Long-term fluctuations of zooplankton in the middle Adriatic Sea (1960-1982)

Abstract

      Long-term (1960-1982) zooplankton fluctuations in the open middle Adri­atic were studied on samples from the station Stončica. The groups: Copepoda, Appendicularia, Cladocera, Medusae/Siphonophora, Chaetognatha, Thaliacea, Mollusca, Decapoda and Polychaeta were analyzed for their numbers and relative abundance.

      Percentages of each individual group in the total zooplankton were cal­culated and seasonal and long-term fluctuations observed.

      Seasonal and long-term fluctuations of some groups were found to be dependent on the variations of temperature, salinity and phytoplankton quantity in the same month whereas some groups showed a time lag of about a month behind the environmental changes.