IMPACTS OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS ON ZOOPLANKTON BIODIVERSITY RECORDED FROM SAFARI ZOO LAKE LAHORE, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Zooplanktons are an integral part of any water reservoir, whether freshwater or marine. They are linked in food chains and the food web of a water ecosystem. Some zooplanktons are food for other zooplankton types. The diversity and density of these creatures are affected by eutrophication and changes in Physico-chemical parameters. Some species of zooplanktons are found in eutrophic water bodies. They are important bio-indicators, and their presence reflects the eutrophic condition of any water body. These organisms have a worldwide distribution, playing a pivotal role in shaping the whole community structure of any water reservoir and unfolding the close connections of various trophic levels. The present study explores the density and diversity of various types of zooplankton found in Safari Zoo Lake, Lahore. The study on an artificial lake with lesser water replacement pictured different zooplankton groups, including copepod, tintinnids, cladoceran and rotifers with many larger animals, which affected the overall zooplankton population. Since Physico-chemical parameters also affect the density and diversity of zooplankton, water samples were collected to measure various parameters every month. A very low density and diversity of zooplanktons were recorded during this study, where rotifers were the most abundant. The lake condition showed eutrophication getting support from bio-indicator species like Brachionus calyciflorus.