Decadal change in zooplankton seasonal succession in the Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina, following introduction of two zooplankton species

Seasonal zooplankton succession (mainly of the mesozooplankton) in the inner zone of Bahia Blanca estuary during the period 1990-1991 was compared to that from the period 1979-1980 in order to detect changes having taken place in 10 years. Taxonomic composition, zooplankton abundance, species occurr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of plankton research 2004-02, Vol.26 (2), p.181-189
Main Author: HOFFMEYER, Monica S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acartia tonsa
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Annual cycles
Aquatic crustaceans
Balanus glandula
Biological and medical sciences
Brackish water ecosystems
Brackishwater environment
Community structure
Composition
Crustacea
Estuaries
Estuarine dynamics
Eurytemora americana
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Introduced species
Plankton
Salinity
Salinity effects
Salinity gradients
Seasonal variations
Seasons
Species richness
Stability
Succession
Synecology
Temperature
Zooplankton
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Summary:Seasonal zooplankton succession (mainly of the mesozooplankton) in the inner zone of Bahia Blanca estuary during the period 1990-1991 was compared to that from the period 1979-1980 in order to detect changes having taken place in 10 years. Taxonomic composition, zooplankton abundance, species occurrence and temperature-salinity conditions were studied within the two annual cycles. This estuarine ecosystem has been deeply affected by a population increase and by the rapid growth of industrial activity and maritime traffic over the last two decades. Several changes in the zooplankton assemblage composition and structure were detected, probably due to temperature-salinity gradient patterns, which showed discernible differences. Dominance, during winter-spring, of two new invading species, namely, the cirriped Balanus glandula and the copepod Eurytemora americana, causing a decrease in the autochthonous key copepod Acartia tonsa, was one of the principal features of the period 1990-1991. Seasonal changes in diversity and species richness, as well as differences in the multivariate general pattern of the zooplankton community structure with a consequent decrease in the community stability during the second period, were also observed.
ISSN:0142-7873
1464-3774
1464-3774
DOI:10.1093/plankt/fbh023