Ecological Gradients Determining the Zooplankton-Macrophyte Interaction and Diversity in Brackish Water Wetlands of Midnapore (East), West Bengal, India

Abstract

Present paper analyzes whether physicochemical parameters significantly influence the occurrence of zooplankton in a brackish wetlands. The studies were carried out on the brackish wetlands from 2014 to 2016 at three season – pre-monsoon (April-June), monsoon (July- September) and post-monsoon (October- december). The environmental conditions in the wetlands varied greatly. At the time of the investigation, 29 species of Copepod and12 species of rotifer were noted, and the total density of zooplankton fauna ranged from 122 to 451 ind./dm3 . Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between the occurrence of some zooplankton species and certain environmental parameters. In addition, dissolve organic substance from macrophytes triggers eutrophication and causing ow water transparency. Calanoid copepods were the dominant species in both the wetlands and showed seasonal variation. The high abundance of rotifer species genera Keratella andBrachionus reflects the harsh environment in the study sites, caused by the cultural eutrophication, salinity increase and also the temperature enhanced decrease in zooplankton evenness and richness.