MRM Khanam¹*, MN Naser^1,2, S Ali^1,2

¹Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
²Advanced Fisheries Research Laboratory (AFRL), Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

The present research was carried out to investigate the seasonal abundance of zooplankton especially protozoa in selected coastal ponds of Bakergonj, Barisal, Bangladesh during April 2006 to March 2007. The physicochemical parameters of the water such as pH, DO (Dissolved Oxygen), air, temperature in the study areas were also recorded during the study period. A total of 4 protozooplankton species were identified from the seven ponds and a river of Bakergonj upazila. Among zooplankton the occurrence of protozoa were 1.12%. The abundance of zooplankton community was highest in summer (2862 indiv/L) and the lowest in winter (1059 indiv/L). Whereas the abundance of protozoa was highest in monsoon and lowest in summer. From the accumulated data in a year the monthly abundance of zooplankton varied from 497 indiv/L in March to 4933 indiv/L in May with an average of 1781 indiv/L. The mean composition of protozoa in the ponds was about 20 indiv/L with Difflugia sp 75.64 %, Glaucoma sp 20.19 %, Arcella vulgaris 2.56 % and Centropyxis sp 1.60 %. The water quality parameters were either positively or negatively related to the abundance of the zooplankton. Protozoa was positively related to the water quality of ponds. The river did not appear to be rich in zooplankton community as well as protozoa. The zooplankton community as well as protozoa was comparatively higher in pristine and culture ponds than the river.

Key words: zooplankton, protozoa, Barishal, Bangladesh

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 080-6445-6797
E-mail address: mstruhinamargiakhanam@gmail.com (MRM Khanam)                                                                  Full Text (PDF)