4% of the total count) and 28 479 individuals m−3 at site 5 (84.6%). Both copepod larval stages as well as dominant adult species (P. crassirostris, O. nana, Centropages kroyeri, Euterpina acutifrons and Paracalanus parvus) showed nearly the same pattern of total zooplankton, the highest densities being in the middle of the lake and values decreasing on the western side and at the shipping lane sites. The abundance was lowest at site 10. The freshwater copepod Mesocyclops

leuckarti was recorded only at sites 9 and 10 with respective averages of 24 and 614 individuals m−3. Rotifers were the most dominant group in the western lagoon (site 10), making up 85.4% of the total zooplankton population at this site. Their abundance decreased gradually: densities were minimal on the western BYL719 side of the lake (sites 7–9) and nearly zero in the middle selleck products of the lake (Figure 4). Other zooplankton groups (cladocerans, molluscs, polychaetes and urochordates) showed nearly the same distributional

pattern as the total zooplankton. Their densities were the highest in the middle of the lake (sites 4–6) and decreased gradually towards the western sites and the shipping lane sites (Figure 4). On the other hand, the abundance was the lowest at site 10. The highest count of cirripedes was in the shipping lane (sites 1–3) with a maximum average of 403 individuals m−3 at site 1, and decreased in the lake; cirripedes were not present in the western lagoon. The seasonal average of the total zooplankton standing stock throughout the study area showed that the lake was productive all the year round. Abundance was at its lowest (average: 8580 individuals m−3) during winter. Obviously, the most frequently sampled sites showed a more or less similar seasonal see more variation. The zooplankton standing crop increased gradually during the subsequent seasons (spring), showing a distinct peak (average: 40 857 individuals m−3) in summer and another smaller one in autumn with an average of 26 891 individuals m−3 (Figure 5). In summer, copepods dominated the zooplankton community (average: 33 479 individuals m−3), constituting 81.9%

of the total zooplankton (Figure 6). They were represented by 12 species: P. crassirostris, O. nana, E. acutifrons, C. kroyeri, C. furcatus, P. parvus, M. leuckarti, Acartia negligens, Acrocalanus gibber, A. latisetosa, Microsetella norvigica and Harpacticus sp. Of these, P. crassirostris and O. nana were the dominant species at all sites (except site 10) with averages of 17 517 and 10 013 individuals m−3 (42.9 and 24.5% of the total zooplankton) respectively. Mollusc larvae were the second most abundant group with an average of 2472 individuals m−3, making up 6% of the total zooplankton count ( Figure 6). They were dominated by lamellibranch veligers (1804 individuals m−3) representing 4.4% of the total zooplankton. Rotifers constituted 5.