Original scientific paper

Environmental drivers of zooplankton variability in the coastal eastern Adriatic (Mediterranean Sea)

Olja Vidjak ; Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia
Natalia BOJANIĆ ; Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia
Slavica MATIJEVIĆ ; Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia
Grozdan KUŠPILIĆ ; Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia
Živana NINČEVIĆ GLADAN ; Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia
Sanda SKEJIĆ ; Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia
Branka GRBEC ; Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia
Igor BRAUTOVIĆ ; Institute for Marine and Coastal Research, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Abstract

The objectives of this paper were to determine the main environmental drivers of zooplankton variability in coastal waters adjacent to urban areas and to evaluate the differences in zooplankton abundance and population structure in relation to chemical and biological parameters in the water column. Samples were collected seasonally from May 2006 to January 2009 at 8 sampling sites in the bays and channels along the eastern Adriatic coast. Zooplankton population structure showed high similarity within the investigated region, especially evident in the homogeneity of copepod community composition, where relative importance of the individual species showed characteristic high ranking of small and medium-sized taxa. Zooplankton numerical variability primarily responded to seasonal variation in water temperature and spatial variation in salinity, but spatial distribution of the collected data showed that abundances were also linked to chemical and biological parameters generally used as descriptors of water quality. This indicates that zooplankton community size reflects the trophic status of an area and supports the use of zooplankton studies as an auxiliary method in the evaluation of the trophic state of coastal waters.

Keywords

coastal zooplankton; copepods; trophic state; water quality; Adriatic Sea

Hrčak ID:

94431

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/94431

Publication date:

1.12.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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