Cladocerans (Branchiopoda) of a tropical estuary in Brazil

The study was conducted in the Capibaribe river estuary in Recife (Brazil) to assess the role played by cladocerans in a eutrophic environment. Samplings were carried out monthly at 4 fixed stations along the estuary from July 1987 to June 1988. Collections were made with a plankton net of 65 microm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brazilian journal of biology 2005-02, Vol.65 (1), p.107-115
Main Authors: Paranaguá, M N, Neumann-Leitão, S, Nogueira-Paranhos, J D, Silva, T A, Matsumura-Tundisi, T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
BIOLOGY
Brackish
Branchiopoda
Brazil
Ceriodaphnia rigaudi
Chydorus barroisi
Cladocera
Cladocera - classification
Cladocera - drug effects
cladocerans
Diaphanosoma spinulosum
Environmental Monitoring
environmental quality
estuarine
Ilyocryptus spinifer
indicators
Micrura
Moina micrura
Penilia avirostris
Population Density
Population Dynamics
Seasons
Water Movements
Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
zooplankton
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Summary:The study was conducted in the Capibaribe river estuary in Recife (Brazil) to assess the role played by cladocerans in a eutrophic environment. Samplings were carried out monthly at 4 fixed stations along the estuary from July 1987 to June 1988. Collections were made with a plankton net of 65 micrometers mesh size. Six cladocerans species were registered: Penilia avirostris, Diaphanosoma spinulosum, Chlydorus barroisi, Ceriodaphnia rigaudi, Ilyocryptus spinifer, and Moina micrura. The most frequent species was Moina micrura with 49%. The only true marine species was Penilia avirostris, which was registered at station 1 (close to the river mouth), during high and low tide and in the dry season. The Cladocera average density decreased from 329 ind.m'3 (August 1987, high tide) to 2 ind.m(-3) (March 1988, high tide) due to the high load of organic and chemical pollution received by the estuary. At all stations, D. spinulosum, M. micrura, and C. barroisi occurred with a wide distribution, mainly during the rainy season. C. rigaudi and I. spinifer were rare, occurring only during the rainy season. Cladocerans played an important role in the food webs of the plankton community of the Capibaribe tropical estuary and the dominance of a few small species indicated a hypereutrophic environment. A high level of disturbance was indicated by the decline in diversity of specialized species and the increase in abundance of opportunistic species like M. micrura.
ISSN:1519-6984
1678-4375
1519-6984
DOI:10.1590/s1519-69842005000100015