The composition, distribution and abundance of near-surface zooplankton in Tudor Creek, Mombasa, Kenya
Kimaro, M. (1987). The composition, distribution and abundance of near-surface zooplankton in Tudor Creek, Mombasa, Kenya, in: Martens, E.E. Kenyan-Belgian Project in Marine Sciences: Second Quarterly Report. pp. 54-58 In: Martens, E.E. (1987). Kenyan-Belgian Project in Marine Sciences: Second Quarterly Report. Kenyan Belgian Cooperation in Marine Sciences: Brussel. 144 pp., more |
| Keywords | Abundance
Aquatic communities > Plankton > Zooplankton
Distribution
Environmental factors > Abiotic factors
Population characteristics > Biomass
Temporal variations > Periodic variations > Seasonal variations
ISW, Kenya, Mombasa, Tudor Creek
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract | The composition, distribution and abundance of near-surface zooplankton throughout a one year cycle (November 1984-October 1985) was studied by the analysis of monthly samples taken at three fixed station in Tudor Creek, Mombasa. The biomass was measured by displacement. volume of fixed material and the numerical abundance of selected groups was determined using a Bogorov tray under a Wild (M3C) stereomicroscope. The selected groups were chaetognaths, copepods, molluscan larvae, crustacean decapod larvae (excluding brachyuran larvae), brachyuran larvae, fish eggs and fish larvae. Station 1 was located at the mouth of the creek, station 2 was about 2 km from station 1 in the middle reaches of the creek and station 3 was about 2 km from station 2 in the upper reaches of the creek. Zooplankton sampling was carried out by horizontal tows with a plankton net of 335 um mesh size at an approximate depth of 1.3 m. Surface water temperature, surface water salinity and turbidity were measured at the same time as the zooplankton were being collected. On two occasions > (24th-25th June, 1985 and 23rd-24th September, 1985) 24 h sampling was carried out at two hourly intervals at a fixed station (English Point) in Tudor Creek, in order to determine the diel cycle of near-surface abundance of the selected groups, using the same small plankton net which was used for the later part of the monthly sampling programme. Surface water temperature, surface water salinity, pH and the silica content of the water were also monitored during these 24h sampling programmes. |
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