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Zooplankton biomass in the Oosterschelde (SW Netherlands) before, during and after the construction of a storm-surge barrier

  • Theme II: Structure and functioning of the pelagic system
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Abstract

The hydrodynamic consequences of large coastal engineering (barrier-construction) works in the Oosterschelde were: prolonged residence times of the water, increased sinking of particulate material, and higher water transparencies. This strongly influenced the phytoplankton (Bakker et al., 1990; 1994) and phytoplankton biomass increased in the shallow Eastern compartment of the Oosterschelde (Bakker & Vink, 1994) while phytoplankton concentration of the seston rose.

Zooplankton biomass, especially of copepods (Temora) and meroplankton (barnacle larvae) increased during the post-barrier period in the eastern compartment. It is hypothesized that this is caused by the improved feeding conditions and the increased retention times in this area.

The barrier years 1985 and 1986 were characterized by low current velocities. In the Eastern compartment, this may have favoured the development of the rotifer Synchaeta (Bakker, 1994) and of the important copepod predator Pleurobrachia (Ctenophora).

In the Western compartment, zooplankton developments in the post-barrier years were rather similar to those in the pre-barrier period. This led to the disappearance of the previously existing biomass gradients West-East (maxima in West). At present a trend in the opposite direction (maxima in East) is observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Estuarine and Coastal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Vierstraat 28, 4401 EA, Yerseke, The Netherlands

    C. Bakker & P. van Rijswijk

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  1. C. Bakker
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  2. P. van Rijswijk
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Bakker, C., van Rijswijk, P. Zooplankton biomass in the Oosterschelde (SW Netherlands) before, during and after the construction of a storm-surge barrier. Hydrobiologia 282, 127–143 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024626

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