Distribution of zooplankton related to environmental factors in three interconnected reservoirs: Kasseb, Mornaguia and Ghdir El Goulla (North of Tunisia)

¹ Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie, Unité de Recherche UR/05ES05 Biodiversité et Écosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5 – BP 1171 – CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
² Université de Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249 1, Place Leclerc, 25030 Besançon cedex, France
³ Université Sidi-Mohammed-Ben-Abdallah, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, BP 1796, Fès-Atlas, Morocco

Corresponding author: sellamifss@yahoo.fr

Received: 30 September 2008
Accepted: 9 February 2009

Abstract

The spatial and temporal distribution of zooplankton and environmental parameters in Kasseb, Mornaguia and Ghdir El Goulla reservoirs (North of Tunisia) were studied monthly from July to December 2002 in order to establish seasonal patterns, biotic and abiotic relationships for these reservoirs. In Kasseb reservoir, the zooplankton community was dominated by Acanthocyclops sp. (37.3% of total zooplankton density) and Bosmina longirostris (32.6% of total zooplankton density). In Mornaguia and Ghdir El Goulla, Copidodiaptomus numidicus was the most abundant species with 62.1% and 97.5% of total zooplankton density respectively. Our study indicated that the zooplankton community of Ghdir El Goulla reservoir was influenced by the impact of internal environmental factors and artificially introduced water from the two Kasseb and Mornaguia reservoirs. Highest density of zooplankton species was recorded in Kasseb reservoir, which indicated an increased tendency for eutrophication. Mornaguia and Ghdir El Goulla are oligo-mesotrophic reservoirs. Understanding the relationship between the zooplankton community and temporal distribution is important for the understanding of trophic interactions within these reservoirs.