Abundance and Diversity of Zooplankton in the Köprüçay Estuary, Turkey

Abstract

Abstract:The physicochemical features and species composition and density of zooplankton of Köprüçay estuary investigated monthly sampling from selected 5 stations between January and December, 2009. In this study, Zooplankton which are Rotifera (20), Cladocera (6), Copepoda (34), and Cnidaria, Tubilariidae, Foraminifera, Tintinida, Cirripedia, Gastropoda, Polychaeta, Chaetognatha, Decapoda, Ichthyoplankton one of each of determined 70 taxons in Köprüçay River estuarin zone. The dominant taxa in Köprüçay River estuarin zone consist of Oithona nana, Clausocalanus arcuicornis, Acartia discaudata, Paracalanus parvus, Euchlanis dilatata and Cephalodella gibba and these species are eurohalin character types of zooplankton. In Köprüçay River estuarin zone, the highest and the lowest Copepoda density semptember (25627.33 ±8369 ind./m