Zooplankton of mountain and lowland waterbodies of Northwestern India

Abstract

In 2013–2015, 9 waterbodies situated in mountain and lowland regions of Northwestern India were studied. 46 species of zooplankton organisms were revealed, among them 18 Rotifera species, 20 Cladocera, 8 Copepoda, and 1 species of Anostraca. For this part of India, it was the first time detected 8 Rotifera species, 5 Cladocera, and 2 Copepoda. Cosmopolites and Paleotropic species were registered in all waterbodies studied in the Himalayans and lowland India. Palearctic and Holarctic species — in the Himalayans only. Tropic species were found in lowland India only. Species number and zooplankton species diversity index were low. Zooplankton density was relatively high in one from four mountain lakes and in all lowland waterbodies (99–487 thousands ind./m3). Zooplankton biomass was low (0.04–8.00 g/m3) in both mountain and lowland lakes, in exception two lowland lakes with wind onset and overwintering place for large birds. Rotifera dominated by biomass only in mountain region. Cladocera predominated in zooplankton density and biomass in majority of studied waterbodies. This group was represented by coastal and macrophyte forms which are usual for shallow waterbodies. Copepoda were abundant in five studied waterbodies and basically were represented by Cyclopoida. Calanoida group (Diaptomidae) was revealed in only one lowland lake located in a desert. Macrofiltrators represented the main part of zooplankton trophic structure. Microphages and predators subdominated in zooplankton communities.