IMPACT OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF WATER ON POPULATION DYNAMICS OF COPEPODS FROM SAFARI ZOO LAKE, LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The Copepod populations were analyzed from an artificial fresh water lake of Safari Zoo in Lahore and its abundance was examined horizontally and vertically in net samples from September 2013 to August 2014. Seasonal changes in different physicochemical parameters such as the air and water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), Oxygen saturation (OS), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), Sacchi disk transparency (SDT) and turbidity (TB) were observed. Drastic changes were observed in composition and abundance of copepods fauna during the study. Copepods diversity was found maximum in the month of June and July and minimum in September and October. Pearson correlation was calculated between copepods and physicochemical parameters. Analysis of variance showed significant relationship between copepods population and physicochemical parameters. In the present study, 12 species of copepods belonging to two different orders (Cyclopoida and Calanoida) and 11 different genera were identified. Diacyclopsthomas thomasi was dominant species in all months. Shannon-Weaver Index (H) ranged from 1.75 to 2.90 representing moderate diversity of copepods. The study aims to explore relationship of biotic factors impact on the diversity and abundance of copepods from fresh water resources of Pakistan.