Spatial patterns of zooplankton abundance,biovolume,and size structure in response to environmental variables:a case study in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

The Yellow Sea(YS)and East China Sea(ECS)are highly dynamic marginal seas of the northwestern Pacific Ocean.To gain an in-depth understanding of zooplankton community structure,zooplankton abundance,biovolume,and size structure in summer 2017 in the YS and ECS were assessed using ZooScan imaging analysis.Zooplankton abundance and biovolume ranged 2.94–1187.14 inds./m^(3)and 3.13–3438.51 mm^(3)/m^(3),respectively.Based on the biovolume data of the categorized size classes of 26 identified taxonomic groups,the zooplankton community was classified into five groups,and each group was coupled with distinctive oceanographic features.Under the influence of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass,the Yellow Sea offshore group featured the lowest bottom temperature(10.84±3.42℃)and the most abundant Calanoids(mainly in the 2–3 mm size class).In the Yellow Sea inshore group,Hydrozoans showed the largest biovolume and dominated in the 3–4-mm and>5-mm size classes.The East China Sea offshore group,which was affected by the Kuroshio Branch Current,featured high temperature and salinity,and the lowest bottom dissolved oxygen(2.58±0.5 mg/L).The lowest values of zooplankton abundance and biovolume in the East China Sea offshore group might be attributed to the bottom dissolved oxygen contents.The East China Sea inshore group,which was mainly influenced by the Zhejiang-Fujian Coastal Current and Changjiang Diluted Water,was characterized by high chlorophyll a and the largest biovolume of carnivorous Siphonophores(280.82±303.37 mm^(3)/m^(3)).The Changjiang River estuary offshore group showed the most abundant Cyclopoids,which might be associated with the less turbid water mass in this region.Seawater temperature was considered the most important factor in shaping the size compositions of Calanoids in different groups.

Responding of zooplankton to environmental factor changes in the Changjiang River estuarine regions in spring-summer from 2016 to 2020

The estuarine areas are under frequent influence from freshwater intrusion and ocean currents,in which zooplankton species are diversified and variable as they are sensitive to physio-chemical variations in water.Therefore,understanding the relationships between zooplankton and environmental factors help us know the water quality.To achieve co-existence with species in similar ecological group or habit,they could inevitably alter themselves to fit the ecology and adjust the function according to the competitive exclusion in ecological theory.However,information of the co-existence of dominant species in the Changjiang(Yangtze)River estuary(CRE)and adjacent waters remains scarce.We explored the relationships between dominant zooplankton and environmental factors in the study region in spring-summer from 2016 to 2020,involving particularly the composition of dominant species,ecological groups,their relationships with environmental factors,and co-existence of important species,using the non-multidimensional scale analysis(nMDS)method and redundancy analysis.Results show that Labidocera euchaeta and Tortanus vermiculus were dominant species in the study scope.The turnover rate of dominant zooplankton was greater(>50%)in spring while the species number was higher in summer.The dominant species were estuarine,offshore,and eurytopic based on the adaptation to salinity.In spring,the ecological groups were dominated by estuarine species,while in summer by estuarine and offshore species.In addition,the nMDS showed that the dominant species in the same ecological group were more dispersed and not prominently clustered;the dominant species were staggered among different ecological groups.The temperature,salinity,pH,dissolved oxygen,and chlorophyll a were the main environmental factors on the distribution of the dominant species in spring,while in summer were dissolved oxygen,temperature,salinity,and pH.The domination of medusae of Nemopsis bachei and Pleurobrachia globosa in zooplankton community in spring,and the continuous decrease in abundance of L.euchaeta reflected the effects of local climate change.The temperature and salinity changes in different years and the subsequent response of zooplankton reflected the influence of freshwater intrusion and/or ocean currents.Zooplankton in similar ecological habits exhibited the competitive exclusion in terms of co-existence.

Functional groups and seasonal diversity of crustacean zooplankton in adjacent waters of Haizhou Bay,South Yellow Sea

Zooplankton are important linkages in the food web and can respond nonlinearly to environmental changes.Marine organisms thrive from spring to summer.Thus,it is crucial to understand how ecological functions of zooplankton communities may shift under seasonal environmental changes during this period.Samples were collected from May to August(May,June-Ⅰ,June-Ⅱ,July-Ⅰ,July-Ⅱ,and August)in 2018 in Haizhou Bay,Jiangsu,East China for zooplankton and environmental variables.Crustaceans accounted for 75 out of 134 zooplankton taxa and 91.8%of total zooplankton abundance.The average abundance of crustacean varied between 2824.6±635.4 inds./m3 in July-Ⅱand 6502.7±1008.8 inds./m3 in June-Ⅱ.Multivariate analyses results showed that the dissimilarity of community increased gradually in the time series.Body length,feeding type,trophic group,and reproduction mode were used to investigate crustacean community functions.Trait-based functional groups contained species with similar ecological roles.Functional diversity fused the differences of species and trait.The proportion of large-sized species(2-5 mm)decreased with the increasing proportion of medium-sized species(1-2 mm).The proportion of current feeders increased with the drop in the proportion of mixed feeders.Parthenogenesis species increased with decreasing free spawners,and omnivores-carnivores increased with decreasing omnivoresherbivores.Generalized additive models suggested that temperature was the main driver of variations in crustacean zooplankton function.Seven identified functional groups varied with increasing temperature.Omnivorous-herbivorous copepods declined(90.0%-68.0%),whereas the parthenogenetic cladocerans increased(0-24.1%).The small egg-brooding ambush copepods fluctuated(6.5%-9.3%)with increasing water temperature.The other functional groups changed slightly.Functional diversity also varied according to temperature changes.The community structure and ecological function of crustacean zooplankton community showed gradual changes with increasing temperature from spring to summer.

The response of zooplankton abundance in saline meromictic Lake Shira to a change in circulation regime

The long-term data(1996-2021)on the summer abundances of the dominant zooplankton species(copepod Arctodiaptomus salinus(Daday,1885),rotifers Brachionus plicatilis(Müller,1786)and Hexarthra sp.)in saline Lake Shira were used to analyze the response of zooplankton to air temperature and a change in the circulation regime of the lake:breakdown and reestablishment of meromixis.All groups of zooplankton responded to prolonged summer elevated temperatures by increasing their abundance.During the breakdown of the stable stratification of Lake Shira(2015-2016),zooplankton abundance increased on average by a factor of two and amounted to 9×10^(5)inds./m^(2)in the water column for copepods.That increase coincided with similar responses of other components of the lake’s mixolimnion ecosystem,whose biomasses increased approximately two-fold during that period.After the reestablishment of the meromixis,the abundance of zooplankton decreased to previous values.Thus,the abundance of zooplankton is largely determined by weather(the effect of temperature)and ecological factors(mixing regime).

Effects of shellfish culture on the community and mortality of zooplankton in a subtropical Bay

Spatial and temporal distribution of abundance,community structure and succession,and mortality of zooplankton were examined in a subtropical bay—the Qinzhou Bay,Guangxi,South China,to evaluate the impact of oyster culture on zooplankton.Data on zooplankton abundance,phytoplankton biomass,and environmental parameters were collected in 12 routine samplings at four sites in the Qinzhou Bay in 2018.Results show that the hydrological environment in the estuary affected the temporal variation of zooplankton of the Qinzhou Bay.However,the oyster culture affected the spatial distributions of zooplankton.The abundance of zooplankton outside the oyster farm was higher than that inside,whereas the mortality outside the oyster farm,on the contrary,was lower than that inside.Oyster culture in the Qinzhou Bay had built a significant impact on the abundance and community composition of zooplankton,and the food shortage caused by the ingestion of oyster might exacerbate the mortality of zooplankton in the Qinzhou Bay.In addition,the large-scale oyster culture increased the spatial heterogeneity of the community structure of zooplankton inside and outside the oyster farms.Findings of this study provide a reference for future policy-making in aquaculture management.

Physical-chemical and biological control of the zooplankton community in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica

Zooplankton are critical components of the Southern Ocean ecosystems,acting as trophic links between phytoplankton and higher-level species.The composition,abundance,carbon biomass,and community structure of zooplankton were studied based on samples collected with a Norpac net(330-μm mesh,0.5-m^(2) net mouth)during the austral summers of 2017/2018.Three communities in a latitudinal gradient were identified based on both a zooplankton abundance dataset and a biomass dataset.Zooplankton were mainly dominated by small copepods(e.g.,Oithona similis and Ctenocalanus citer)in terms of abundance,while the total zooplankton biomass was dominated by krill(Euphausia superba and Thysanoessa macrura)and large copepods(e.g.,Calanoides acutus,Calanus propinquus,and Metridia gerlachei).Redundancy analysis demonstrated that environmental factors(e.g.,temperature,nitrate,dissolved oxygen,ammonium)accounted for more than 40%of the variance in zooplankton abundance/biomass.This indicates that physical processes significantly affect the zooplankton community.Meanwhile,a significant positive correlation was found between the abundance/biomass of zooplankton and that of dominant phytoplankton and ciliates,which suggests trophic links among various plankton functional groups.Our results reveal that both physical processes and biological factors shape the community structure of zooplankton in the Amundsen Sea.

Effects of sediment dredging on water quality and zooplankton community structure in a shallow of eutrophic lake

Effects of suction dredging on water quality and zooplankton community structure in a shallow of eutrophic lake, were evaluated. The results showed that a decreasing trend for levels of phosphorus, organic matter, total suspended solids, Chlorophyll a and Secchi transparency in the water column was found, while levels of water depth, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids and NO3^--N concentration increased markedly post-dredging. The effects of dredging on dissolved oxygen, pH value and temperature were almost negligible. The zooplankton community structure responded rapidly to the environmental changes caused mainly by dredging. As a result, the abundance of rotifers decreased, while the density of zooplanktonic crustaceans increased markedly. The representative taxa were Brachionus angularis, B. budapestinensis, B. diversicornis, Synchaeta spp. and Neodiaptomus schmackeri. A distinct relationship between zooplankton taxa composition and their environment, unraveled by a redundancy analysis, indicating that the measured environment contributed to the variations in the zooplankton community structure to some extent. The first four synthetic environmental variables explained 51.7% of the taxonomic structure. Therefore, with the reduction of internal nutrient load and a shift in dominance by less eutrophic species, it inferred that dredging might be one of effective measures for environmental improvements of such lakes.

Distribution characteristics of zooplankton biomass in the East China Sea

On the basis of the data of oceanographic survey in the East China Sea in four seasons during 1997-2000 (23°30'~33°00'N, 118°30'-128°E), the variation of total biomass and diet biomass of zooplankton and their spatial-temporal distribution and relationship with the fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus are approached and analyzed. The results show that the average biomass is 65.32 mg/m3 in four seasons, autumn (86.18 mg/m3) being greater than summer (69.18 mg/m3) greater than spring (55.67 mg/m3) greater than winter (50.33 mg/m3). The average value of diet zooplankton biomass is 40.9 mg/m3. The trends of horizontal distribution both in the total biomass and the diet biomass of zooplankton are similar. The high biomass region (250-500 mg/m3) is very limited, only accounting for 1% of the investigation area. Seasonal variation of the biomass is very remarkable in the west and north parts of East China Sea coastal waters ( 29°30'N,125°E). The horizontal distribution of diet zooplankton depends on the abundance distribution of crustacean. The distribution of diet zooplankton is related to the fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus and the high-density area of young fish and larval. In spring, the central fishing ground of Engraulis japonicus (>100 kg/h) and the high-density area of young fish and larval (>100 individuals per net) are located at the same place of high-density (100-250 mg/m3)area of diet zooplankton in the middle-southern part of East China Sea or the edge of its waters.

Short-term effects of drawing water for connectivity of rivers and lakes on zooplankton community structure

During 28-29, September 2005, water was drawn from Hanjiang River and Houguan Lake to the Yangzi River via Sanjiao Lake and Nantaizi Lake in Wuhan in order to provide favorable conditions for ecosystem restoration. To evaluate the feasibility and validity of drawing water as a means of ecosystem restoration, zooplankton populations were studied 3 times （before, immediately after finishing and a month after drawing water） at seven locations from 27 Sept. 2005 to 2 Nov. 2005. Water quality in the lakes was mostly improved and zooplankton species richness decreased as soon as drawing water had finished but increased a month after drawing water. Zooplankton density and biomass was reduced in the lakes by drawing water but was increased at the entrance to Sanjiao Lake because of landform geometry change. Before drawing water, most species in Sanjiao Lake e.g., Brachionus sp. and Keratella sp. were tolerant of contamination. After drawing water oligotrophic-prone species such as Lecane ludwigii and Gastropus stylifer emerged. We conclude that drawing water could be important for improving water quality and favour ecosystem restoration. Dilution of nutrient concentrations may be an important role in the effect.

Full-scale study of removal effect on Cyclops of zooplankton with chlorine dioxide

Cyclops of zooplankton propagated excessively in eutrophic water body and could not be effectively inactivated by the conventional disinfections process like chlorination due to its stronger resistance to oxidation. In this paper, a full-scale study of chlorine dioxide preoxidation cooperating with routine clarification process for Cyclops removal was conducted in a waterworks. The experimental results were compared with that of the existing prechlorination process in several aspects: including the Cyclops removal efficiencies of water samples taken from the outlets of sedimentation tank and sand filter and the security of drinking water and so on. The results showed that chlorine dioxide might be more effective to inactivate Cyclops than chlorine and Cyclops could be thoroughly removed from water by pre-dosing chlorine dioxide process. The GC-MS examination and Ames test further showed that the sort and amount of organic substance in the treated water by chlorine dioxide preoxidation were evidently less than that of prechlorination and the mutagenicity of drinking water treated by pre-dosing chlorine dioxide was substantially reduced compared with prechlorination.

Environmental control of mesozooplankton community structure in the Hangzhou Bay, China

A quarterly study of mesozooplankton community structure and environmental variables in the Hangzhou Bay was conducted to examine the response of mesozooplankton community to the variation of water mass and environmental condition. The southeast coast of China is a typical region under the intensive influence of Asia monsoon and freshwater discharge from rivers. The water mass and environmental condition of the Hangzhou Bay, which were influenced by the interaction of currents, freshwater discharge of the Qiantang River and Changjiang River Plume, showed significant seasonal variation. Our results showed that both biomass and abundance were significantly higher in summer（（247.7±148.8） mg/m^3 and（350.9±215.6） ind./m^3, respectively）than those in other seasons. Four eco-geographical regions were divided based on the cluster analysis of zooplankton community of the Hangzhou Bay throughout the year, except for winter. Monsoon and the dissolved inorganic nitrogen（DIN） input from freshwater discharge of the Qiantang River and Changjiang River resulted in temporal and spatial variations of environmental gradient in the Hangzhou Bay, which significantly influenced the structure of mesozooplankton community. Redundancy analysis（RDA） indicated that the mesozooplankton community structure was strictly correlated with the DIN gradient, while salinity gradient showed a weak influence in the Hangzhou Bay.

Seasonal variability of the zooplankton community in the southwest of the Huanghai Sea (Yellow Sea) Cold Water Mass

Samples were collected with a plankton net in the four seasonal cruises during 2006-2007 to study the seasonal variability of the zooplankton community in the southwest part of Huanghai Sea Cold Water Mass （HSCWM, Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass）. The spatial and temporal variations of zooplankton species composition, biomass, abundance and biodiversity were examined. A total of 122 zooplankton species and 30 pelagic larvae were identified in the four cruises. Calanus sinicus and Aidanosagitta crassa were the most dominant species, and Themisto gaudichaudi and Euphau- sia pacifica were widely distributed in the HSCWM area. The spatial patterns of non-gelatinous zooplankton （removing the high water content groups） were similar to those of the total zooplank- ton biomass in autumn, but different significantly in the other three seasons. The seasonal means of zooplankton biomass in spring and summer were much higher than that in autumn and win- ter. The total zooplankton abundance averaged 283.5 ind./m3 in spring （highest）, 192.5 ind./m3 in summer, 165.5 ind./m3 in autumn and 65.9 ind./m3 in winter （lowest）, and the non-gelatinous groups contributed the most total abundance. Correlation analysis suggests that the non-gelatinous zooplankton biomass and abundance had a significant positive correlation in the whole year, but the relationship was insignificant between the total zooplankton biomass and abundance in spring and summer. The diversity index HI of zooplankton community averaged 1.88 in this study, which was somewhat higher than historical results. Relatively low diversity in summer was related to the high dominance of Calanus sinicus, probably due to the strongest effect of the HSCWM in this season.

Effect of Salinity on the Zooplankton Community in the Pearl River Estuary

Understanding the relationship between the zooplankton distribution and salinity may provide key information to understand ecosystem function under the condition of a global mean sea level rise caused by global climate change.However,little is known about how increasing salinity level will affect the entire zooplankton community on a large scale.Here we completed 1 year of field investigations on the Pearl River Estuary and analyzed the distribution and structure of the zooplankton community.A total of 68 zooplankton species were identified during the survey.The number and diversity(richness,evenness,Shannon index,and Simpson’s index)of the zooplankton species decreased as salinity increased from 0.10 to 21.26.Salinity negatively affected the abundances of rotifers,cladocerans,and total zooplankton,while it had little effect on copepod abundance.Some salt-tolerant species,such as Keratella tropica,Polyarthra vulgaris,and Paracalanus crassirostris,survived at high-salinity sites.A pattern was observed at all sites:the peak in copepod abundance always occurred when rotifers were abundant(sites S1 and S2)or after rotifer abundance reached a maximum level(sites S3,S4,and S5).In general,salinity was the most important environmental factor shaping zooplankton biodiversity and abundance.This study provides insight into potential biodiversity and structure of the zooplankton community in response to salinity change.

Zooplankton composition and distribution in the Lembeh Strait of North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Based on oceanographic survey data in June 2012 in the Lembeh Strait, the zooplankton ecological characteristics such as species composition, individual abundance, dominant species and distribution were analyzed. The results showed that 183 species(including 4 sp.) had been recognized, most of them belonged to copepoda.Cnidaria followed with 43 species(including 1 sp.) were identified. The average abundance of zooplankton was(150.47±58.91) ind./m3. As to the horizontal distribution, the abundance of the zooplankton was higher in the southern waters than in the northern waters. The dominant species in the study area were Lensia subtiloides,Sagitta enflata, Lucifer intermedius, Oikopleura rufescens, Diphyes chamissoni, Creseis acicula, Subeucalanus subcrassus, Temora discaudata, Aglaura hemistoma, Doliolum denticulatum, Canthocalanus pauper, Oikopleura longicauda and Nanomia bijuga. Zooplankton biodiversity indexes were higher in study area than previous study in the other regions. The findings from this study provide important baseline information for future research and monitoring programs.

Effects of nutrient limitations on three species of zooplankton

Nutrient imbalance—a mismatch in nutrient ratios between the available food supply and the demands of consumers—has the potential to be transported up food chains,exposing zooplankton to nutrient limitations.In this study,the response of Calanus sinicus（copepod）,Moina mongolica（cladocera）,and Brachionus plicatilis（rotifer） to nutrient-limited（no-limited,P-limited,and N-limited） food were evaluated from the perspective of growth,reproduction,and stoichiometric homoeostasis.The results indicated that the growth of three species was suppressed under nutrient-limited（especially P-limited） conditions.However,the effect of nutrient limitations on their reproduction was species-specific.For C.sinicus,the dietary UFA（unsaturated fatty acid） as a major phospholipid component affected their egg production and total FA supporting energy promoted the hatchability of eggs.Furthermore,excess carbon in the diet promoted egg production but reduced hatching success.For M.mongolica,nutritional（P and UFA） and energy（total FA） support affected their fecundity.B.plicatilis fecundity exhibited the same pattern of growth（no-limited〉N-limited〉P-limited）.In terms of stoichiometric homeostasis,B.plicatilis＇ s elemental compositions were less likely to be affected by nutrient limitations than M.mongolica.We suggest that the effects of nutrient imbalances could potentially become an evolutionary force affecting ecosystem structure and stability in eutrophic waters.

Changes in zooplankton community structure in Sanmen Bay,China

Seasonal variations in zooplankton abundance, biomass, species diversity and community structure were investigated in the Sanmen Bay, China. Samples were collected from 15 stations, on the seasonal basis, in April （spring）, July （summer） and October 2005 （autumn） and January 2006 （winter）, respectively. The results show that zooplankton species number, abundance and biomass varied widely and had distinct spatial heterogeneity in the Sanmen Bay. A total of 72 species of zooplankton belonging to 56 genera and 17 groups of pelagic larvae were identified. The zooplankton species richness was strongly related to salinity. Based on hierarchical cluster analysis, zooplankton in this study area were classified into three groups： coastal, neritic and pelagic groups, which corresponded to the upper, middle and lower portion of the Sanmen Bay, respectively. The coastal low-saline species were dominant in the study area. The zooplankton abundance and biomass reached a peak in summer, moderate in spring and autumn, and the lowest in winter. Zooplankton abundance decreased from the upper to lower portion of the bay in April, when the highest biomass occurred in the middle portion of the bay. There were the same spatial distribution patterns for the biomass and abundance in July, with the maximum in the middle of the bay. However, zooplankton abundance was the highest in the middle of tile bay in October, when maximum biomass occurred near the lower of the bay. Zooplankton abundance and biomass were evenly distributed in the Sanmen Bay in January. Spatial and temporal variations in zooplankton and their relationship with environmental factors were also analyzed. The BIOENV results indicate that the combination of chlorophyll a （Chl-a）, salinity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen （DIN）, dissolved oxygen （DO） and silicate （SiO3） was responsible for the variations in zooplankton community structure in the Sanmen Bay. The environmental changes played an important role in changes in the zooplankton community structure in the Sanmen Bay.

A Comparison of the Zooplankton Community in the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea During April-May, 2010

This study compares the structure of the zooplankton community in the Bay of Bengal(BoB) and South China Sea(SCS) during the period of spring inter-monsoon, 2010. A total of 215 species of zooplankton were identified, of which 187 species were present in the BoB and 119 in the SCS. Of the taxonomic groups recorded, Copepoda was the most diverse group in all samples followed by pelagic Tunicata, Siphonophorae and Chaetognatha. Flaccisagitta enflata, Cosmocalanus darwinii, Euchaeta larva, Macrura larva and Candacia truncata were predominant both in the BoB and SCS. Moreover, the distribution of some dominant species differed regionally, such as Cypridina dentata, Pleuromamma robusta and Mesosagitta decipiens only in the BoB, and Pleuromamma gracilis, Neocalanus gracilis and Eudoxoides spiralis in the SCS. The average zooplankton abundance was 33.37 ± 7.19 ind. m^(-3) in the BoB and 35.08 ± 2.07 ind. m-3 in the SCS. Copepoda was one of the most abundant groups in the Bo B and SCS. Based on multivariate analysis, it was possible to distinguish the zooplankton in the BoB and SCS communities at the similarity level of approximately 55%, and the dissimilarity was mainly due to C. dentata, P. robusta, M. decipiens, C. darwinii, N. gracilis and P. gracilis. The relationships between zooplankton and temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a were not statistically significant. Zooplankton community structure in the BoB and SCS was observed to be generally similar in terms of species composition and abundance, but the differences observed may be the result of species-specific geographical distribution and local hydrographic conditions.

Progress of Chinese zooplankton ecology research in Prydz Bay, Antarctica

Zooplankton are considered an important trophic link between primary producers and higher trophic level species in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Since 1989, when the Chinese Antarctic Zhongshan Station was built, zooplankton have regularly been sampled and investigated in Prydz Bay through oceanographic surveys of each Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition. This review summarizes the main results from zooplankton ecology studies conducted in Prydz Bay by Chinese researchers. Major topics covered in this review are： （1） a description of the biology and ecology of Antarctic krill （Euphausia superba）, the key zooplankton species of the Southern Ocean ecosystem; （2） zooplankton community structure, including the horizontal distribution in the epipelagic region and vertical distribution between 0-1500 m; （3） feeding ecology of dominant species such as Antarctic krill, salps and copepods; （4） a short introduction to the molecular research; and （5） prospects for future research.

Variation of Zooplankton Ecological Group During Spring in China Estuaries

Zooplankton was major indicator species of the environment. To explore the effect of marine environment on zooplankton distribution in the coast of China, the zooplankton samples from stations in Guanhe Estuary(GE), Changjiang(Yangtze River) Estuary(CE), Oujiang Estuary(OE), Jiulongjiang Estuary(JE) and Beilun Estuary(BE)(covering 14 latitudes) in spring were surveyed and the variation of zooplankton ecological group was researched. According to the adaptability temperature, the zooplankton was divided into two ecological groups: warm-temperate species and subtropical species. The warm-temperate species was the main dominant species and subtropical species was only dominant species in BE. Calanus sinicus, a warm-temperate species, was the only dominant species in all five estuaries. From north to south, the proportion of warm-temperate species in the five estuaries gradually decreased depends on the number, were 83.33%, 48.39%, 45.00%, 43.75% and 30.43%, respectively. In contrary, the proportion of subtropical species was gradually increased. The warm-temperate species predominated over the total abundance and the percentage was whopping high in the north estuaries, including GE(96.16%), CE(95.57%), OE(97.83%) and JE(95.53%). The abundance percentage of subtropical species have remarkably higher(82.39%) in BE. Five estuaries zooplankton community was subdivided into three zooplankton groups, which were the northern warm temperate zooplankton group, the southern subtropical zooplankton group and the estuarine brackish-water group. The water temperature and coastal current of China Sea are recognized as the main factors determining the distribution and community structure of estuarine zooplankton in spring.

A comparison of zooplankton assemblages in Nansi Lake and Hongze Lake,potential influences of the East Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project,China

Nansi Lake and Hongze Lake are both water storage lakes along the East Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer project(ESNT).Frequent changes in hydrologic properties are responsible factors for controlling the zooplankton community assemblages in both lakes,so we studied the possible influence of water transfer and environmental factors on zooplankton community structure and abundance.Zooplankton assemblages were investigated seasonally for one year in both lakes;a total of 133 and 122 zooplankton taxa were identified in Nansi Lake and Hongze Lake,respectively.The most dominant rotifer species were littoral,e.g.,Keratella tecta,Keratella valga and Lecane lunaris in Nansi Lake and Brachionus angularis,Brachionus forficula and Polyarthra vulgaris in Hongze Lake.Comparatively,Nansi Lake had a higher Shannon-Wiener diversity index value(5.13),while Hongze Lake had a higher species richness index(4.21).The average number of zooplankton across seasons in Nansi Lake(protozoa:774±63 ind./L,rotifers:4817±212 ind./L,cladocerans:896±14 ind./L,copepod:435±42 ind./L)was comparatively lower than Hongze Lake(protozoa:1238±63 ind./L,rotifers:6576±112 ind./L,cladocerans:1013±20 ind./L,copepod:534±25 ind./L).Canonical correspondence analysis identified differing environmental gradients that were most responsible for influencing zooplankton communities in the two lakes(Hongze Lake:NH4-N,total nitrogen,transparency and pH;Nansi:pH,temperature and total phosphorus).Frequent changes related to water transfer in lakes favoured the diversity of rotifers and protozoa communities.Zooplankton habitat preference,changes in community structure and opportunistic peaks and extinction of certain taxa were also observed in the study lakes.