Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2020, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (2): 65-76.doi: 10.11978/2019051CSTR: 32234.14.2019051

• Marine Biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Community structure of zooplankton and its influencing factors in the eastern waters of Nan’ao Island, Guangdong

Yuzheng REN1,2(), Zhixin KE1,3, Yehui TAN1,2,3, Kaizhi LI1,3()   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    3. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Received:2019-05-20 Revised:2019-07-07 Online:2020-03-10 Published:2020-03-10
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(31670458);National Natural Science Foundation of China(41576125);National Natural Science Foundation of China(41976112);Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province of China(2018B030320005);Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest(201403008)

Abstract:

Nan’ao Island in Shantou, Guangdong Province is one of the important marine aquaculture bases in eastern Guangdong. Zooplankton is of great significance for assessing the quality of the ecological environment. Based on the sampling of zooplankton in the eastern waters of Nan’ao Island in September 2014 (autumn), December (winter), April 2015 (spring), and July 2016 (summer), the community structure of zooplankton and the influence of environmental factors on their spatial and temporal distribution were analyzed. A total of 206 species of zooplankton (including planktonic larvae) were identified, of which the number of copepods was the highest, reaching 94 species. The number of zooplankton species in the inshore waters was higher than that in the offshore waters. Seasonal variations in zooplankton abundance and biomass were characterized by high values in summer and autumn and low values in winter and spring. The distributions of zooplankton abundance and biomass were consistent. In summer, the high value area of biomass and abundance occurred mainly in the inshore region, and in autumn biomass and abundance increased from inshore region to offshore region. The abundance of different groups and dominant species changed seasonally. Copepod was the group with higher abundance during the survey. The abundance of jellyfish and salps increased significantly in autumn. Euconchoecia maimai and Euconchoecia aculeata were dominant in summer, and Doliolum denticulatum was dominant in autumn. Temperature, salinity, and phytoplankton biomass were the main environmental factors driving the spatial and temporal changes of zooplankton in the eastern waters of Nan’ao Island, indicating that the zooplankton community was affected by physical processes and aquaculture activities.

Key words: zooplankton, community structure, seasonal variations, spatial distribution, Nan’ao Island;

CLC Number: 

  • P735.532