Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2024, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (6): 92-103.doi: 10.11978/2024025CSTR: 32234.14.2024025

• Marine Biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Community structure of meso- and micro-zooplankton in the mariculture area in the Nan’ao Island, Guangdong Province

WANG Qing1(), REN Hui1, KE Zhixin2   

  1. 1. Department of Ecology, Key Laboratory of Philosophy and Social Science in Guangdong Province, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
    2. South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Received:2024-01-20 Revised:2024-02-26 Online:2024-11-10 Published:2024-12-05
  • Contact: WANG Qing
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271684); National Natural Science Foundation of China(41503072); Foundation of Guangdong Provincial Observation and Research Station for Coastal Upwelling Ecosystem(CUE202303)

Abstract:

Mariculture has an important influence on the quality of coastal environment. To investigate the effects of mariculture on meso- and micro-zooplankton community structure, sampling was conducted in the different mariculture areas (fish cultivation area, Gracilaria lemaneiformis cultivation area, abalone cultivation area and abalone-G. lemaneiformis integrated cultivation area) and natural sea area in the Shen’ao Bay of the Nan’ao Island, Shantou City from April to June, 2016. During the surveys, 44 species of zooplankton, including 8 species of planktonic larvae, 6 protozoan, 1 rotifer, 2 cladocerans and 27 copepods were identified in the Shen’ao Bay. The zooplankton abundance ranged from 4 to 392 ind.·L-1, which was higher in mariculture area and most abundant in abalone cultivation area (P<0.05). The dominant species of zooplankton were Favella campanula, Paracalanus parvus, Microsetella norvegica and Oithona similis. Size-frequency distributions of zooplankton indicated that mariculture had a strong influence on the zooplankton body size. The body size of zooplankton ranged from 0.06 to 2.18 mm and most of them (98.74%) were under 1 mm with significant fluctuation, mainly protozoa, nauplius and planktonic larvae. After G. lemaneiformis harvest, there was no significant difference in changes of zooplankton community structure between the former G. lemaneiformis cultivation area and the natural sea area. Redundancy analysis indicated that total phosphorus, $\mathrm{PO}_{4}^{3-}$, salinity and dissolved oxygen were the primary environmental factors. Results showed mariculture facilities form microhabitats which increase meso- and micro-zooplankton abundance, and zooplankton community structure becomes smaller; the large-scale cultivation of seaweed G. lemaneiformis has increased the stability of zooplankton community.

Key words: zooplankton, mariculture, integrated aquaculture, seaweed, biodiversity

CLC Number: 

  • Q958.8