Seasonal and Diurnal Variation of Zooplankton in Relation to Physicochemical Parameters of Two Freshwater Pond Ecosystem: A Case Study

Abstract

Zooplankton diversity and physicochemical study was conducted at two surface water bodies in Durgapur, an industrial city of West Bengal, India. The diversity, dominance, richness and evenness were calculated by collected quantitative (ind/l) diurnal and monthly data of Zooplanktons from two freshwater ponds to assess the composition, abundance and community structure as well as ecological health status of the concerned study sites. The limnological profile seems to better at site-I with respect to higher level of dissolve oxygen (DO), optimum pH and temperature for growth of biotic community as well as higher abundance of Zooplanktons. As per recorded physicochemical parameters on seasonal and diurnal basis, the most functional parameters have been selected statistically through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Sixteen zooplankton species were identified in which one belonged to Calanoid copepoda, two belonged to Cyclopoid copepoda, six belonged to Cladocera, six belonged to Rotifera, and last one belonged to Ostracoda. In both sites Calanoid copepoda represented by Heliodiaptomus viduus, whereas the Cyclopoid copepoda represented as Mesocyclops leukharti and Mesocyclops hyalinus. The Cladocerans were represented by Moina micrura, Moina brachiata, Diaphanosoma sarcii, Daphnia dubia, Ceriodaphnia cornuta and Alona Sp. The Rotifer communities were represented by Asplanchna brighwelli, Brachionus fulcatus, Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus plicatilis, Keratella tropica and Rotaria neptunia. Cyprinotus dentatus was rerpresented the Ostracodan community. The data obtained in this investigation will be crucial towards understanding of the anthropogenic intoxication of surface waterbodies and contribute towards the limnological profile of the surface water body.