Keywords

Carp, Freshwater zooplankton, Florida, Zooplankton

Abstract

The effect of the Asian grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella Val.) and aquatic vegetation upon the zooplankton in four adjacent experimental ponds (0.139 ha each) was studied for one year. Zooplankton were collected with a newly designed shallow-water sampler. Pond 1 contained no aquatic vegetation. Ponds 2, 3, and 4 contained nine species of rooted aquatic plants. Grass carp were stocked into Pond 2 (65 per ha) and Pond 3 (611 per ha). Physicochemical parameters were similar among the ponds. Eighty-eight zooplankton species were enumerated. The abundance of zooplankton groups (Rotifera, Cladocera, and Copepoda) was not significantly different among the ponds containing grass carp. No significant differences existed between Pond 3 (high grass carp stocking rate) and Pond 4 (no carp) for species diversity (d) and species dominance. The number of species and species diversity (d) was found to be significantly different in Pond 2 (low grass carp stocking rate) when compared to Ponds 3 and 4; those differences probably were not due to the grass carp. Grass carp did not appear to affect the water quality of the ponds. In general, it was concluded that grass carp had little, if any, direct or indirect affect upon the zooplankton. Species commonness was greatest among ponds containing vegetation. Rotifers were the dominant zooplankton group in those ponds. Zooplankton ware moat abundant in the pond without vegetation and were dominated by copepods (notably Tropocyclops prasinus). That pond contained the lowest number of species and had the largest species diversity (d) of the ponds. The annual mean for the Simpson Index (species dominance) was highest in Pond 1. The lack of vegetation may have influenced the abundance and diversity of the zooplankton in Pond 1 compared to the other ponds. Those differences also may have been due to selective predation by mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis); that fish was significantly less abundant in Pond 1.

Graduation Date

1978

Advisor

Osborne, John A.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Natural Sciences

Degree Program

Biology

Format

PDF

Pages

90 p.

Language

English

Rights

Written permission granted by copyright holder to the University of Central Florida Libraries to digitize and distribute for nonprofit, educational purposes.

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0004339

Subjects

Carp, Freshwater zooplankton -- Florida, Zooplankton -- Florida

Contributor (Linked data)

John A. Osborne (Q59504803)

Collection (Linked data)

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Accessibility Status

Searchable text

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