Zooplankton Diversity in Relation to Physico-Chemical Parameters in Subtropical Pond of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Abstract

The study aim to investigate the zooplankton diversity in relation to physico-chemical parameters of surface water in Barnai pond of Jammu district. Water parameters were analysed by following various standard methods, where as zooplankton were collected through the plankton net of standard bolting silk cloth no. 25 (mesh size 0.003-0.004 μm) and the total number of zooplankton was counted by using Drop count method. Statistical analysis of data involves Pearson’s Correlation analysis and various diversity indices viz; Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H´), Simpson’s Index (D), Margalef’s Index (d´) and Pielou’s Evenness (J). A total of 38 zooplankton taxa along with Nauplius larvae were observed belonging to 5 major taxonomic groups: Protozoa (6 species), Rotifera (21species), Cladocera (6 species), Copepoda (3 species) and Ostracoda (2species). Physico-chemical parameters of Barnai pond revealed well marked fluctuations with maxima and minima values of each parameter during specific seasons and zooplankton analysis revealed seasonal variations with an increase during summer and a fall during winter and monsoon seasons.