Journal of Environment and Sociobiology

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Diel Activity Patterns within Zooplanktonic Community in Relation to Physico-Chemical Factors


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1 Department of Zoology, Maulana Azad College, Kolkata-700 013, India
     

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Diel variations in surface crowding of different zooplanktonic species of a freshwater pond along with the changes in certain physico-chemical conditions with the changes in seasons were recorded. Higher mean pH values were recorded in the strongly illuminated part of the day. The maximum DO content was noticed at 12 hr while the minimum was noticed at 06 hr. The chlorides content of the pond water shows a significant change in the seasonal scales. The total hardness was minimum at 06 hr and gradually increased at 12 hr, 18 hr and became maximum at 24 hr. Total acidity, pH, chlorides, hardness, phosphate and silicate were observed to have a positive correlation with water temperature. Total acidity showed positive correlation with two important nutrients, namely, phosphate and silicate and total hardness showed positive correlation with total acidity and chloride content. Net Primary Productivity values clearly indicated that the pond was hyper-eutrophic. Minimum density of copepods was observed at 12 hr when solar radiation was maximum. Immature copepods (nauplii and copepodids) appeared in higher number in surface water at 24 hr and minimum at 18 hr. Cladocerans exhibited clear crepuscular migration. The loricate rotifera genus, Brachionus usually had different migrational pattern compared to illoricate genus Asplanchna. Behavioral similarity in diel activity pattern was shown in a dendrogram.

Keywords

Diel pattern, zooplankton, permanent pond, GPP, NPP.
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  • Diel Activity Patterns within Zooplanktonic Community in Relation to Physico-Chemical Factors

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Authors

Promita De Sarkar
Department of Zoology, Maulana Azad College, Kolkata-700 013, India
Sadaf Naaz
Department of Zoology, Maulana Azad College, Kolkata-700 013, India
S. K. Mukhopadhyay
Department of Zoology, Maulana Azad College, Kolkata-700 013, India

Abstract


Diel variations in surface crowding of different zooplanktonic species of a freshwater pond along with the changes in certain physico-chemical conditions with the changes in seasons were recorded. Higher mean pH values were recorded in the strongly illuminated part of the day. The maximum DO content was noticed at 12 hr while the minimum was noticed at 06 hr. The chlorides content of the pond water shows a significant change in the seasonal scales. The total hardness was minimum at 06 hr and gradually increased at 12 hr, 18 hr and became maximum at 24 hr. Total acidity, pH, chlorides, hardness, phosphate and silicate were observed to have a positive correlation with water temperature. Total acidity showed positive correlation with two important nutrients, namely, phosphate and silicate and total hardness showed positive correlation with total acidity and chloride content. Net Primary Productivity values clearly indicated that the pond was hyper-eutrophic. Minimum density of copepods was observed at 12 hr when solar radiation was maximum. Immature copepods (nauplii and copepodids) appeared in higher number in surface water at 24 hr and minimum at 18 hr. Cladocerans exhibited clear crepuscular migration. The loricate rotifera genus, Brachionus usually had different migrational pattern compared to illoricate genus Asplanchna. Behavioral similarity in diel activity pattern was shown in a dendrogram.

Keywords


Diel pattern, zooplankton, permanent pond, GPP, NPP.

References