Seasonal and Diel Influence of Environmental Factors on the Parameters of a Zooplankton Community in a Tropical Coastal Lagoon
Synopsis
Zooplankton communities show seasonal and diel changes mainly associated with the variability of abiotic and biotic factors. Community parameters are good descriptors for evaluating these changes. The study’s objective was to analyze the seasonal and diel variation of the parameters of a zooplanktonic community in the La Mancha Lagoon (Veracruz state, Mexico), and the influence exerted by environmental factors. For a year, a 24-h cycle was completed each month, sampling zooplankton every 4 h during a new moon. Abiotic and biotic variables were recorded simultaneously. Univariate permutational analysis of variance, canonical correspondence analysis, and simple correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. Species richness, diversity, and dominance showed significant differences at the seasonal and diel levels. Seasonally, diversity and species richness showed their highest values in November-December and April, and low values in May, while dominance presented a completely inverse pattern. At the diel level, species richness and diversity showed high values at night, while dominance at dawn. Diversity was strongly associated with dominance inversely and directly correlated with species richness. Canonical correspondence ordination explained a high percentage of the constrained variance of the parameters-environment relationship (99.2 %), revealing salinity and diel effect as the most critical variables driving community structure. The influence of salinity was observed at a monthly and daily level. A negligible effect of biotic variables (chlorophyll a and densities of diatoms, dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria) was also observed. Due to the high environmental variability in estuaries, abiotic factors may play a more important role in community structuring.
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