Studies on abundance of zooplanktons in lakes of Mysore, India

This is the first comprehensive ecological study on the abundance of zooplankton in Kalale, Alanahalli and Dalvoy lakes of Mysore. The abundance of zooplankton as well as their relation with physico-chemical parameters was analyzed, every month in these lakes from June 2008-May 2010. The mean abundance of Rotifer (281 Org (l-1)), Cladocerans (27 Org l(-1)) and total abundance of zooplankton (343 Org l(-1)) were more and significantly different in Dalvoy lake; whereas, in Kalale lake the mean abundance of Rotifer (19 Org l(-1)), Cladocerans (3 Org l(-1)) and total abundance of zooplankton (79 Org l(-1)) and in Alanahalli lake the mean abundance of Rotifer (84 Org l(-1)), Cladocerans (9 Org l(-1)) and total abundance of zooplankton (149 Org l(-1)) were significantly less. However, the abundance of Copepods and Ostracods was similar in all the three lakes studied. The water bodies of Kalale lake were less polluted when compared toAlanahalli and Dalvoy lakes. The increases in conductivity, Chl a, turbidity, phosphate, carbon-di-oxide and total anions in Alanahalli and Dalvoy lakes may be attributed to the various anthropogenic activities in the catchment areas. Interrelationships between zooplankton variables and physico-chemical parameters were calculated using Pearson's correlation co-efficient (r) which revealed (25) significant (P < 0.05) relationships (More (11) in Dalvoy lake and moderate (7) in Alanahalli and Kalale lakes). The stepwise multiple regression analysis (r2) showed out of 21 physico-chemical parameters studied, as many as 12 were positively controlling the abundance of zooplankton, where as the phosphate and chloride were negatively controlling the total abundance of zooplankton and the abundance of ostracods respectively. The results obtained have been discussed in the light of the present literature available in the field of aquatic microbial ecology.