Observation on Marine Copepod - Appendicularian Naturally Changing Concentrations Along Southwest Coast of India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15835/nsb448158Abstract
Patterns of copepod - appendicularian distribution were studied along the Mangalore coastal waters (12°50’49” N; 74°48’50” E) of the Arabian Sea to understand the food and feeding relationship existing among these groups. Sampling was conducted during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon extending from January 2009 to December 2010. The copepod and appendicularian community was sampled with a 60 μm net to include the smallest species and their developmental stages. Copepod biomass, especially calanoids, was substantially high throughout the study. Seasonal mean results showed that the small-sized copepods (calanoids, harpacticoida and cyclopoids) dominated in terms of biomass and production. Calanoids found in abundance included Acartia, Centropages, Calanus, Eucalanus and Labidocera. Cyclopoid and Harpacticoid copepods genera dominated included Oithona, Oncaea and Microsetella, Macrosetella. Appendicularian species diversity was represented by Oikopleura fusiformis, O. dioica and its juveniles represented as Oikopleura sp. Total chlorophyll (chlorophyll a) ranging between 10 and 20 mg m-3 indicated the eutrophic state as well as productivity prevailing during the study period. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated the routine and opportunistic seasonal grazers and establishes a phytoplankton - appendicularia - copepod - fish food chain relationship along Mangalore coast.
Metrics
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Papers published in Notulae Scientia Biologicae are Open-Access, distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
© Articles by the authors; licensee SMTCT, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright/to retain publishing rights without restriction.
License:
Open Access Journal - the journal offers free, immediate, and unrestricted access to peer-reviewed research and scholarly work, due SMTCT supports to increase the visibility, accessibility and reputation of the researchers, regardless of geography and their budgets. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author.