Seasonal dynamics of zooplankton community in four Mediterranean reservoirs in humid area (Beni Mtir: north of Tunisia) and semi arid area (Lakhmes, Nabhana and Sidi Saâd: center of Tunisia)

Ikbel Sellami (1) , Wassim Guermazi (1) , Asma Hamza (2) , Lotfi Aleya (3) , Habib Ayadi (3)

1 UR Biodiversité & Ecosystèmes Aquatiques
2 Centre de Sfax
3 LCE - Laboratoire Chrono-environnement (UMR 6249)

The zooplankton community was studied in four Mediterranean reservoirs to assess the relative importance of environmental factors as determinants of zooplankton dynamic in the four seasons. The water temperature and hydrology variations affect the distribution of zooplankton. A positive correlation was established between the total zooplankton and the water temperature (r=0.9, n=9, p<0.05). Fourteen zooplankton species were identified. Seasonal changes in the density (ANOVA, F=3.7, d.f=36, p<0.01) and the biomass of total zooplankton (ANOVA, F=4.4, d.f=36, p<0.001) were observed. Our results suggest that planktivorous fish may not modify the zooplankton dynamics in Beni Mtir reservoir (oligotrophic). On the contrary, in Sidi Saâd reservoir (mesotrophic), fish predation has major effects on seasonal zooplankton dynamics.

Mots clés: Trophic state; Zooplankton; Temperature; Environmental factors; Mediterranean reservoirs

Domaines: Sciences de l'environnement

Ikbel Sellami, Wassim Guermazi, Asma Hamza, Lotfi Aleya, Habib Ayadi. Seasonal dynamics of zooplankton community in four Mediterranean reservoirs in humid area (Beni Mtir: north of Tunisia) and semi arid area (Lakhmes, Nabhana and Sidi Saâd: center of Tunisia). Journal of Thermal Biology, 2010, Elsevier, 35 (8), pp.392-400. ⟨10.1016/j.jtherbio.2010.08.004⟩. ⟨hal-01103239⟩