Study On The Zooplankton Community In Offshore Waters Of South Qingdao

Based on the data from investigations of coastal waters south of Qingdao from August 2006 to November 2007, Zooplankton composition, abundance, biomass and dominant species in the area were analyzed. The zooplankton community structure was analyzed through multivariate analysis method. Zooplankton community and their relationship to environmental factors were also detected. The research can provide fundamental information for the long-term monitoring of zooplankton ecology in the coastal waters south of Qingdao. Results showed that:(1) Total 124 species of zooplankton were identified. Including Protozoa(2 species), Coelenterate(33 species), Cladocera(3 species), Copepoda(29 species), other Arthropoda(12 species), Chaetognatha(2 species), Urochordata (2 species), pelagic larvae(35 species).(2) The average abundance of zooplankton of the investigated area was 1895.92,120.96,2179.89,163.75 ind/m3 in spring, summer, autumn and winter respectively, and an obvious trend of autumn> spring> summer> winter was obtained. Zooplankton abundance and salinity showed significant negative correlation in spring. Abundance of zooplankton and salinity showed significant negative correlation, and with phytoplankton density showed significant positive correlation in summer. The abundance of zooplankton and temperature, salinity, Phytoplankton density showed no significant correlation in autumn, winter.(3) The average biomass of zooplankton in spring, summer, autumn and winter was 1350.39,54.36,587.44,63.26 mg/m, respectively, and an obvious trend of spring>autumn>winter>summer was obtained. Zooplankton biomass and salinity showed significant negative correlation in spring and summer, biomass and environmental factors had no significant correlation in autumn or winter.(4) Shannon-Weiner index presented the summer> autumn> winter> spring trend. Evenness index showed summer> autumn= winter> spring trend. Richness index presented autumn> summer>winter>spring trend.(5) There were 16 species of dominant appeared in type I,12 species of dominant species occurred in typeⅡ. There were Paracalanus parvus, Corycaeus affinis, Sagitta crassa, Oikopleura dioica, Lamellibranchiata larva, Polychaeta larva, Copepoda larva appeared in the two type nets.(6) Zooplankton datas of all stations were analysised with PRIMER5.2 software. Results showed that at about 60% of similarity, the area can be divided into three communities, ZD-QD237, ZD-QD238, ZD-QD239, ZD-QD240 were divided a community; ZD-QD255, JC-HH147, JC-HH148 were divided a community. The remaining stations were classified as a community.The key factors that influenced the distribution of zooplankton were respectively temperature, salinity, depth/ temperature/salinity, salinity in the spring, summer, autumn, winter.