than other angiosperms or gymnosperms. The lignin chemical composition in fibrous species is similar to that of other dicots, but it is markedly heterogeneous in non-fibrous species where WBTs are abundant. The lignification in WBTs is associated with the resistance to high water pressure within cells rather than the contribution to mechanical support. Dimorphic wood species are usually richer in syringyl lignin, and tree-like species with lignified rays have more guaiacyl lignin. The results suggest that wood anatomy and lignin distribution play an important role in the chemical composition of wood, and further research is needed at the cellular level.

  5. Wood chemical composition in species of Cactaceae: the relationship between lignification and stem morphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes-Rivera, Jorge; Canché-Escamilla, Gonzalo; Soto-Hernández, Marcos; Terrazas, Teresa

    2015-01-01

    In Cactaceae, wood anatomy is related to stem morphology in terms of the conferred support. In species of cacti with dimorphic wood, a unique process occurs in which the cambium stops producing wide-band tracheids (WBTs) and produces fibers; this is associated with the aging of individuals and increases in size. Stem support and lignification have only been studied in fibrous tree-like species, and studies in species with WBTs or dimorphic wood are lacking. In this study, we approach this process with a chemical focus, emphasizing the role of wood lignification. We hypothesized that the degree of wood lignification in Cactaceae increases with height of the species and that its chemical composition varies with wood anatomy. To test this, we studied the chemical composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content) in 13 species (2 WBTs wood, 3 dimorphic, and 8 fibrous) with contrasting growth forms. We also analyzed lignification in dimorphic and fibrous species to determine the chemical features of WBTs and fibers and their relationship with stem support. The lignin contents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography. We found that 11 species have a higher percentage (>35%) of lignin in their wood than other angiosperms or gymnosperms. The lignin chemical composition in fibrous species is similar to that of other dicots, but it is markedly heterogeneous in non-fibrous species where WBTs are abundant. The lignification in WBTs is associated with the resistance to high water pressure within cells rather than the contribution to mechanical support. Dimorphic wood species are usually richer in syringyl lignin, and tree-like species with lignified rays have more guaiacyl lignin. The results suggest that wood anatomy and lignin distribution play an important role in the chemical composition of wood, and further research is needed at the cellular level.

  6. Modelling the relationship between zooplankton biomass and environmental variations in the distribution of 210Po during a one year cycle in northwestern Mediterranean coastal waters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Färber Lorda, Jaime; Tateda, Yutaka; Fowler, Scott W

    2017-08-01

    To clarify the relationship between zooplankton biomass and the environmental kinetics of the natural radionuclide 210 Po during a one-year period (October 1995 to November 1996) in northwestern Mediterranean coastal waters, a modelling analysis was applied. Using 210 Po concentrations in seawater and zooplankton, the 210 Po uptake rate constant from food for zooplankton was evaluated using a biokinetics calculation involving the uptake and the excretion rate constants between seawater and zooplankton. Using the transfer constants obtained, the 210 Po concentrations in zooplankton were reconstructed and validated by observed concentrations. The simulation results were in good agreement with the measured 210 Po concentrations in zooplankton. Assuming that 210 Po fecal excretion represents the majority of the excretion of 210 Po from zooplankton, the fecal matter associated 210 Po vertical flux was calculated, and compared with the observed vertical fluxes of 210 Po measured in sediment traps. The modelling evaluation showed that fecal pellet vertical transport could not fully explain the observed sinking fluxes of particulate organic matter at 150 m depth, suggesting that other sinking biodetrital aggregates are also important components of the plankton-derived vertical flux of 210 Po. The relationship between 210 Po concentration in seawater and that in rain and dry fallout and their potential effect on 210 Po concentrations in zooplankton at this location were also examined. A similar, but diphased trend between 210 Po in zooplankton and 210 Po in rain and dry fallout deposition rate was demonstrated. 210 Po concentrations in the dissolved phase of seawater tended to diminish as mean daily rainfall increased suggesting that rain inputs serve as a 210 Po dilution mechanism in seawater at this location. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. [Distribution and changes in species composition and abundance of ichthyoplankton in the Yangtze estuary].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Heng; Yang, Sheng-Long; Meng, Hai-Xing

    2012-06-01

    Based on four surveys of eggs and larvae in the Yangtze estuary in 2005 (April and November) and 2006 (April and September), combined with the historical data of the wetland in 1990 (September) and 1991 (March), we analyzed seasonal changes in fish species composition and quantity of ichthyoplankton. Thirty-six species of egg and larvae were collected and marine fish species were the highest represented ecological guild. Average fish species and average abundance in spring were lower than in autumn for every survey. The total number of eggs in brackish water was higher than in fresh water, but the total number of larvae and juveniles in brackish water was lower. The abundance of eggs and larvae during from 2005 to 2006 in both spring and autumn was higher compared to those from 1990 to 1991. Obvious differences in species composition in September between 1990 and 2006 were found, especially for Erythroculter ilishaeformis and Neosalanx taihuensis. Fish species composition and quantity within the ichthyoplankton community has obviously changed in the Yangtze estuary over the last 20 years.

  8. Sampling efficiency for species composition assessments using the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A pilot survey to determine the sampling efficiency of the wheel-point method, using the nearest plant method, to assess species composition (using replicate similarity related to sampling intensity, and total sampling time) was conducted on three plot sizes (20 x 20m, 30 x 30m, 40 x 40m) at two sites in a semi-arid savanna.

  9. Bioenergetics modeling of the annual consumption of zooplankton by pelagic fish feeding in the Northeast Atlantic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bachiller, Eneko; Utne, Kjell Rong; Jansen, Teunis

    2018-01-01

    The present study uses bioenergetics modeling to estimate the annual consumption of the main zooplankton groups by some of the most commercially important planktivorous fish stocks in the Northeast Atlantic, namely Norwegian spring-spawning (NSS) herring (Clupea harengus), blue whiting (Micromesi......The present study uses bioenergetics modeling to estimate the annual consumption of the main zooplankton groups by some of the most commercially important planktivorous fish stocks in the Northeast Atlantic, namely Norwegian spring-spawning (NSS) herring (Clupea harengus), blue whiting...

  10. Fine-Scale Distributions of Zooplankton in the Northern San Francisco Estuary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wim Kimmerer

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2016v14iss3art2 We studied zooplankton distributions in the upper San Francisco Estuary at nested scales of tens to thousands of meters. The purposes of the study were to assess how well the Interagency Ecological Program (IEP zooplankton monitoring represents abundance, and to investigate the variability of plankton on scales similar to those of foraging by fish. Samples were taken at three sites in the western Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. We took 18 sets of six samples each with a plankton net along transects from near shore to center channel, and six sets of ten samples in the vicinity of a drifter either in mid-channel or near shore. Sampling took place in June–July 2014 during neap and spring tides, ebb and flood, day and night (transects only. Analysis focused on three common copepod species. Transect samples showed little consistent variation along transects, except that Pseudodiaptomus forbesi was less abundant nearshore than offshore by day at Big Break, the most landward site. The ratio of adults to adults + copepodites was strongly and positively related to turbidity by day but not by night, indicating demersal behavior. Drifter samples showed a minimum standard deviation of log10 sample counts of about 0.1, indicating that about two-thirds of replicate abundance values were within 80 % to 125% of the mean. A measure of difference between plankton samples at pairs of sample points was unrelated to distance between sample points for drifter samples, weakly related along transects for Limnoithona spp. stages, and strongly related for P. forbesi mainly because of the along-transect gradients at Big Break. The IEP sampling program is representative of plankton abundance except for demersal organisms, which can be ten-fold more abundant by night than by day. Small planktivorous fish could forage in patches of up to ~25% higher abundance than the mean.

  11. Organic carbon content of zooplankton from the nearshore waters of Bombay

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, V.R.; Gajbhiye, S.N.; Sayed, F.Y.

    Organic carbon content of zooplankton in the Versova Creek and Thana Creek (polluted areas), off Versova and off Mahim, Bombay, India (relatively unpolluted areas) varied respectively from 21.4-30, 13.2-38.4, 21.6-30 and 25.8-39.6% dry weight...

  12. Environmental modulation of the plankton community composition and size-structure along the eutrophic intertidal coast of the Río de la Plata estuary, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maximiliano D. Garcia

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study we investigated the spatial distribution of the plankton community, bacterio-, phyto- and zooplankton, in relation with environmental conditions along the intertidal coast of the Río de la Plata estuary, Argentina. Plankton was analyzed in terms of species composition, abundance, biomass (carbon content and size-structure. We aim to evaluate the potential effects of anthropogenic impacts (e.g., nutrient enrichment and physicochemical gradients alongshore (e.g., salinity, turbidity on the composition and functioning of the plankton. We asked whether the natural structuring of the plankton by salinity and turbidity, known to be true of estuaries, is modified by eutrophication along the studied shoreline. We found that the density and biomass of bacteria and phytoplankton were strikingly enhanced by high eutrophication levels along the intertidal southwest coast of the Río de la Plata estuary. We also found that the highest zooplankton density in the most polluted area but the biomass showed a different distribution pattern. Nevertheless, when zooplankton was analyzed by means of its size fraction, we accordingly found that the microzooplankton biomass was positively associated with smaller-size phytoplankton groups and the most polluted study sites. Copepods were the major taxonomic groups that best represented the mesozooplankton biomass. We therefore expected that its distribution was modulated by the presence of its food items (i.e., large cells which, in turn, were more abundant in the middle-outer zone. In contrast, we found that the highest biomass of copepods occurred at the innermost site of the estuary and we found no significant association with other planktonic groups. Overall, this study highlights the noteworthy impacts of human activities modifying the functioning of this coastal ecosystem. The differences found in the taxonomic composition and size structure of the planktonic community assemblage between the most

  13. Species composition, plant cover and diversity of recently reforested ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SERVER

    2007-12-17

    Dec 17, 2007 ... Deforestation, over-cultivation and rural growth have severely ... over-cultivation, plant populations changed, and biolo- ... Restoring community structure (e.g. species composi-tion ... plant diversity at all spatial scales are the criteria that should ..... taxonomic groups in recovering and restored forests.

  14. From Krill to Whale: an overview of marine fatty acids and lipid compositions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linder Michel

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available In this study, fatty acid compositions of phyto-zooplankton (calanoid copepod species, krill… to fish species (mackerel, sardine anchovy, salmon, shark are presented. Marine oils are essentially used for their high long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA, namely eicosapentaenoic (EPA and docosahexaenoic (DHA for their good health impact. Due to health benefits of the omega-3, weekly fish consumption is today recommended by many authorities (FDA, AFSSA…. Capture fisheries and aquaculture supplied the world with about 110 million tonnes of food fish in 2006 (FAO 2009, providing an apparent per capita supply of 16.7 kg. It is well established that the lipid composition of fish muscle is influenced by the diet and also depends on the effects of environmental factors (temperature, oxygen concentration in sea water and endogenous medium (physiological state and individual variability. In general, cultured fish have been reported to have a softer texture than wild fish, which has been related to the differences in muscle structure, proximate composition and nutritional value. New applications of typical compounds (wax esters, squalene … or lipid classes (glycerophospholipids, ether glycerolipids, sphingophospholipids … as cosmetics, functional foods and dietary supplements will become very important in the near future with nano-structured drug carriers in pharmaceutical and biomedical areas.

  15. You Are What You Eat: A Genomic Analysis of the Gut Microbiome of Captive and Wild Octopus vulgaris Paralarvae and Their Zooplankton Prey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Álvaro Roura

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris is an attractive species for aquaculture, however, several challenges inhibit sustainable commercial production. Little is known about the early paralarval stages in the wild, including diet and intestinal microbiota, which likely play a significant role in development and vitality of this important life stage. High throughput sequencing was used to characterize the gastrointestinal microbiome of wild O. vulgaris paralarvae collected from two different upwelling regions off the coast of North West Spain (n = 41 and Morocco (n = 35. These were compared to that of paralarvae reared with Artemia for up to 25 days in captivity (n = 29. In addition, the gastrointestinal microbiome of zooplankton prey (crabs, copepod and krill was also analyzed to determine if the microbial communities present in wild paralarvae are derived from their diet. Paralarvae reared in captivity with Artemia showed a depletion of bacterial diversity, particularly after day 5, when almost half the bacterial species present on day 0 were lost and two bacterial families (Mycoplasmataceae and Vibrionaceae dominated the microbial community. In contrast, bacterial diversity increased in wild paralarvae as they developed in the oceanic realm of both upwelling systems, likely due to the exposure of new bacterial communities via ingestion of a wide diversity of prey. Remarkably, the bacterial diversity of recently hatched paralarvae in captivity was similar to that of wild paralarvae and zooplankton, thus suggesting a marked effect of the diet in both the microbial community species diversity and evenness. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the bacterial communities inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of O. vulgaris paralarvae, and reveals new research lines to challenge the current bottlenecks preventing sustainable octopus aquaculture.

  16. The community structure and seasonal dynamics of plankton in Bange Lake, northern Tibet, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Wen; Zhao, Yuanyi; Wang, Qiaohan; Zheng, Mianping; Wei, Jie; Wang, Shan

    2016-11-01

    The seasonal variations in biomass, abundance, and species composition of plankton in relation to hydrography were studied in the saline Bange Lake, northern Tibet, China. Sampling was carried out between one to three times per month from May 2001 to July 2002. Salinity ranged from 14 to 146. The air and water temperature exhibited a clear seasonal pattern, and mean annual temperatures were approximately 4.8°C and 7.3°C, respectively. The lowest water temperature occurred in winter from December to March at -2°C and the highest in June and July at 17.7°C. Forty-one phytoplankton taxa, 21 zooplankton, and 5 benthic or facultative zooplankton were identified. The predominant phytoplankton species were Gloeothece linearis, Oscillatoria tenuis, Gloeocapsa punctata, Ctenocladus circinnatus, Dunaliella salina, and Spirulina major. The predominant zooplankton species included Holophrya actra, Brachionus plicatilis, Daphniopsis tibetana, Cletocamptus dertersi, and Arctodiaptomus salinus. The mean annual total phytoplankton density and biomass for the entire lake were 4.52×107 cells/L and 1.60 mg/L, respectively. The annual mean zooplankton abundance was 52, 162, 322, and 57, 144 ind./L, in the three sublakes. The annual mean total zooplankton biomass in Lakes 1-3 was 1.23, 9.98, and 2.13 mg/L, respectively. The annual mean tychoplankton abundances in Bg1, 2, and 3 were 47, 67, and 654 ind./L. The annual mean tychoplankton biomass was 2.36, 0.16, and 2.03 mg/L, respectively. The zooplankton biomass (including tychoplankton) in the lake was 9.11 mg/L. The total number of plankton species in the salt lake was significantly negatively correlated with salinity.

  17. Distribution of trace metals in surface seawater and zooplankton of the Bay of Bengal, off Rushikulya estuary, East Coast of India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srichandan, Suchismita; Panigrahy, R.C.; Baliarsingh, S.K.; Srinivasa, Rao B.; Pati, Premalata; Sahu, Biraja K.; Sahu, K.C.

    2016-01-01

    Concentrations of trace metals such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), vanadium (V), and selenium (Se) were determined in seawater and zooplankton from the surface waters off Rushikulya estuary, north-western Bay of Bengal. During the study period, the concentration of trace metals in seawater and zooplankton showed significant spatio-temporal variation. Cu and Co levels in seawater mostly remained non-detectable. Other elements were found at higher concentrations and exhibited marked variations. The rank order distribution of trace metals in terms of their average concentration in seawater was observed as Fe > Ni > Mn > Pb > As > Zn > Cr > V > Se > Cd while in zooplankton it was Fe > Mn > Cd > As > Pb > Ni > Cr > Zn > V > Se. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of Fe was highest followed by Zn and the lowest value was observed with Ni. Results of correlation analysis discerned positive affinity and good relationship among the majority of the trace metals, both in seawater and zooplankton suggesting their strong affinity and coexistence. - Highlights: • First-hand report on trace metal concentration in zooplankton and seawater covering 2 years from this eco-sensitive region. • In seawater trace metals followed the rank order of Fe > Ni > Mn > Pb > As > Zn > Cr > V > Se > Cd. • In zooplankton the rank order was Fe > Mn > Cd > As > Pb > Ni > Cr > Zn > V > Se. • The bioaccumulation factor of Fe was highest followed by Zn. • Strong affinity, coexistence, and similar source of trace metals in the study area.

  18. Estudio anual del zooplancton: composición, abundancia, biomasa e hidrología del norte de Quintana Roo, mar Caribe de México Annual study of zooplankton: composition, abundance, biomass and hydrology from the north of Quintana Roo, Mexican Caribbean Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José N Álvarez-Cadena

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Se llevaron a cabo muestreos de zooplancton en la zona lagunar y costera del Caribe mexicano, desde Puerto Morelos hasta Cancún. Las recolectas se llevaron a cabo de enero a diciembre de 2004 en 12 localidades. Se identificaron 41 grupos del zooplancton donde los copépodos fueron los más abundantes (61% seguidos de las larvas de equinodermos (17% y decápodos (5%. El copépodo Acartia tonsa fue la especie más abundante de este grupo en el Sistema Lagunar Nichupté (SLN. En la zona marina adyacente los copépodos estuvieron representados en orden de importancia por Acartia spinata, Pseudocalanus sp. y Calanopia americana. En todas las estaciones se capturaron equinodermos del tipo equinopluteus-ofiopluteus, pero con mayor abundancia en el SLN. El quetognato Ferosagitta hispida fue la única especie que se encontró en el SLN, donde fue más abundante. Los decápodos estuvieron representados principalmente por larvas zoeas; las larvas de peces por 54 familias, de las cuales los góbidos de los géneros Ctenogobius sp., Gobionellus sp. y Gobiosoma sp. fueron los mejor representados, particularmente para el SLN. La biomasa fue mayor en el SLN.Zooplankton sampling was carried out in the northern coast of the Mexican Caribbean Sea, from Puerto Morelos to Cancun. Captures were made with a conic net 0.4m diameter, 1.40m length and 0.330 mm mesh from January to December 2004 at twelve locations. A total of 41 zooplankton groups were identified. Copepods were the most abundant taxa making up 61%, followed by echinoderms (17% and decapods (5%. Acartia tonsa at the Nichupte Lagoon System (SLN over numbered the copepod fauna and occasionally the whole zooplankton population. Along the coast Acartia spinata, Pseudocalanus sp, and Calanopia americana were the most important copepods. Echinoderms larvae such as echinopluteus-ophiopluteus were present at all sampled stations but were more abundant at the NLS. For chaetognaths, Ferosagitta hispida dominated

  19. Estimation of the toxicity of pollutants to marine phytoplanktonic and zooplanktonic organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    One of the basic components of the action plans sponsored by UNEP in the framework of the Regional Seas Programme is the assessment of the state of the marine environment and of its resources, and of the sources and trends of the pollution, and the impact of pollution on human health, marine ecosystems, and amenities. In order to ensure that the data obtained through this assessment can be compared on a world-wide basis and thus contribute to the Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) of UNEP, a set of Reference Methods and Guidelines for marine pollution studies are being developed as part of a programme of comprehensive technical support which includes the provision of expert advice, reference methods and materials, training and data quality assurance. This reference method describes procedures for estimating the toxicity of pollutants to marine phytoplankton and zooplankton. Procedures are given for estimating the media effective concentrations (EC50) of toxicants to phytoplankton, and the minimum algistatic concentration (MAC-5). For zooplankton, procedures are given for determining median lethal concentrations. Organisms are exposed to each of a range of concentrations of the test substance. For phytoplankton, the median effective concentration (EC50) is estimated in terms of the number of individuals surviving, the biomass of individuals surviving, or the chlorophyll content of the individuals surviving. For zooplankton, the media lethal concentration (LC50) is estimated by conventional log-probit analysis of the mortality data

  20. Species composition and bathymetric distribution of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia on the Southern Mexican Pacific coast

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosalinda Abeytia

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Gorgonians are important components of coastal ecosystems, as they provide niches, natural compounds with medical applications and are used as bioindicators. Species composition and assemblage structure of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia were studied along a bathymetric profile in the Southern Mexican Pacific coast. Species composition was based on specimens collected within a depth range of 0-70m in 15 sites. The relative abundance of species was determined in six sites at four depths (5, 10, 20 and 25m using three 10m2 transects at each depth level. Twenty-seven species of gorgonians belonging to six genera and three families were registered. The species composition varied with depth: 11 species were distributed between 0-25m depth, while 17 species were found between 40-70m depth interval. The shallow zone is characterized by a relatively large abundance of gorgonians, dominated by colonies of Leptogorgia cuspidata and L. ena. In contrast, the deepest zone was characterized by relatively low abundance of gorgonians, dominated by L. alba, the only species observed in both depth intervals. The similarity analysis showed differences in the composition and abundance of species by depth and site, suggesting that the main factor in determining the assemblage structure is depth. Results of this study suggest that the highest richness of gorgonian species in the study area may be located at depths of 40-70m, whereas the highest abundances are found between 5 and 10m depth. This study represents a contribution to the poorly known eastern Pacific gorgonian biota.

  1. Spatial zonation of zooplankton in the northwestern Arabian Sea: A multivariate approach

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jayalakshmy, K.V.

    Latitudinal variation in abundance, diversity, dominance pattern and zonation of the major groups of zooplankton was studied n the coastal waters of northwestern Arabian Sea, between 25°44' N and 10°44' N. Maxwell Boltzmann Statistic...

  2. Assessment of power-plant effects on zooplankton in the near field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Polgar, T.T.; Bongers, L.H.; Krainak, G.M.

    1976-01-01

    With the use of a simple entrainment model that takes into account tidal recirculation, mixing, and once-through kill rate, theoretical expressions are derived for ratios of densities of live organisms at the intake of a power plant to densities in the far field. Experimental data on the abundances of dead and live stages of Eurytemora affinis and Acartia tonsa are used to compare to model results. A study of the entrainment of zooplankton near the intake of the Morgantown power plant and a concurrent study of the distribution of zooplankton in the Potomac River provided the biological data. Physical information was derived from extensive hydrographic measurements. Comparing experimental data with model predictions showed that radical depletions occurred in the naupliar stages near the plant site which cannot be accounted for by cooling-system or delayed entrainment mortalities. These near-field changes are attributed to avoidance reactions and to mortalities in the vicinity of the plant

  3. Seed Density Significantly Affects Species Richness and Composition in Experimental Plant Communities

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Münzbergová, Zuzana

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 7, č. 10 (2012), e46704 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP505/10/0593 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : species richness * seed rain * species composition Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 3.730, year: 2012

  4. The ghosts of trees past: savanna trees create enduring legacies in plant species composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stahlheber, Karen A; Crispin, Kimberly L; Anton, Cassidy; D'Antonio, Carla M

    2015-09-01

    Isolated trees in savannas worldwide are known to modify their local environment and interact directly with neighboring plants. Less is known about how related tree species differ in their impacts on surrounding communities, how the effects of trees vary between years, and how composition might change following loss of the tree. To address these knowledge gaps, we explored the following questions: How do savanna trees influence the surrounding composition of herbaceous plants? Is the influence of trees consistent across different species and years? How does this change following the death of the tree? We surveyed herbaceous species composition and environmental attributes surrounding living and dead evergreen and deciduous Quercus trees in California (USA) savannas across several years that differed in their total precipitation. Oak trees of all species created distinct, homogenous understory communities dominated by exotic grasses across several sites. The composition of the low-diversity understory communities showed less interannual variation than open grassland, despite a two-fold difference in precipitation between the driest and wettest year. Vegetation composition was correlated with variation in soil properties, which were strongly affected by trees. Oaks also influenced the communities beyond the edge of the crown, but this depended on site and oak species. Low-diversity understory communities persisted up to 43 years following the death of the tree. A gradual decline in the effect of trees on the physical, environment following death did not result in vegetation becoming more similar to open grassland over time. The presence of long-lasting legacies of past tree crowns highlights the difficulty of assigning control of the current distribution of herbaceous species in grassland to their contemporary environment.

  5. A Preliminary Survey of Species Composition of Termites (Insecta: Isoptera) in Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarawak.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamil, Norsyarizan; Ismail, Wan Nurainie Wan; Abidin, Siti Shamimi; Amaran, Mazdan Ali; Hazali, Ratnawati

    2017-07-01

    A survey on termite species composition was conducted in Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarawak in February 2015. Overall 19 species of termite belonging to 13 genera and 8 subfamilies was found in the sanctuary. It was recorded the subfamily of Termitinae had the highest number of species (6 species, equal to 31.58% of total species), followed by Nasutermitinae (3 species, 15.79%), Macrotermitinae, Amitermitinae, Rhinotermitinae, Coptotermitinae, (2 species, 10.53% respectively), and Heterotermitinae, Termitogetoninae (1 species, 5.26% respectively). Since this rapid survey is the first termite assemblage representation in Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary, the preliminary result may serve as the baseline data for termite composition in the area. Therefore, a whole coverage for the area within this sanctuary would definitely increase the number of termite species found in the sanctuary.

  6. Frog species richness, composition and beta-diversity in coastal Brazilian restinga habitats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, C F D; Hatano, F H; Vrcibradic, D; Van Sluys, M

    2008-02-01

    We studied the species richness and composition of frogs in 10 restinga habitats (sand dune environments dominated by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation) along approximately 1500 km of coastal areas of three Brazilian States: Rio de Janeiro (Grumari, Maricá, Massambaba, Jurubatiba and Grussaí), Espírito Santo (Praia das Neves and Setiba) and Bahia (Prado and Trancoso). We estimated beta-diversity and similarity among areas and related these parameters to geographic distance between areas. All areas were surveyed with a similar sampling procedure. We found 28 frog species belonging to the families Hylidae, Microhylidae, Leptodactylidae and Bufonidae. Frogs in restingas were in general nocturnal with no strictly diurnal species. The richest restinga was Praia das Neves (13 species), followed by Grussaí and Trancoso (eight species in each). The commonest species in the restingas was Scinax alter (found in eight restingas), followed by Aparasphenodon brunoi (seven areas). Our data shows that richness and composition of frog communities vary consistently along the eastern Brazilian coast and, in part, the rate of species turnover is affected by the distance among areas. Geographic distance explained approximately 12% of species turnover in restingas and about 9.5% of similarity among frog assemblages. Although geographic distance somewhat affects frog assemblages, other factors (e.g. historical factors, disturbances) seem to be also involved in explaining present frog assemblage composition in each area and species turnover among areas. The frog fauna along restinga habitats was significantly nested (matrix community temperature = 26.13 degrees; p = 0.007). Our data also showed that the most hospitable restinga was Praia das Neves and indicated that this area should be protected as a conservation unit. Frog assemblage of each area seems to partially represent a nested subset of the original assemblage, although we should not ignore the importance of historical

  7. Effects of nutrient and water level changes on the composition and size structure of zooplankton communities in shallow lakes under different climatic conditions: a pan-European mesocosm experiment

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tavşanoglu, Ü.N.; Šorf, Michal; Stefanidis, K.; Brucet, S.; Turkan, S.; Agasild, H.; Baho, D.L.; Scharfenberger, U.; Hejzlar, Josef; Papastergiadou, E.; Adrian, R.; Angeler, D.G.; Zingel, P.; Çakiroglu, A.I.; Ozen, A.; Drakare, S.; Sondergaard, M.; Jeppesen, E.; Beklioglu, M.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 51, č. 2 (2017), s. 257-273 ISSN 1386-2588 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 244121 - REFRESH Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : climate change * water level change * zooplankton * size structure * mesocosms Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Ecology Impact factor: 1.500, year: 2016

  8. Factors associated with long-term species composition in dry tropical forests of Central India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agarwala, M.; DeFries, R. S.; Qureshi, Q.; Jhala, Y. V.

    2016-10-01

    The long-term future of species composition in forests depends on regeneration. Many factors can affect regeneration, including human use, environmental conditions, and species’ traits. This study examines the influence of these factors in a tropical deciduous forest of Central India, which is heavily used by local, forest-dependent residents for livestock grazing, fuel-wood extraction, construction and other livelihood needs. We measure size-class proportions (the ratio of abundance of a species at a site in a higher size class to total abundance in both lower and higher size classes) for 39 tree species across 20 transects at different intensities of human use. The size-class proportions for medium to large trees and for small to medium-sized trees were negatively associated with species that are used for local construction, while size class proportions for saplings to small trees were positively associated with those species that are fire resistant and negatively associated with livestock density. Results indicate that grazing and fire prevent non-fire resistant species from reaching reproductive age, which can alter the long term composition and future availability of species that are important for local use and ecosystem services. Management efforts to reduce fire and forest grazing could reverse these impacts on long-term forest composition.

  9. Effects of timber harvest on structural diversity and species composition in hardwood forests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    FARZAM TAVANKAR

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Tavankar F, Bonyad AE. 2015. Effects of timber harvest on structural diversity and species composition in hardwood forests. Biodiversitas 16: 1-9. Forest management leads to changes in structure and species composition of stands. In this research vertical and horizontal structure and species composition were compared in two harvested and protected stands in the Caspian forest of Iran. The results indicated the tree and seedling density, total basal area and stand volume was significantly (P < 0.01 higher in the protected stand. The Fagus orientalis L. had the most density and basal area in the both stands. Species importance value (SIV of Fagus orientalis in the protected stand (92.5 was higher than in the harvested stand (88.5. While, the SIV of shade-intolerant tree species such as Acer insigne, Acer cappadocicum and Alnus subcordata was higher in the harvested stand. The density of trees and seedling of rare tree species, such as Ulmus glabra, Tilia begonifolia, Zelkova caprinifolia and Fraxinus coriarifolia, was also higher in the protected stand. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index in the protected stand (0.84 was significantly higher (P < 0.01 than in the harvested stand (0.72. The highest diversity value in the harvested stand was observed in DBH of 10-40 cm class, while DBH of 40-70 cm had the highest diversity value in the protected stand.

  10. Molecular species composition of plant cardiolipin determined by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Yonghong; Peisker, Helga

    2016-01-01

    Cardiolipin (CL), an anionic phospholipid of the inner mitochondrial membrane, provides essential functions for stabilizing respiratory complexes and is involved in mitochondrial morphogenesis and programmed cell death in animals. The role of CL and its metabolism in plants are less well understood. The measurement of CL in plants, including its molecular species composition, is hampered by the fact that CL is of extremely low abundance, and that plants contain large amounts of interfering compounds including galactolipids, neutral lipids, and pigments. We used solid phase extraction by anion exchange chromatography to purify CL from crude plant lipid extracts. LC/MS was used to determine the content and molecular species composition of CL. Thus, up to 23 different molecular species of CL were detected in different plant species, including Arabidopsis, mung bean, spinach, barley, and tobacco. Similar to animals, plant CL is dominated by highly unsaturated species, mostly containing linoleic and linolenic acid. During phosphate deprivation or exposure to an extended dark period, the amount of CL decreased in Arabidopsis, accompanied with an increased degree in unsaturation. The mechanism of CL remodeling during stress, and the function of highly unsaturated CL molecular species, remains to be defined. PMID:27179363

  11. Nutritional composition of five food trees species products used in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nutritional composition of five food trees species products used in human diet during food shortage period in Burkina Faso. Thiombiano Daniabla Natacha Edwige, Parkouda Charles, Lamien Nieyidouba, Sere Aminata, Castro-Euler Ana Margarida, Boussim Issaka Joseph ...

  12. Organic, integrated and conventional management in apple orchards: effect on plant species composition, richness and diversity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zdeňka Lososová

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The study was conducted to assess the effect of conventional, integrated and organic management on differences in plant species composition, richness and diversity. The plants were studied in triads of orchards situated in three regions of the Czech Republic. Data about species occurrences were collected on 15 permanent plots in the tree rows and 15 plots between tree rows in each of the apple orchards during 2009. A total of 201 vascular plant species (127 native species, 65 archaeophytes, and 9 neophytes were found. Management type and also different regional conditions had a significant effect on plant species composition and on diversity parameters of orchard spontaneous vegetation. Species richness and species pool was significantly higher in the organic orchards than in the differently managed orchards. Management type had significant effect on proportions of archaeophytes, and also neophytes in apple orchards. The results showed that a change from conventional to integrated and organic management in apple orchards lead to higher plant species diversity and to changes in plant species composition.

  13. Modelling the future biogeography of North Atlantic zooplankton communities in response to climate change

    KAUST Repository

    Villarino, E; Chust, G; Licandro, P; Butenschö n, M; Ibaibarriaga, L; Larrañ aga, A; Irigoien, Xabier

    2015-01-01

    Advances in habitat and climate modelling allow us to reduce uncertainties of climate change impacts on species distribution. We evaluated the impacts of future climate change on community structure, diversity, distribution and phenology of 14 copepod species in the North Atlantic. We developed and validated habitat models for key zooplankton species using continuous plankton recorder (CPR) survey data collected at mid latitudes of the North Atlantic. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied to relate the occurrence of species to environmental variables. Models were projected to future (2080–2099) environmental conditions using coupled hydroclimatix–biogeochemical models under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A1B climate scenario, and compared to present (2001–2020) conditions. Our projections indicated that the copepod community is expected to respond substantially to climate change: a mean poleward latitudinal shift of 8.7 km per decade for the overall community with an important species range variation (–15 to 18 km per decade); the species seasonal peak is expected to occur 12–13 d earlier for Calanus finmarchicus and C. hyperboreus; and important changes in community structure are also expected (high species turnover of 43–79% south of the Oceanic Polar Front). The impacts of the change expected by the end of the century under IPCC global warming scenarios on copepods highlight poleward shifts, earlier seasonal peak and changes in biodiversity spatial patterns that might lead to alterations of the future North Atlantic pelagic ecosystem. Our model and projections are supported by a temporal validation undertaken using the North Atlantic climate regime shift that occurred in the 1980s: the habitat model built in the cold period (1970–1986) has been validated in the warm period (1987–2004).

  14. Modelling the future biogeography of North Atlantic zooplankton communities in response to climate change

    KAUST Repository

    Villarino, E

    2015-07-02

    Advances in habitat and climate modelling allow us to reduce uncertainties of climate change impacts on species distribution. We evaluated the impacts of future climate change on community structure, diversity, distribution and phenology of 14 copepod species in the North Atlantic. We developed and validated habitat models for key zooplankton species using continuous plankton recorder (CPR) survey data collected at mid latitudes of the North Atlantic. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied to relate the occurrence of species to environmental variables. Models were projected to future (2080–2099) environmental conditions using coupled hydroclimatix–biogeochemical models under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A1B climate scenario, and compared to present (2001–2020) conditions. Our projections indicated that the copepod community is expected to respond substantially to climate change: a mean poleward latitudinal shift of 8.7 km per decade for the overall community with an important species range variation (–15 to 18 km per decade); the species seasonal peak is expected to occur 12–13 d earlier for Calanus finmarchicus and C. hyperboreus; and important changes in community structure are also expected (high species turnover of 43–79% south of the Oceanic Polar Front). The impacts of the change expected by the end of the century under IPCC global warming scenarios on copepods highlight poleward shifts, earlier seasonal peak and changes in biodiversity spatial patterns that might lead to alterations of the future North Atlantic pelagic ecosystem. Our model and projections are supported by a temporal validation undertaken using the North Atlantic climate regime shift that occurred in the 1980s: the habitat model built in the cold period (1970–1986) has been validated in the warm period (1987–2004).

  15. Zooplankton, chemical, and other data collected from THOMAS G. THOMPSON in Arabian Sea; 09 January 1995 to 07 April 1995 (NODC Accession 9800109)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton, chemical, and other data were collected using zooplankton net casts in Arabian Sea from THOMAS G. THOMPSON. Data were collected from 09 January 1995 to...

  16. Comparison of lignocellulose composition in four major species of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    By principal component analysis (PCA), the components ADF and cellulose were the PC1 that were considered the foremost for the evaluation and selection of resource in the four species. The conclusions show that lignocellulose composition contents of Miscanthus culms were different. M. floridulus was more fit to ethanol ...

  17. Fish species composition and abundance on a subtropical, artificial ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The composition and abundance of fish species on a derelict rocky pier on the Durban beachfront, KwaZulu-. Natal, South Africa, were assessed by means of underwater visual census, using transects. A total of 74 spe- cies were recorded on the reef, with convict surgeons (Acanthurus triostegus), sash damsels ...

  18. Fatty Acid Compositions of Six Wild Edible Mushroom Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Günç Ergönül, Pelin; Akata, Ilgaz; Kalyoncu, Fatih; Ergönül, Bülent

    2013-01-01

    The fatty acids of six wild edible mushroom species (Boletus reticulatus, Flammulina velutipes var. velutipes, Lactarius salmonicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus, Polyporus squamosus, and Russula anthracina) collected from different regions from Anatolia were determined. The fatty acids were identified and quantified by gas chromatography and studied using fruit bodies. Fatty acid composition varied among species. The dominant fatty acid in fruit bodies of all mushrooms was cis-linoleic acid (18 : 2). Percentage of cis-linoleic acid in species varied from 22.39% to 65.29%. The other major fatty acids were, respectively, cis-oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Fatty acids analysis of the mushrooms showed that the unsaturated fatty acids were at higher concentrations than saturated fatty acids. PMID:23844377

  19. Fatty Acid Compositions of Six Wild Edible Mushroom Species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pelin Günç Ergönül

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The fatty acids of six wild edible mushroom species (Boletus reticulatus, Flammulina velutipes var. velutipes, Lactarius salmonicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus, Polyporus squamosus, and Russula anthracina collected from different regions from Anatolia were determined. The fatty acids were identified and quantified by gas chromatography and studied using fruit bodies. Fatty acid composition varied among species. The dominant fatty acid in fruit bodies of all mushrooms was cis-linoleic acid (18 : 2. Percentage of cis-linoleic acid in species varied from 22.39% to 65.29%. The other major fatty acids were, respectively, cis-oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Fatty acids analysis of the mushrooms showed that the unsaturated fatty acids were at higher concentrations than saturated fatty acids.

  20. variability in foliar phenolic composition of several quercus species in northern mexico

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salazar, J.A.A.; Antuna, E.M.; Abarca, N.A.; Alvarado, E.A.D.

    2015-01-01

    Quantitative and qualitative composition of the foliar phenolic compounds were investigated in 81 individual specimens of several white oak species (Quercus spp.). The trees were growing in twelve locations in Durango, Mexico. The phenol profiles were determined by HPLC-DAD and a Folin-Ciocateuprocedure. The results revealed that: (i) the foliar phenol profiles of all species analysed were complex and formed by 6 to 30 compounds, (ii) the flavonols mostly quercetin glycoside, isorhamnetin glycoside, kaempferol glycoside and phenolic acids were the main identified compounds, (iii) there was a high intra and inter-specific variability in the foliar phenol profiles both at the quantitative and qualitative levels, and (iv) the foliar phenol profiles indicated a slight species-specific tendency for phenols to be accumulated, although this was not clearly distinguished. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in the content and composition of the foliar flavonoids between species were observed due to the large environmental and soil conditions variability between localities. (author)

  1. The northwestern Indian Ocean during the monsoons of 1979: distribution, abundance, and feeding of zooplankton

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, S.L.

    1982-01-01

    Upwelling induced by the separation of the Somali Current from the coast of east Africa is associated with low surface temperatures, high concentrations of nitrate, and blooms of phytoplankton. Coefficients of concordance, based upon 17 taxa of zooplankton collected at 33 stations in the southwest monsoon and 15 stations in the northeast monsoon, were consistently larger for the southwest monsoon and indicative of a general response of the zooplankton in the northwestern Indian Ocean. The largest coefficients of concordance in the southwest monsoon were among adult females of Paracalanus denudatus, Paracalanus parvus, and Paracalanus aculeatus and of Calanoides carinatus and Eucalanus spp. Coefficients of concordance among copepodids of six taxa had a trend similar to adult females in the southwest monsoon. During the southwest monsoon, total biomass of zooplankton was significantly greater within areas of upwelling than outside; adult females and copepodids of C. carinatus and Eucalanus spp. were significantly more abundant within the upwelling regions, along with adult females of Clausocalanus furcatus and Clausocalanus minor. The upwelling regions, which are associated with a reproductively active population of the large-bodied C. carinatus, are the primary features affecting distributions of zooplankton during the southwest monsoon and the main difference between monsoons. The ontogenetic migration of C. carinatus is essentially an annual life-history strategy and therefore on the same temporal scale as the reversals in the monsoonal winds and associated upwelling. The ability of C. carinatus to ingest readily the diatoms that dominate the upwelling regions and to store lipid is crucial to its dominance of the areas of upwelling both in numbers and biomass.

  2. [Species composition and geographical distribution of threatened fishes in Yunnan Province of Southwest China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qian; Zhong, Jin-Xin

    2013-05-01

    Based on the related published papers, and by using Geographic Information System (ArcGIS 9.3), this paper analyzed the species composition and geographical distribution of threatened fishes in Yunnan Province of Southwest China. There were 83 threatened species living in the Province, belonging to 5 orders, 13 families, and 47 genera. Cypriniformes was absolutely dominant, with 64 species, followed by Siluriformes, with 16 species. Cyprinidae fishes had 51 species, accounting for 79.7% of Cypriniformes. The most species of Cyprinid fishes were of Barbinae (14 species), Cyprininae (10 species), and Cultrinae (10 species). The threatened fishes could be divided into two zoogeographical regions, i. e., Tibetan Plateau region and Oriental region, and their species composition and geographical distribution were resulted from the historical evolution adapted to the related environments. Whatever in rivers and in lakes, the Cyprinid fishes were both absolutely dominant, occupying 36.1% and 31.3% of the total, respectively. The Cyprinid fishes in rivers were mostly of endangered species, while those in lakes were mostly of vulnerable species. The factors affecting the threatened fishes in the Province were discussed from the two aspects of geodynamic evolution and present situation.

  3. Predatory impact of the mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki Girard on zooplanktonic populations in a pond at Tenuta di Castelporziano (Rome, Central Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ornella FERRARA

    2001-08-01

    Full Text Available A study of a permanent pond located in a nature reserve in Central Italy was carried out over two periods (1985-87; 1995-98 to determine the structure and dynamics of planktonic biocoenosis. The composition of the zooplankton community was quite different in the two periods of study: in the first period, rotifers, small-bodied cladocerans and larval copepods were the dominant groups; in the second there was a shift from rotifers and microcrustaceans to dominance by large-bodied Daphnidae and adult copepods. The possibility is stressed that Gambusia holbrooki, present in 1985 and absent in 1995, may be responsible for the changes in the planktonic community.

  4. Competition between a nonallelopathic phytoplankton and an allelopathic phytoplankton species under predation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kengwoung-Keumo, Jean-Jacques

    2016-08-01

    We propose a model of two-species competition in the chemostat for a single growth-limiting, nonreproducing resource that extends that of Roy [38]. The response functions are specified to be Michaelis-Menten, and there is no predation in Roy's work. Our model generalizes Roy's model to general uptake functions. The competition is exploitative so that species compete by decreasing the common pool of resources. The model also allows allelopathic effects of one toxin-producing species, both on itself (autotoxicity) and on its nontoxic competitor (phytotoxicity). We show that a stable coexistence equilibrium exists as long as (a) there are allelopathic effects and (b) the input nutrient concentration is above a critical value. The model is reconsidered under instantaneous nutrient recycling. We further extend this work to include a zooplankton species as a fourth interacting component to study the impact of predation on the ecosystem. The zooplankton species is allowed to feed only on the two phytoplankton species which are its perfectly substitutable resources. Each of the models is analyzed for boundedness, equilibria, stability, and uniform persistence (or permanence). Each model structure fits very well with some harmful algal bloom observations where the phytoplankton assemblage can be envisioned in two compartments, toxin producing and non-toxic. The Prymnesium parvum literature, where the suppressing effects of allelochemicals are quite pronounced, is a classic example. This work advances knowledge in an area of research becoming ever more important, which is understanding the functioning of allelopathy in food webs.

  5. The overall and fat composition of milk of various species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vesna Gantner

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Milk, an essential source of offspring nourishment, varies in it’s composition and properties significantly across species. In human nutrition, fresh milk and dairy products are valuable sources of protein, fat and energy, and are an important part of daily meals. Most of the world’s milk production (85 % comes from cows followed by buffaloes, goats, ewes, mares and donkeys. However milk related food allergies in infants may be a reason for health problems and may cause a decrease in milk. The objective of this paper was to give an overview of the overall composition of milk and fat from different species in comparison to women milk. Regarding the overall milk composition remarkable differences in energy content, fat, lactose, protein and ash of the various milks were found, but also some similarities among milk from ruminants and non-ruminants were detected. The structures of fat globule membranes were similar among non-ruminants and women milk, while the milk fat globule structure in ruminants differed significantly. The size of fat globules was significantly different between species and highly correlated to the milk fat content, regardless of the specie. The amount of triacylglycerols was notably higher, while the amount of free fatty acids and phospholipids was notably lower in milk from ruminants and women compared to milk from mares and donkeys. The triacylglycerol structure in women and non-ruminantsˈ was similar. The percentage of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids was lower, while the unsaturated fatty acid content was higher in milk from non-ruminants, with a remarkably higher percentage of C-18:2 and C-18:3. The cholesterol content was similar in women and ruminantsˈ milk, but lower in that of non-ruminants. This review indicates that milk from non-ruminants could be more suitable for human nourishment than milk from ruminants.

  6. Zooplankton as an early warning system of persistent organic pollutants contamination in a deep lake (lake Iseo, Northern Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Quadroni

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The lake Iseo has been recently contaminated by DDT residues, originated from the melting of a glacier that released the pollutants accumulated in the past. Because of this recent input, DDT residues concentrations rose more quickly in zooplankton than in fish during 2009. In autumn 2010 the ratio drastically dropped to one–two for all the compounds indicating that the glacial DDT load should have been ceased. The situation was different for PCBs that were released to a much lower extent from glaciers. The PCB 138 ratio between zooplankton and fish was always around one–two in both years. As the zooplankton response to pollution changes resulted particularly prompt, our research highlights the importance of this component as an early warning bioindicator of hydrophobic pollutants.

  7. Temporal and spatial distribution of microcrustacean zooplankton in relation to turbidity and other environmental factors in a large tropical lake (L. Tana, Ethiopia)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Vijverberg, J.; Nagelkerke, L.A.J.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2004-01-01

    The spatial and seasonal distribution of microcrustacean zooplankton of Lake Tana (Ethiopia) was monthly studied for 2 years. Concurrently, various environmental parameters were measured and related to zooplankton distribution. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to estimate the

  8. Comparison of the chemical compositions and nutritive values of various pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae) species and parts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Mi Young; Kim, Eun Jin; Kim, Young-Nam; Choi, Changsun

    2012-01-01

    Pumpkins have considerable variation in nutrient contents depending on the cultivation environment, species, or part. In this study, the general chemical compositions and some bioactive components, such as tocopherols, carotenoids, and β-sitosterol, were analyzed in three major species of pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae pepo, C. moschata, and C. maxima) grown in Korea and also in three parts (peel, flesh, and seed) of each pumpkin species. C. maxima had significantly more carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber than C. pepo or C. moschata (P pumpkin was highest in C. pepo. The major fatty acids in the seeds were palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids. C. pepo and C. moschata seeds had significantly more γ-tocopherol than C. maxima, whose seeds had the highest β-carotene content. C. pepo seeds had significantly more β-sitosterol than the others. Nutrient compositions differed considerably among the pumpkin species and parts. These results will be useful in updating the nutrient compositions of pumpkin in the Korean food composition database. Additional analyses of various pumpkins grown in different years and in different areas of Korea are needed. PMID:22413037

  9. Potential zooplankton preys (Copepoda and Appendicularia for Engraulis anchoita in relation to early larval and spawning distributions in the Patagonian frontal system (SW Atlantic Ocean

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariela L. Spinelli

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the spatial distribution of the abundance, biomass and size of zooplankton (nauplii, calanoids, cyclopoids and appendicularians in relation to the distribution of first-feeding larvae and eggs of Engraulis anchoita across the frontal system of Peninsula Valdés. Twelve samples of zooplankton and ichthyoplankton were taken with small Bongo (67 μm and Pairovet (200 μm nets during the spring of 2004 along two transects. The total abundance of zooplankton and the chlorophyll a concentration were higher in homogeneous waters, while total biomasses were higher in stratified waters. Temperature was negatively correlated with biological variables and was the main factor affecting the zooplankton distribution. In both transects, abundance peaks of first-feeding larvae were detected at coastal stations along with the smallest fraction of zooplankton ( < 500 μm, while the largest fraction was dominant at the external stations, coinciding with the highest egg abundance. The physical structure of this front generates different levels of food availability for first-feeding larvae. Calanoids (southern transect and cyclopoids (northern transect are predominant followed by nauplii and appendicularians. The biomass of zooplankton preys contributes to the carbon transfer to the upper trophic levels and is probably important for the survival and growth of anchovy larvae in this frontal system.

  10. Response of zooplankton to physical changes in the environment: coastal upwelling along central west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Madhupratap, M.; Nair, S.R.S.; Haridas, P.; Padmavati, G.

    .U. Haq and J.D. Milliman, (Eds.), Marine Geology and Oceanography ofArabian Sea and Coastal Pakistan. New York: Reinhold, pp. 339-350. PAFFENHOFER, G-A.; WESTER, B.T. and NICHO· LAS, W.O., 1984. Zooplankton abundance in rela- Journal of Coastal Research... Ocean. Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences, 94, 129-137. SMITH, S.L., 1982. The northwest Indian Ocean dur ing the monsoons of 1979: distribution, abundance and feeding of zooplankton. Deep-Sea Research, 29, 1331-1353. SMITH, S.L.; BOYQ, C...

  11. Effects of constant and stepwise changes in temperature on the species abundance dynamics of four cladocera species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verbitsky V. B.

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Laboratory experiments with natural zooplankton communities were carried out to study the effects of two contrasting temperature regimes: constant temperature (15, 20, and 25 °C and graded changes in temperature. The graded regime consisted of repeated sustained (three weeks controlled stepwise temperature changes of 5 or 10 °C within 15–25 °C on the population dynamics of four dominant species of lake littoral zooplankton, Daphnia longispina (Müller, 1785, Diaphanosoma brachyurum (Lievin, 1848, Simocephalus vetulus (Müller, 1776 and Chydorus sphaericus (Müller, 1785. The results show that controlled stepwise changes (positive or negative in temperature within the ranges of 15–20, 20–25, and 15–25 °C can exert either stimulating or inhibitory effect (direct or delayed on the development of D. longispina and S. vetulus populations. The development of D. brachyurum and Ch. sphaericus, both more steno-thermophile, was only stimulated by a stable elevated temperature (25 °C. These results support the previously formulated hypothesis that, in determining the ecological temperature optimum of a species within a natural community, it is not enough to define its optimum from constant, cyclic or random temperature fluctuations, but also from unidirectional stepwise changes in temperature. These stepwise changes may also induce prolonged or delayed effects.

  12. Consistency of effects of tropical-forest disturbance on species composition and richness relative to use of indicator taxa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stork, N E; Srivastava, D S; Eggleton, P; Hodda, M; Lawson, G; Leakey, R R B; Watt, A D

    2017-08-01

    Lawton et al. (1998) found, in a highly cited study, that the species richness of 8 taxa each responds differently to anthropogenic disturbance in Cameroon forests. Recent developments in conservation science suggest that net number of species is an insensitive measure of change and that understanding which species are affected by disturbance is more important. It is also recognized that all disturbance types are not equal in their effect on species and that grouping species according to function rather than taxonomy is more informative of responses of biodiversity to change. In a reanalysis of most of the original Cameroon data set (canopy and ground ants, termites, canopy beetles, nematodes, and butterflies), we focused on changes in species and functional composition rather than richness and used a more inclusive measure of forest disturbance based on 4 component drivers of change: years since disturbance, tree cover, soil compaction, and degree of tree removal. Effects of disturbance on compositional change were largely concordant between taxa. Contrary to Lawton et al.'s findings, species richness for most groups did not decline with disturbance level, providing support for the view that trends in species richness at local scales do not reflect the resilience of ecosystems to disturbance. Disturbance affected species composition more strongly than species richness for butterflies, canopy beetles, and litter ants. For these groups, disturbance caused species replacements rather than just species loss. Only termites showed effects of disturbance on species richness but not composition, indicating species loss without replacement. Although disturbance generally caused changes in composition, the strength of this relationship depended on the disturbance driver. Butterflies, litter ants, and nematodes were correlated with amount of tree cover, canopy beetles were most strongly correlated with time since disturbance, and termites were most strongly correlated with

  13. Changes in Species Composition in Alder Swamp Forest Following Forest Dieback

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Remigiusz Pielech

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available It is generally hypothesized that forest dieback is a characteristic of alder swamp forests (alder carrs, Alnion glutinosae alliance. Different internal and external factors may trigger this process, including human disturbance, changes in river discharge, unusually severe and prolonged flooding, terminal age of an even-aged alder forest (ca. 100–150 years and others. Although forest dieback in this type of forest may cause major changes in environmental conditions, the influence of this change on the floristic composition has not been well recognized. The study aimed to detect any possible changes in floristic variation in alder swamp forest following forest dieback. Vegetation plots in alder swamp forests affected by forest dieback were resurveyed 20 years after a previous study. PERMANOVA was used to test the significance of the compositional change and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS with passively fitted means of the Ellenberg’s Indicator Values were used to interpret its ecological meaning. In addition, different structural and diversity indices were compared, including species richness, percentage cover of vegetation layers, Shannon and Simpson diversity and evenness. Finally, we analyzed changes in the frequency of vascular plant species using Chi square tests. We recorded clear and significant compositional changes following alder swamp forest dieback. This change was most related to the gradient of moisture, followed by the gradients of light and temperature. The analysis of the individual species showed that the species of hummocks declined, while the species of hollows increased. Moreover, the current communities are dominated by some hydrophytes that were not recorded 20 years ago. Forest dieback resulted in profound changes in the hydrological regime. The observed changes are consistent with a model of cyclic succession as proposed for alder swamps. In addition, we conclude that the natural forest dynamics have to be

  14. Floral scent composition predicts bee pollination system in five butterfly bush (Buddleja, Scrophulariaceae) species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, W-C; Chen, G; Vereecken, N J; Dunn, B L; Ma, Y-P; Sun, W-B

    2015-01-01

    Traditionally, plant-pollinator interactions have been interpreted as pollination syndrome. However, the validity of pollination syndrome has been widely doubted in modern studies of pollination ecology. The pollination ecology of five Asian Buddleja species, B. asiatica, B. crispa, B. forrestii, B. macrostachya and B. myriantha, in the Sino-Himalayan region in Asia, flowering in different local seasons, with scented inflorescences were investigated during 2011 and 2012. These five species exhibited diverse floral traits, with narrow and long corolla tubes and concealed nectar. According to their floral morphology, larger bees and Lepidoptera were expected to be the major pollinators. However, field observations showed that only larger bees (honeybee/bumblebee) were the primary pollinators, ranging from 77.95% to 97.90% of total visits. In this study, floral scents of each species were also analysed using coupled gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Although the five Buddleja species emitted differentiated floral scent compositions, our results showed that floral scents of the five species are dominated by substances that can serve as attractive signals to bees, including species-specific scent compounds and principal compounds with larger relative amounts. This suggests that floral scent compositions are closely associated with the principal pollinator assemblages in these five species. Therefore, we conclude that floral scent compositions rather than floral morphology traits should be used to interpret plant-pollinator interactions in these Asian Buddleja species. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  15. Hydrological and environmental variables outperform spatial factors in structuring species, trait composition, and beta diversity of pelagic algae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Naicheng; Qu, Yueming; Guse, Björn; Makarevičiūtė, Kristė; To, Szewing; Riis, Tenna; Fohrer, Nicola

    2018-03-01

    There has been increasing interest in algae-based bioassessment, particularly, trait-based approaches are increasingly suggested. However, the main drivers, especially the contribution of hydrological variables, of species composition, trait composition, and beta diversity of algae communities are less studied. To link species and trait composition to multiple factors (i.e., hydrological variables, local environmental variables, and spatial factors) that potentially control species occurrence/abundance and to determine their relative roles in shaping species composition, trait composition, and beta diversities of pelagic algae communities, samples were collected from a German lowland catchment, where a well-proven ecohydrological modeling enabled to predict long-term discharges at each sampling site. Both trait and species composition showed significant correlations with hydrological, environmental, and spatial variables, and variation partitioning revealed that the hydrological and local environmental variables outperformed spatial variables. A higher variation of trait composition (57.0%) than species composition (37.5%) could be explained by abiotic factors. Mantel tests showed that both species and trait-based beta diversities were mostly related to hydrological and environmental heterogeneity with hydrological contributing more than environmental variables, while purely spatial impact was less important. Our findings revealed the relative importance of hydrological variables in shaping pelagic algae community and their spatial patterns of beta diversities, emphasizing the need to include hydrological variables in long-term biomonitoring campaigns and biodiversity conservation or restoration. A key implication for biodiversity conservation was that maintaining the instream flow regime and keeping various habitats among rivers are of vital importance. However, further investigations at multispatial and temporal scales are greatly needed.

  16. Impacts of Human Activities on Tree Species Composition Along the Forest Savanna Boundary in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christiana Ndidi Egbinola

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The study investigated the tree species composition along the forest-savanna boundary in Oyo state of Nigeria with the aim of assessing the impact of human activities on the floristic composition. A transect was placed along the study area and species data was collected from quadrats placed in study plots within different study sites. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA was used to determine vegetation assemblages, while both correlation and the analysis of variance (ANOVA were used to show the relationship between species in the different study sites. Results of the DCA revealed three species assemblages, an area with only forest species, another with only savanna species and a third with both forest/savanna species. ANOVA results further revealed that within the forest and savanna assemblages, species in mature and successional sites were alike. The study therefore revealed that human activities’ within the region is leading to the establishment of savanna species and an elimination of forest species.

  17. Frog species richness, composition and beta-diversity in coastal Brazilian restinga habitats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CFD. Rocha

    Full Text Available We studied the species richness and composition of frogs in 10 restinga habitats (sand dune environments dominated by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation along approximately 1500 km of coastal areas of three Brazilian States: Rio de Janeiro (Grumari, Maricá, Massambaba, Jurubatiba and Grussaí, Espírito Santo (Praia das Neves and Setiba and Bahia (Prado and Trancoso. We estimated beta-diversity and similarity among areas and related these parameters to geographic distance between areas. All areas were surveyed with a similar sampling procedure. We found 28 frog species belonging to the families Hylidae, Microhylidae, Leptodactylidae and Bufonidae. Frogs in restingas were in general nocturnal with no strictly diurnal species. The richest restinga was Praia das Neves (13 species, followed by Grussaí and Trancoso (eight species in each. The commonest species in the restingas was Scinax alter (found in eight restingas, followed by Aparasphenodon brunoi (seven areas. Our data shows that richness and composition of frog communities vary consistently along the eastern Brazilian coast and, in part, the rate of species turnover is affected by the distance among areas. Geographic distance explained approximately 12% of species turnover in restingas and about 9.5% of similarity among frog assemblages. Although geographic distance somewhat affects frog assemblages, other factors (e.g. historical factors, disturbances seem to be also involved in explaining present frog assemblage composition in each area and species turnover among areas. The frog fauna along restinga habitats was significantly nested (matrix community temperature = 26.13°; p = 0.007. Our data also showed that the most hospitable restinga was Praia das Neves and indicated that this area should be protected as a conservation unit. Frog assemblage of each area seems to partially represent a nested subset of the original assemblage, although we should not ignore the importance of historical

  18. Hypoxia Impacts on Food Web Linkages in a Pelagic Ecosystem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, M.; Horne, J. K.; Parker-Stetter, S. L.; Essington, T.; Keister, J. E.; Moriarty, P.; Li, L.

    2016-02-01

    Low dissolved oxygen (DO), or hypoxia, causes significant disturbances on aquatic organisms, but the consequences for key food web linkages is not well understood. Here, we tested how the intensity of low DO events governs the degree of spatial overlap between pelagic zooplanktivorous fish and their zooplankton prey, fish feeding rates, and community compositions of zooplankton. We hypothesized that the greater sensitivity of fish to DO compared to zooplankton would lead to diminished spatial overlap at moderate DO and reduced feeding rates of fish, while severe hypoxia would amplify spatial overlap by preventing zooplankton from using deep refuge habitats leading to increased fish feeding rates. We also hypothesized shifts in zooplankton community composition towards less energetically profitable taxa such as small copepods and gelatinous species. We used a combination of multifrequency acoustic and net sampling for detecting distributions and abundance of zooplankton and pelagic fish in Hood Canal, WA, a seasonally hypoxic fjord. We employed a sampling design which paired hypoxic regions of Hood Canal with normoxic regions sampled prior to, during, and after the onset of hypoxia in two years. Contrary to our hypotheses, we found that fish and zooplankton did not change their horizontal and vertical distributions during periods and in locations with low DO levels. Consequently, the vertical overlap between fish and zooplankton did not change with DO. Fish feeding rates and the dominant zooplankton prey did not change with hypoxia events. The apparent resilience of fish to low DO in our system may be explained by decreased metabolic oxygen demand due to cool temperatures, increased availability and accessibility to their prey in low DO waters, or potential increase in predation risk at shallower depth. This study highlights the importance of both temperature and DO, instead of hypoxia threshold alone, in evaluating the impacts of hypoxia on pelagic communities.

  19. Changes in fish production effectivity in eutrophic fishponds of zooplankton structure

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Potužák, J.; Hůda, J.; Pechar, Libor

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 15, - (2007), s. 201-210 ISSN 0967-6120 R&D Projects: GA MŽP(CZ) SM/640/18/03; GA MŽP(CZ) SL/1/6/04 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520 Keywords : fishponds * zooplankton * eutrophication * fish management * primary production Subject RIV: GL - Fishing Impact factor: 0.828, year: 2007

  20. Relative abundance of resident versus oceanic zooplankton over an interisland reef

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alldredge, A.L.; King, J.M.

    1979-01-01

    Zooplankton were collected from various substrate types. Densities were determined and results indicated that demersal plankton were abundant on the Japtan reef flat. Behavioral mechanisms were exhibited by many organisms including swimming near the substrate or in the lees of coral heads. Demersal plankton may provide an important food source for nocturnally foraging fishes

  1. Warming impacts on fish species composition in the Kattegat-Belt Sea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bryndum, Karoline Minna; MacKenzie, Brian

    Sea temperatures have been rising in the waters near Denmark during the past 1-2 decades and are expected to affect marine populations, species, communities and foodwebs. Here we investigate whether and how the species richness and composition of the marine fish community in the Kattegat and Belt...... of the southern range limits of all species captured in the surveys shows that the mean southern latitudinal limit of the fish community has been decreasing and is also corrrelated with bottom temperatures; these patterns are consistent with immigration of fish from southerly zoogeographic regions. Warm...

  2. Regional variation in Caribbean dry forest tree species composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janet Franklin; Julie Ripplinger; Ethan H. Freid; Humfredo Marcano-Vega; David W. Steadman

    2015-01-01

    How does tree species composition vary in relation to geographical and environmental gradients in a globally rare tropical/subtropical broadleaf dry forest community in the Caribbean? We analyzed data from 153 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), along with 42 plots that we sampled in the Bahamian Archipelago (...

  3. Carbon partitioning in the food web of a high mountain lake: from bacteria to zooplankton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra PUGNETTI

    1999-08-01

    Full Text Available The organisms of the microbial loop in Lake Paione Superiore (LPS, a high mountain lake in the Italian Alpine region, were studied together with phytoplankton and zooplankton for three successive years. The biomass of bacteria, HNF (heterotrophic nanoflagellates, ciliates and phytoplankton, as mean carbon concentration in the three years, was 30 and 37 μg C l-1 near the surface (SUR and the bottom (BOT respectively. Under the ice-cover the mean biomass carbon decreased especially at the BOT, whereas at SUR the decrease was less evident due to the maintenance of higher phytoplankton biomass (mixotrophic flagellates. In LPS ~50% of the carbon was confined in bacteria, 20% in protozoa and 30% in phytoplankton. The ratio Autotrophs/Heterotrophs was lower than 1 (mean: 0,97 at SUR and 0,58 at BOT thus indicating a system with a predominance of the heterotrophs. This might be the result of light inhibition of algal growth coupled to a production of dissolved carbon, utilized by bacteria. During late summer the peak of Daphnia longispina, the main component of the zooplankton of LPS, increased the carbon content in the lake to a total of 158 and 300 μg C l-1 in 1997 and 1998 respectively. At the late summer peaks, zooplankton represented from 78 to 89% of the total carbon of the pelagic communities. Furthermore, the presence of Daphnia could be responsible for a decrease in the biomass carbon of a variety of organisms (algae, protozoa and bacteria. It may be possible that this is an instance of zooplankton grazing on algae, protozoa and also bacteria, as Daphnia has very broad niches and may eat pico-, nanoplankton and small ciliates. In the oligotrophic LPS, a diet which also includes protozoa could give Daphnia a further chance of survival, as ciliates are an important source of fatty acids and sterols.

  4. Grazing by Zooplankton on Diazotrophs in the Amazon River Plume and Western Tropical North Atlantic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conroy, B.; Steinberg, D. K.; Song, B.; Foster, R.

    2016-02-01

    Organisms capable of fixing di-nitrogen (N2), known as diazotrophs, are important primary producers and a potentially significant source for new nitrogen entering the planktonic food web. However, limited evidence exists for zooplankton grazing on diazotrophs compared to other primary producers. In the western tropical North Atlantic Ocean (WTNA), the Amazon River plume creates a niche for symbiotic diatom-diazotroph associations (DDAs) which can form large blooms. In adjacent non-plume-influenced waters, the colonial cyanobacterium Trichodesmium is abundant. In order to reveal zooplankton-diazotroph grazing interactions and determine the fate of newly fixed nitrogen, gut contents of zooplankton captured in these two regions were compared based on quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay of nitrogenase genes (nifH), and their microbiomes compared using next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of 16S rRNA genes. We sampled individual copepods from discrete depth intervals (0-25m and 25-50m) and in two size classes (0.5-1mm and 1-2mm) for analysis. A modified DNA extraction protocol was developed and 54 extracts were used as templates in nifH qPCR assays for the larger size fraction diazotrophs (>10µm): Trichodesmium, and Hemiaulus or Rhizosolenia (diatoms)-Richelia (diazotroph) associations. Copepod gut content nifH copies ranged from 1.6 to 13.6 copies individual-1 for the assay targeting the Hemiaulus-Richelia DDA and from 1.1 to 3.0 copies individual-1 for Trichodesmium. 16S NGS conducted on 35 extracts with an Ion Torrent PGM and mothur revealed that cyanobacteria sequences accounted for up to 20% of sequences per extract. Our results show that both DDAs and Trichodesmium are prey for zooplankton, and that new nitrogen moves through the food web via these grazing interactions. These interactions should be considered in future explorations of the global ocean nitrogen cycle.

  5. Zooplankton standing stock assessment and fishery resources in the indian seas

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.; Sarupria, J.S.; Bhargava, R.M.S.

    of Bengal, Lakshadweep (Laccadive) Sea and Andaman Sea. The zooplankton biomass values fluctuated between 0.1 to 12 ml m sup(-3) (av. = 0.664 plus or minus 1.36 ml m sup(-3)), 0.1 to 8.0 ml m sup(-3) (av. = 0.355 plus or minus 0.761 ml m sup(-3)), 0.1 to 1...

  6. composition and size class structure of tree species in ihang'ana

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    nb

    Previous plant biodiversity studies in this ecosystem concentrated on large-sized Forest ... assess tree species composition, structure and diversity in Ihang'ana FR (2982 ha), one of the ..... Dombeya rotundifolia. (Hochst) ... Ficus lutea. Vahl.

  7. Concentration and toxicity of some metals in zooplankton from nearshore waters of Bombay

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gajbhiye, S.N.; Nair, V.R.; Narvekar, P.V.; Desai, B.N.

    Zooplankton samples collected from 4 stations located in the nearshore waters of Bombay were analysed for Cu, Co, Mn, Ni and Cd. Concentrations of Co, Mn and Ni were more in copepods and gelatinous organisms than in mysids and decapods. High...

  8. Trace metal dynamics in zooplankton from the Bay of Bengal during summer monsoon

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rejomon, G.; DineshKumar, P.K.; Nair, M.; Muraleedharan, K.R.

    Trace metal (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) concentrations in zooplankton from the mixed layer were investigated at 8 coastal and 20 offshore stations in the western Bay of Bengal during the summer monsoon of 2003. The ecotoxicological importance...

  9. Composition and species diversity of pine-wiregrass savannas of the Green Swamp, North Carolina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joan Walker; Robert K. Peet

    1983-01-01

    Fire-maintained, species-rich pines wiregrass savannas in the Green Swamp, North Carolina were sampled over their natural range of environmental conditions and fire frequencies. Species composition, species richness, diversity (Exp H', I/ C), and aboveground production were documented and fertilization experiments conducted to assess possible mechanisms for the...

  10. Species composition, abundance and distribution of hydromedusae from Dharamtar estuarine system, adjoining Bombay Harbour

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.; Tiwari, L.R.; Nair, V.R.

    Species composition, abundance and distribution of hydromedusae from Dharamtar estuarine system, adjoining Bombay Harbour, Maharashtra, India were investigated during 1984-1985. Twenty six species belonging to 19 genera were obtained from this area...

  11. Fish species composition, diversity and abundance of the lower New ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A thirteen-week investigation to determine the fish species composition, diversity and abundance of the Lower New Calabar River, in Rivers State, aimed at providing information on the fish stock and their status for documentation, knowledge improvement, and development of conservation and management strategies was ...

  12. The distribution, composition and abundance of fish species in two ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Fish composition and abundance of two Gold mine reservoir were investigated between May, 2008 and May, 2009. Seven fish families comprising of twelve species of fish were caught during the period of study. The families of fish caught included Anabantidae, Channidae, Clariidae, Cichlidae, Melanopluridae, Mormyridae ...

  13. Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Evaluation Program, Part B; Limnology, Primary Production, and Zooplankton in Lake Roosevelt, Washington, 1998 Annual Report.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shields, John; Spotts, Jim; Underwood, Keith

    2002-11-01

    The Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Evaluation Program is the result of a merger between two projects, the Lake Roosevelt Monitoring Program (BPA No. 8806300) and the Lake Roosevelt Data Collection Project (BPA No. 9404300). These projects were merged in 1996 to continue work historically completed under the separate projects, and is now referred to as the Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Evaluation Program. The 1998 Annual Report, Part B. Limnology, Primary Production, and Zooplankton in Lake Roosevelt, Washington examined the limnology, primary production, and zooplankton at eleven locations throughout the reservoir. The 1998 research protocol required a continuation of the more complete examination of limnological parameters in Lake Roosevelt that began in 1997. Phytoplankton and periphyton speciation, phytoplankton and periphyton chlorophyll a analysis, complete zooplankton biomass analysis by taxonomic group, and an increased number of limnologic parameters (TDG, TDS, etc.) were examined and compared with 1997 results. Total dissolved gas levels were greatly reduced in 1998, compared with 1997, likely resulting from the relatively normal water year experienced in 1998. Mean water temperatures were similar to what was observed in past years, with a maximum of 22.7 C and a minimum of 2.6 C. Oxygen concentrations were also relatively normal, with a maximum of 16.6 mg/L, and a minimum of 0.9 mg/L. Phytoplankton in Lake Roosevelt was primarily composed of microplankton (29.6%), Cryptophyceae (21.7%), and Bacillriophyceae (17.0 %). Mean total phytoplankton chlorophyll a maximum concentration occurred in May (3.53 mg/m{sup 3}), and the minimum in January (0.39 mg/m{sup 3}). Phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations appear to be influenced by hydro-operations and temperature. Trophic status as indicated by phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations place Lake Roosevelt in the oligomesotrophic range. Periphyton colonization rates and biovolume were significantly greater at a depth

  14. Plant Species Rather Than Climate Greatly Alters the Temporal Pattern of Litter Chemical Composition During Long-Term Decomposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yongfu; Chen, Na; Harmon, Mark E.; Li, Yuan; Cao, Xiaoyan; Chappell, Mark A.; Mao, Jingdong

    2015-10-01

    A feedback between decomposition and litter chemical composition occurs with decomposition altering composition that in turn influences the decomposition rate. Elucidating the temporal pattern of chemical composition is vital to understand this feedback, but the effects of plant species and climate on chemical changes remain poorly understood, especially over multiple years. In a 10-year decomposition experiment with litter of four species (Acer saccharum, Drypetes glauca, Pinus resinosa, and Thuja plicata) from four sites that range from the arctic to tropics, we determined the abundance of 11 litter chemical constituents that were grouped into waxes, carbohydrates, lignin/tannins, and proteins/peptides using advanced 13C solid-state NMR techniques. Decomposition generally led to an enrichment of waxes and a depletion of carbohydrates, whereas the changes of other chemical constituents were inconsistent. Inconsistent convergence in chemical compositions during decomposition was observed among different litter species across a range of site conditions, whereas one litter species converged under different climate conditions. Our data clearly demonstrate that plant species rather than climate greatly alters the temporal pattern of litter chemical composition, suggesting the decomposition-chemistry feedback varies among different plant species.

  15. Temporal Decay in Timber Species Composition and Value in Amazonian Logging Concessions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Vanessa A; Peres, Carlos A

    2016-01-01

    Throughout human history, slow-renewal biological resource populations have been predictably overexploited, often to the point of economic extinction. We assess whether and how this has occurred with timber resources in the Brazilian Amazon. The asynchronous advance of industrial-scale logging frontiers has left regional-scale forest landscapes with varying histories of logging. Initial harvests in unlogged forests can be highly selective, targeting slow-growing, high-grade, shade-tolerant hardwood species, while later harvests tend to focus on fast-growing, light-wooded, long-lived pioneer trees. Brazil accounts for 85% of all native neotropical forest roundlog production, and the State of Pará for almost half of all timber production in Brazilian Amazonia, the largest old-growth tropical timber reserve controlled by any country. Yet the degree to which timber harvests beyond the first-cut can be financially profitable or demographically sustainable remains poorly understood. Here, we use data on legally planned logging of ~17.3 million cubic meters of timber across 314 species extracted from 824 authorized harvest areas in private and community-owned forests, 446 of which reported volumetric composition data by timber species. We document patterns of timber extraction by volume, species composition, and monetary value along aging eastern Amazonian logging frontiers, which are then explained on the basis of historical and environmental variables. Generalized linear models indicate that relatively recent logging operations farthest from heavy-traffic roads are the most selective, concentrating gross revenues on few high-value species. We find no evidence that the post-logging timber species composition and total value of forest stands recovers beyond the first-cut, suggesting that the commercially most valuable timber species become predictably rare or economically extinct in old logging frontiers. In avoiding even more destructive land-use patterns, managing

  16. [Ecological risk assessment of hydropower dam construction on aquatic species in middle reaches of Lancang River, Southwest China based on ESHIPPO model].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiao-Yan; Peng, Ming-Chun; Dong, Shi-Kui; Liu, Shi-Liang; Li, Jin-Peng; Yang, Zhi-Feng

    2013-02-01

    An investigation was conducted on the phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish at 8 sampling sections in the Manwan Reservoir before and after the construction of Xiaowan Hydropower Dam. The modified ESHIPPO model was applied to study the changes of the featured aquatic species, including endangered species, endemic specie, peis resource species, and native fish, aimed to make an ecological risk assessment of the dam construction on the aquatic species. The dam construction had definite ecological risk on the aquatic species, especially the endemic fish, in Langcang River, due to the changes of hydrological conditions. The endemic species including Bangia atropurpurea, Lemanea sinica, Prasiola sp., Attheyella yunnanensis, and Neutrodiaptomus mariadvigae were at high ecological risk, and thus, besides monitoring, protection measures were needed to be taken to lower the possibility of the species extinction. The widely distributed species of phytoplankton and zooplankton were at medium ecological risk, and protection measures besides monitoring should be prepared. Twelve kinds of native fish, including Barbodes huangchuchieni, Sinilabeo laticeps, Racoma lantsangensis, Racoma lissolabiatus, Paracobitis anguillioides, Schistura latifasciata, Botia nigrolineata, Vanmanenia striata, Homaloptera yunnanensis, Platytropius longianlis, Glyptothorax zanaensis, and Pseudecheneis immaculate, were at high ecological risk, and protection measures needed to be developed to prevent the possibility of the species loss and extinction.

  17. Zooplankton predators and prey: body size and stable isotope to investigate the pelagic food web in a deep lake (Lake Iseo, Northern Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Leoni

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Seasonal changes in trophic position and food sources of deep subalpine lake (Lake Iseo, Northern Italy zooplankton taxa were investigated during the year 2011. Furthermore, it's combined carbon and nitrogen Stable Isotope Analysis (SIA with size-specific analyses of both, the major predatory cladoceran (Leptodora kindtii, Focke and two potential preys (Daphnia longispina complex and Eubosmina longicornis. SIA studies have been extremely useful to track the energy flow through complex trophic network, however, if it is applied to analyze relation between two/few species may lead to misleading interpretations. In fact, integrating size-specificity allowed for understanding why L. kindtii nitrogen isotopic fingerprint fully overlapped with Daphnia, in spring. By investigating changes in L. kindtii's feeding basket, we found that in spring, L. kindtii mainly relied upon E. longicornis as prey, Daphnia being of too large body size for being captured by L. kindtii. Among preys encountered directly in front by a free-swimming Leptodora, only those able to fit into basket opening can be captured. As basket diameter increases with animal body length, size selection of prey depends on L. kindtii body length. As in other deep, subalpine lakes, E. longicornis was less 15N-enriched than Daphnia, most likely because of exploiting nitrogen fixing, cyanobacteria colonies, commonly detected in Lake Iseo with the onset of thermal stratification. Cyclopoid adults were at the top of zooplankton food chain and they could potentially be feeding on Daphnia. They, however, likely fed in a different habitat (>20 m deep water, as suggested by a rather than negligible carbon fractionation. The results overall suggest that size-specificity is crucial for addressing space and time changes in trophic links between organisms composing the two hierarchical levels within open water zooplankton community. 

  18. Distribution of trace metals in surface seawater and zooplankton of the Bay of Bengal, off Rushikulya estuary, East Coast of India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srichandan, Suchismita; Panigrahy, R C; Baliarsingh, S K; Rao B, Srinivasa; Pati, Premalata; Sahu, Biraja K; Sahu, K C

    2016-10-15

    Concentrations of trace metals such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), vanadium (V), and selenium (Se) were determined in seawater and zooplankton from the surface waters off Rushikulya estuary, north-western Bay of Bengal. During the study period, the concentration of trace metals in seawater and zooplankton showed significant spatio-temporal variation. Cu and Co levels in seawater mostly remained non-detectable. Other elements were found at higher concentrations and exhibited marked variations. The rank order distribution of trace metals in terms of their average concentration in seawater was observed as Fe>Ni>Mn>Pb>As>Zn>Cr>V>Se>Cd while in zooplankton it was Fe>Mn>Cd>As>Pb>Ni>Cr>Zn>V>Se. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of Fe was highest followed by Zn and the lowest value was observed with Ni. Results of correlation analysis discerned positive affinity and good relationship among the majority of the trace metals, both in seawater and zooplankton suggesting their strong affinity and coexistence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Speciation in ancient cryptic species complexes: evidence from the molecular phylogeny of Brachionus plicatilis (Rotifera).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez, Africa; Serra, Manuel; Carvalho, Gary R; Lunt, David H

    2002-07-01

    Continental lake-dwelling zooplanktonic organisms have long been considered cosmopolitan species with little geographic variation in spite of the isolation of their habitats. Evidence of morphological cohesiveness and high dispersal capabilities support this interpretation. However, this view has been challenged recently as many such species have been shown either to comprise cryptic species complexes or to exhibit marked population genetic differentiation and strong phylogeographic structuring at a regional scale. Here we investigate the molecular phylogeny of the cosmopolitan passively dispersing rotifer Brachionus plicatilis (Rotifera: Monogononta) species complex using nucleotide sequence variation from both nuclear (ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1, ITS1) and mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI) genes. Analysis of rotifer resting eggs from 27 salt lakes in the Iberian Peninsula plus lakes from four continents revealed nine genetically divergent lineages. The high level of sequence divergence, absence of hybridization, and extensive sympatry observed support the specific status of these lineages. Sequence divergence estimates indicate that the B. plicatilis complex began diversifying many millions of years ago, yet has showed relatively high levels of morphological stasis. We discuss these results in relation to the ecology and genetics of aquatic invertebrates possessing dispersive resting propagules and address the apparent contradiction between zooplanktonic population structure and their morphological stasis.

  20. Is Recovery of Large-Bodied Zooplankton after Nutrient Loading Reduction Hampered by Climate Warming? A Long-Term Study of Shallow Hypertrophic Lake Søbygaard, Denmark

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Florencia Gutierrez

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Nutrient fluctuations and climate warming can synergistically affect trophic dynamics in lakes, resulting in enhanced symptoms of eutrophication, thereby potentially counteracting restoration measures. We performed a long-term study (23 years of zooplankton in Danish Lake Søbygaard, which is in recovery after nutrient loading reduction, but now faces the effects of climate warming. We hypothesized that the recovery of large-bodied zooplankton after nutrient loading reduction would be hampered by climate warming through indirect effects on fish size structure. We found a shift in macrozooplankton from initial dominance of Daphnia spp. towards Bosmina spp. as well as a decline in the body size of copepods and an increase in the abundance of nauplii. These changes coincided with the increase in small sized fish as a result of rising water temperature. Despite a reduction in body size, the total biomass of cladocerans increased coinciding with a diminished fish catch per unit effort (CPUE, and likely then an overall reduction in the predation on zooplankton. A cascading effect to phytoplankton was evidenced by enhanced zooplankton:phytoplankton and cladoceran:phytoplankton ratios and a decrease in Chl-a:TP and Chl-a:TN ratios. Our results indicate that climate warming, through changes in the size structure of fish community, has major effects on zooplankton size structure. In Lake Søbygaard, the decline in zooplankton size did not prevent, but modulated, the positive cascading effect on phytoplankton through an expected diminished fish CPUE related to nutrient loading reduction.

  1. Zooplankton incidence in abnormally high sea surface temperature in the Eastern Arabian Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.

    Zooplankton in an abnormally high sea surface temperature (33.1 to 33.8 degrees C) and alternate bands of slick formation were studied in the Eastern Arabian Sea during 26 and 29 April 1981. The phenomenon which may be due to intense diurnal heating...

  2. Morphology, Mechanical Properties and Dimensional Stability of Biomass Particles/High Density Polyethylene Composites: Effect of Species and Composition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binshan Mu

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The utilization of four types of biomass particles, including hardwood (poplar, softwood (radiata pine, crop (wheat straw and bamboo (moso bamboo, as reinforcing fillers in preparing high density polyethylene (HDPE based composites was studied. To improve interfacial compatibility, maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE was applied as the coupling agent. The effects of the biomass species on the mechanical and water absorption properties of the resulting composites were evaluated based on chemical composition analysis. A creep-recovery test was conducted in single cantilever mode using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. Results show that the four types of biomass particles had similar chemical compositions but different composition contents. Poplar particles with high cellulose content loading in the HDPE matrix exhibited higher tensile and flexure properties and creep resistance. Fracture morphology analysis indicated a weak particle-matrix interface in wheat straw based composites. Given the high crystallinity and minimum hemicellulose content, the moso bamboo reinforced composite showed high impact strength and better water resistance.

  3. Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivarajah, Sivajanani; Smith, Sandy M; Thomas, Sean C

    2018-01-01

    Human exposure to green space and vegetation is widely recognized to result in physical and mental health benefits; however, to date, the specific effects of tree cover, diversity, and species composition on student academic performance have not been investigated. We compiled standardized performance scores in Grades 3 and 6 for the collective student body in 387 schools across the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), and examined variation in relation to tree cover, tree diversity, and tree species composition based on comprehensive inventories of trees on school properties combined with aerial-photo-based assessments of tree cover. Analyses accounted for variation due to socioeconomic factors using the learning opportunity index (LOI), a regional composite index of external challenges to learning that incorporates income and other factors, such as students with English as a second language. As expected, LOI had the greatest influence on student academic performance; however, the proportion of tree cover, as distinct from other types of "green space" such as grass, was found to be a significant positive predictor of student performance, accounting for 13% of the variance explained in a statistical model predicting mean student performance assessments. The effects of tree cover and species composition were most pronounced in schools that showed the highest level of external challenges, suggesting the importance of urban forestry investments in these schools.

  4. Nectar production dynamics and sugar composition in two Mucuna species (Leguminosae, Faboideae) with different specialized pollinators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agostini, Kayna; Sazima, Marlies; Galetto, Leonardo

    2011-11-01

    Nectar is secreted in particular rhythms throughout the lifespan of a flower, which allows determining the nectar production dynamics. This paper compares nectar features in Mucuna japira and Mucuna urens describing: dynamics of nectar production, floral response to nectar removal, resorption, nectar sugar composition, and variation in nectar sugar composition. M. japira inflorescence bears 12-21 yellow flowers, which are in anthesis for 7 days, whereas M. urens inflorescence bears 36-54 greenish flowers, but only 1-3 flowers are in anthesis simultaneously that last one night. Nectar volume and sugar concentration were measured, and the amount of sugar was estimated. Qualitative and quantitative nectar sugar composition was determined. Both species had a constant nectar sugar concentration (ca. 10% for M. japira and ca. 16% for M. urens) and secreted high volumes of nectar (ca. 340 μl per flower for M. japira and 310 μl per flower for M. urens), during 5 days for M. japira and 6 h for M. urens, but after the first removal, i.e., when flower opening mechanism is triggered, nectar production stops immediately. Nectar resorption occurred in both species. Nectar sugar composition showed some similarities between the species. Variation in nectar sugar composition occurred in both species. The Mucuna species are dependent on their pollinators to produce fruits and seeds, and they have different strategies to promote the necessary interaction with birds or bats, especially related to nectar and flower characteristics.

  5. COMPOSITIONAL PROPERTIES OF THREE FRESHWATER CARP SPECIES GROWN IN BRACKISH WATER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Ismail Chughtai

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Three freshwater fish species viz. Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala and Gibelion catla, grown in brackish water ponds were analyzed for compositional properties to assess the potential of this habitat to produce nutritionally adequate fish for human consumption. Overall, the unsaturated fatty acids were lower in L. rohita (46.6% than saturated fatty acids; while in C. mrigala and G. catla, the unsaturated fatty acids were 50.4% and 58.2%, respectively. The most abundant saturated fatty acid in examined species was palmitic acid (C16:0, 23.7 to 34.1%; mono-unsaturated fatty acid was oleic acid (C18:1 19.6 to 31.7% and poly-unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid (C18:2 9.46 to 13.3%. A reasonable amount of essential fatty acids ω-3 (5.80 to 9.26% and ω-6 (9.46 to 13.3% was also found in these species while growing in brackish water on salt tolerant forages like Leptochloa fusca, Brachiaria mutica and Kochia indica as supplemental feed. The ω-3/ω-6 ratio was calculated as 0.46, 0.80 and 0.69 in L. rohita, C. mrigala and G. catla, respectively. The maximum EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid, C20:5 was observed in C. mrigala (2.23%, followed by G. catla (1.62% and L. rohita (0.98%. While the DHA (docosahexanenoic acids, C22:6 was found maximum in G. catla (1.97% and minimum in C. mrigala (0.95%. The results of body composition indicated that L. rohita found maximum protein contents (19.2% with minimum total fats (1.28% while C. mrigala found maximum total fats (2.11% but minimum protein contents (18.3%. Overall results indicated that the Indian carps grown in brackish water have comparable chemical composition and nutritive value with the same species grown in freshwater medium.

  6. Changes in the composition of ichthyoplankton assemblage and plastic debris in mangrove creeks relative to moon phases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, A R A; Barletta, M; Costa, M F; Ramos, J A A; Dantas, D V; Melo, P A M C; Justino, A K S; Ferreira, G V B

    2016-07-01

    Lunar influence on the distribution of fish larvae, zooplankton and plastic debris in mangrove creeks of the Goiana Estuary, Brazil, was studied over a lunar cycle. Cetengraulis edentulus, Anchovia clupeoides and Rhinosardinia bahiensis were the most abundant fish larvae (56·6%), independent of the moon phase. The full moon had a positive influence on the abundance of Gobionellus oceanicus, Cynoscion acoupa and Atherinella brasiliensis, and the new moon on Ulaema lefroyi. The full and new moons also influenced the number of zoeae and megalopae of Ucides cordatus, protozoeae and larvae of caridean shrimps, and the number of hard and soft plastic debris, both 5 mm. Micro and macroplastics were present in samples from all 12 creeks studied, at densities similar to the third most abundant taxon, R. bahiensis. Cetengraulis edentulus and R. bahiensis showed a strong positive correlation with the last quarter moon, when there was less zooplankton available in the creeks and higher abundance of microplastic threads. Anchovia clupeoides, Diapterus rhombeus, U. lefroyi and hard microplastics were positively associated with different moon phases, when calanoid copepods, Caridean larvae and zoeae of U. cordatus were highly available in the creeks. Cynoscion acoupa, G. oceanicus and A. brasiliensis were strongly associated with the full moon, when protozoeae of caridean shrimps and megalopae of U. cordatus were also highly available, as were hard and soft macroplastics, paint chips (mangrove creeks as nursery habitats. The moon phases influenced the distribution of fish larvae species, zooplankton and plastic debris by changing their compositions and abundances in the mangrove creeks of the Goiana Estuary when under the influence of different tidal current regimes. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  7. Effects of habitat and landscape characteristics on medium and large mammal species richness and composition in northern Uruguay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María José Andrade-Núñez

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The increasing world population and demand for food and other products has accelerated the conversion of natural habitats into agricultural lands, plantations and urban areas. Changes in habitat and landscape characteristics due to land-use change can have a significant effect on species presence, abundance, and distribution. Multi-scale approaches have been used to determine the proper spatial scales at which species and communities are responding to habitat transformation. In this context, we evaluated medium and large mammal species richness and composition in gallery forest (n = 10, grassland (n = 10, and exotic tree plantation (n = 10 in a region where grasslands have been converted into exotic tree plantations. We quantified mammal species richness and composition with camera traps and track surveys. The composition of the mammal community was related with local habitat variables, and landscape variables measured at seven spatial scales. We found 14 mammal species in forest, 11 species in plantation, and 7 mammal species in grassland. Two species are exotics, the wild boar Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 and the European hare Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778. The most common species are the crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous Linnaeus, 1766, the nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758 and the gray brocket deer Mazama gouazoubira G. Fischer, 1814 which are generalist species. Our results showed significant differences in mammal species richness and composition among the three habitat types. Plantations can have positive and negative effects on the presence of species restricted to grasslands. Positive effects are reflected in a wider local distribution of some forest species that rarely use grassland. The most important habitat and landscape variables that influenced mammal species richness and composition were vertical structure index, canopy cover, tree species diversity, percentage of grass, and the percentage of forest and grassland

  8. X ray microanalysis of leaf and seed elemental composition among four species of living fossil gymnosperm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang Chongyan; Li Yongliang; Chen Xiaoduan; Liu Jinying; Zhou Yunlong

    2002-01-01

    The leaf and seed elemental composition and average mass fraction are analysed or four species of living fossil gymnosperm: Ginkgo biloba L., Cathaya argyrophylla Chun et Kuang, Glyptostrobus pensilis (D. Don) Koch and Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng by SEM X ray microanalysis method. The results show that the elemental composition is different and the elemental average mass fraction is evidently different between the seed and leaf for the same species. The elemental composition and average mass fraction between seed and seed wing is different in Cathaya argyrophylla and Metasequoia glyptostroboides. Among three type leaf of Glyptostrobus pensilis, the elemental composition is the same, but average mass fraction is very different

  9. Analyzing the trophic link between the mesopelagic microbial loop and zooplankton from observed depth profiles of bacteria and protozoa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Tanaka

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available It is widely recognized that organic carbon exported to the ocean aphotic layer is significantly consumed by heterotrophic organisms such as bacteria and zooplankton in the mesopelagic layer. However, very little is known for the trophic link between bacteria and zooplankton or the function of the microbial loop in this layer. In the northwestern Mediterranean, recent studies have shown that viruses, bacteria, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, and ciliates distribute down to 2000 m with group-specific depth-dependent decreases, and that bacterial production decreases with depth down to 1000 m. Here we show that such data can be analyzed using a simple steady-state food chain model to quantify the carbon flow from bacteria to zooplankton over the mesopelagic layer. The model indicates that bacterial mortality by viruses is similar to or 1.5 times greater than that by heterotrophic nanoflagellates, and that heterotrophic nanoflagellates transfer little of bacterial production to higher trophic levels.

  10. Assessment of oil content and fatty acid composition variability in two economically important Hibiscus species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ming Li; Morris, Brad; Tonnis, Brandon; Davis, Jerry; Pederson, Gary A

    2012-07-04

    The Hibiscus genus encompasses more than 300 species, but kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) are the two most economically important species within the genus. Seeds from these two Hibiscus species contain a relatively high amount of oil with two unusual fatty acids: dihydrosterculic and vernolic acids. The fatty acid composition in the oil can directly affect oil quality and its utilization. However, the variability in oil content and fatty acid composition for these two species is unclear. For these two species, 329 available accessions were acquired from the USDA germplasm collection. Their oil content and fatty acid composition were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography (GC), respectively. Using NMR and GC analyses, we found that Hibiscus seeds on average contained 18% oil and seed oil was composed of six major fatty acids (each >1%) and seven minor fatty acids (each Hibiscus cannabinus seeds contained significantly higher amounts of oil (18.14%), palmitic (20.75%), oleic (28.91%), vernolic acids (VA, 4.16%), and significantly lower amounts of stearic (3.96%), linoleic (39.49%), and dihydrosterculic acids (DHSA, 1.08%) than H. sabdariffa seeds (17.35%, 18.52%, 25.16%, 3.52%, 4.31%, 44.72%, and 1.57%, respectively). For edible oils, a higher oleic/linoleic (O/L) ratio and lower level of DHSA are preferred, and for industrial oils a high level of VA is preferred. Our results indicate that seeds from H. cannabinus may be of higher quality than H. sabdariffa seeds for these reasons. Significant variability in oil content and major fatty acids was also detected within both species. The variability in oil content and fatty acid composition revealed from this study will be useful for exploring seed utilization and developing new cultivars in these Hibiscus species.

  11. A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SPECIES COMPOSITION OF GROUND BEETLES OF COASTAL AND ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS OF THE WESTERN CASPIAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. M. Abdurakhmanov

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available For the first time studied the species composition of ground beetles of coastal and island ecosystems of the Western Caspian. The article provides a comparative analysis of species composition of ground beetles and adjacent areas.

  12. Disentangling the counteracting effects of water content and carbon mass on zooplankton growth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mcconville, Kristian; Atkinson, Angus; Fileman, Elaine S.

    2017-01-01

    Zooplankton vary widely in carbon percentage (carbon mass as a percentage of wet mass), but are often described as either gelatinous or non-gelatinous. Here we update datasets of carbon percentage and growth rate to investigate whether carbon percentage is a continuous trait, and whether its incl...

  13. Estimates of zooplankton abundance and size distribution with the Optical Plankton Counter (OPC)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wieland, Kai; Petersen, D.; Schnack, D.

    1997-01-01

    The capability of the Optical Plankton Count er (OPC) to examine the abundance and size distribution of zooplankton was tested in Storfjorden, Norway, in June 1993. Selected material obtained from net sampling was measured with a laboratory version of the OPC and compared with microscope analysis...

  14. Species composition, distribution and abundance of hydromedusae in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the east coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.

    Based on zooplankton collections made by Fisheries Ocean Research Vessel Sagar Sampada Central Marine Fisheries REsearch Institute, India, during the period 1986-1990, 356 samples from 18 cruises from Sri Lanka to Calcutta Coast were analysed...

  15. Modeled sensitivity of Lake Michigan productivity and zooplankton to changing nutrient concentrations and quagga mussels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilcher, Darren J.; McKinley, Galen A.; Kralj, James; Bootsma, Harvey A.; Reavie, Euan D.

    2017-08-01

    The recent decline in Lake Michigan productivity is often attributed to filter feeding by invasive quagga mussels, but some studies also implicate reductions in lakewide nutrient concentrations. We use a 3-D coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model to evaluate the effect of changing nutrient concentrations and quagga mussel filtering on phytoplankton production and phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass. Sensitivity experiments are used to assess the net effect of each change separately and in unison. Quagga mussels are found to have the greatest impact during periods of isothermal mixing, while nutrients have the greatest impact during thermal stratification. Quagga mussels also act to enhance spatial heterogeneity, particularly between nearshore-offshore regions. This effect produces a reversal in the gradient of nearshore-offshore productivity: from relatively greater nearshore productivity in the prequagga lake to relatively lesser nearshore productivity after quaggas. The combined impact of both processes drives substantial reductions in phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass, as well as significant modifications to the seasonality of surface water pCO2, particularly in nearshore regions where mussel grazing continues year-round. These results support growing concern that considerable losses of phytoplankton and zooplankton will yield concurrent losses at higher trophic levels. Comparisons to observed productivity suggest that both quagga mussel filtration and lower lakewide total phosphorus are necessary to accurately simulate recent changes in primary productivity in Lake Michigan.

  16. A novel approach reveals high zooplankton standing stock deep in the sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Vereshchaka

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available In a changing ocean there is a critical need to understand global biogeochemical cycling, particularly regarding carbon. We have made strides in understanding upper ocean dynamics, but the deep ocean interior (> 1000 m is still largely unknown, despite representing the overwhelming majority of Earth's biosphere. Here we present a method for estimating deep-pelagic zooplankton biomass on an ocean-basin scale. We have made several new discoveries about the Atlantic, which likely apply to the world ocean. First, multivariate analysis showed that depth and Chl were the basic factors affecting the wet biomass of the main plankton groups. Wet biomass of all major groups was significantly correlated with Chl. Second, zooplankton biomass in the upper bathypelagic domain is higher than expected. Third, the majority of this biomass comprises macroplanktonic shrimps, which have been historically underestimated. These findings, coupled with recent findings of increased global deep-pelagic fish biomass, suggest that the contribution of the deep-ocean pelagic fauna for biogeochemical cycles may be more important than previously thought.

  17. Zooplankton biomass and potential fishery resources of the EEZ of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Goswami, S.C.

    , Lakshadweep (Laccadive) and Andaman and Nicobar seas. Zooplankton biomass values ranged from 0.02 to 20.0 ml m sup(-3) (av. = 0.82 ml m sup(-3)); 0.01 to 5.3 ml m sup(-3) (av. = 0.22 ml m sup(-3)); 0.01 to 1.6 ml m sup(-3) (av. = 0.82 ml m sup(-3) and 0.2 to 0...

  18. Spatial distribution and secondary production of Copepoda in a tropical reservoir: Barra Bonita, SP, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MJ. Santos-Wisniewski

    Full Text Available The present paper aims to describe the spatial distribution of zooplankton copepods, their biomass and instantaneous secondary production, in Barra Bonita, a large eutrophic, polymitic reservoir (22° 29' S and 48° 34' W on the Tietê River, of the Paraná basin. Sampling was carried out during two seasons: dry winter and rainy summer. Species composition, age structure and numerical density of each copepod species population were analyzed at 25 sampling stations. Secondary production was calculated for Copepoda, the dominant group in zooplankton communities, taking Calanoida and Cyclopoida separately. Copepoda represented the largest portion of the total zooplankton biomass, the dominant species being Notodiaptomus iheringi among the Calanoida and Mesocyclops ogunnus and Thermocyclops decipiens among the Cyclopoida. The production of Copepoda was higher during the rainy summer (23.61 mgDW.m-3.d-1 in January 1995 than during the dry winter season (14 mgDW.m-3.d-1 in August 1995, following the general pattern of abundance for the whole zooplankton community. Among the copepods, Cyclopoida production was higher than that of Calanoida, a pattern commonly observed for tropical lakes and reservoirs. Barra Bonita copepods are very productive, but there was a great degree of spatial heterogeneity, related to the physical and chemical conditions, particularly the level of nutrients and also to phytoplankton biomass.

  19. Species composition of a soil invertebrate multi-species test system determines the level of ecotoxicity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sechi, Valentina; D'Annibale, Alessandra; Maraldo, Kristine; Johansen, Anders; Bossi, Rossana; Jensen, John; Krogh, Paul Henning

    2014-01-01

    A soil multi-species, SMS, experimental test system consisting of the natural microbial community, five collembolan species and a predatory mite along with either Enchytraeus crypticus or the earthworm Eisenia fetida were exposed to α-cypermethrin. A comparison of the performance of these two types of SMSs is given to aid the development of a standard test system. E. fetida had a positive effect on the majority of the species, reducing the negative insecticide effect. E. fetida affected the species sensitivity and decreased the degradation of the insecticide due to the organic matter incorporation of earthworm food. After 8 weeks, the EC50 was 0.76 mg kg −1 for enchytraeids and ranged between 2.7 and 18.9 mg kg −1 for collembolans, more sensitive than previously observed with single species. Changes observed in the community structure and function illustrates the strength of a multi-species test system as an ecotoxicological tool compared to single species tests. -- Highlights: • Degradation of alpha-cypermethrin was faster with enchytraeids than with earthworms. • Lumbricid castings and bioturbation explains bioavailability of α-cypermethrin. • Pesticide effects on soil arthropods alter with the community composition. • Multispecies test systems are feasible with either an enchytraeid or a lumbricid. • Collembolans are more sensitive to cypermethrin with enchytraeids than with earthworms. -- Soil ecotoxicological fate and effects in multispecies test systems are affected by earthworm activity

  20. Spatial and temporal variation of the zooplankton community in the area of influence of the Itajaí-açu River, SC (BRAZIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charrid Resgalla Junior

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available On the north coast of the State of Santa Catarina (Brazil, the Itajaí-Açu River mouth shows a low-saline water plume on the internal shelf with strong density gradients. This oceanographic condition has a possible influence over the pelagic community, and it has been little investigated on the Brazilian coast. The present work seeks to evaluate the spatial and temporal variations of the zooplankton community in the area of influence of the Itajaí-açu River, and its relations with the abiotic forces of temperature (seasonal variation and salinity of the river plume. For this purpose, 14 monthly oceanographic cruises were carried out during the years 2002 and 2003, to obtain physical and chemical parameters, and zooplankton hauls in 9 sampling points. The zooplankton analyses were carried out at the lowest taxon possible to characterize the resident community of the river mouth. It was observed that the zooplankton presented the highest densities in winter and spring. The species with higher densities and frequencies of occurrence were Paracalanus quasimodo, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Acartia lilijeborgi, Temora stylifera, T. turbinata, and Penilia avirostris, indicating a prevalence in this region, of Tropical Water from the Brazil Current and greater similarity with the coastal community of the Southeast region of Brazil. However, even for the species typical of Tropical Water, there were alterations in dominance of the species, due to the seasonality and level of flow rate of the river on the salinity of the internal shelf of the study area.No norte do estado de Santa Catarina (Brasil a desembocadura do Rio Itajaí-açu apresenta uma pluma de água de baixa salinidade e com forte gradiente de densidade sobre a plataforma interna. Essa condição oceanográfica pode influenciar a comunidade pelágica costeira local e este processo tem sido pobremente investigado na costa brasileira. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar as varia