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Temporal variation in diversity, abundance and size class structure of planktonic copepods from a tropical estuary

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Abstract

A study on the community structure of planktonic copepods was carried out in the down stretch of Ashtamudi estuary (AE) for a period of two years (2018 to 2019). The copepod community composed of a total of 53 species under 31 genera belonging to 20 Families during the study period. Thirty Nine species of Calanoids, 9 species of Cyclopoids and 6 species of Harpacticoids were recorded from the AE. Of the total 20 families recorded during the study, 17 were noticed during pre-monsoon (PrM), 16 during post-monsoon (PsM), and 13 during monsoon (Mn) periods. Family Paracalanidae constitute > 50% irrespective of seasons followed by Acartiidae (18%), Oithonidae (9%), and Pseudodiaptomidae (4%). Family Pontellidae (11) and Acartiidae (9) represented the maximum number of species followed by Centropagidae (4), Pseudodiaptomidae (3), and Paracalanidae (3). The species Bestiolina similis belonging to the family Paracalanidae dominated throughout the study (~ 75%). The species such as Acartia plumosa, Acartia bowmani, Pseudodiaptomus serricaudatus, Paracalanus aculeutus, Dioithona rigida, and Oithona brevicornis were also recorded with higher abundance from the estuary. Copepods were grouped into 200–300 µm (smallest), 300–500 µm (Small), 500–1000 µm (Medium), and > 1000 µm (Large) size classes. Significant seasonal variation (p < 0.05) was observed in the size class structure of copepods in terms of its abundance and diversity during the study. Noticeably higher abundance was observed in the smallest category whereas relatively higher diversity was observed in the medium size category (H′ = 3.26). The study also discusses the habitat and feeding pattern of copepod species.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and /or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

We express our sincere gratitude toward the Director, Faculty of Ocean Science and Technology, Director of Research and Head of the Department of Fisheries Resource Management, KUFOS for providing the facilities and support to carry out this work. We are also thankful to the E-Grant Department of the Kerala State Government for providing the fund to carry out the study.

Funding

The study was funded by the E-Grant Department of the Kerala State Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Ocean Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Panangad, Kochi, 682506, India

    P. M. Hani

  2. Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Panangad, Kochi, 682506, India

    K. J. Jayalakshmi

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Correspondence to K. J. Jayalakshmi.

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Hani, P.M., Jayalakshmi, K.J. Temporal variation in diversity, abundance and size class structure of planktonic copepods from a tropical estuary. Aquat Ecol 57, 199–216 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-023-10003-3

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