Abstract
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.
Highlights
Reservoirs are considered favourable environments to the development of zooplankton communities, which may establish diversed assemblages in relatively short periods of time after impoundment (Rocha et al 1999)
Typical zooplankton assemblage of reservoirs is commonly constituted by Protozoa, Rotifera, Copepoda and Cladocera (Rocha et al 1999)
The objective of this paper is to investigate the species composition and relative abundance of zooplankton of Oyun Reservoir in relation to physico-chemical factors of the reservoir
Summary
Reservoirs are considered favourable environments to the development of zooplankton communities, which may establish diversed assemblages in relatively short periods of time after impoundment (Rocha et al 1999). Zooplankton assemblage usually influences energy flow through classical food chain, nutrient cycling and community population dynamics within the reservoir ecosystem. This ecological niche has made them key actors in their top down grazing effect (trophic cascade) on the bottom up forces which plays pivotal roles in biomanipulation for lake restoration purposes (Carpenter & Kitchel 1993). Typical zooplankton assemblage of reservoirs is commonly constituted by Protozoa, Rotifera, Copepoda and Cladocera (Rocha et al 1999) This assemblage often differ in diversity and abundance from reservoir to reservoir, from location to location within each reservoir, from geographical region to region and with time (intra-annual and between years) and are structured by fish predation, competition, aquatic macrophytes (Jackson & Schmitz 1987) and physical, chemical and biological factors (Sampaio et al 2002). This is with a view to understanding the contribution of the zooplankton community to the reservoir productivity, and managing the zooplankton
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