Effect of Hydrological Conditions on Zooplankton Formation in the Lower Reaches of the Pregolya R. (Baltic Sea Basin)

Abstract

The study is focused on the species composition, distribution, population dynamics, biomass, and production of zooplankton in the lower reaches of the Pregolya R., subject to the effect of specific hydrological conditions. The characteristics of the seasonal dynamics of zooplankton population, biomass, and production in autumn (October, November) were found to be high because of euryhaline crustaceans Eurytemora affinis and Acartia sp., which enter the river with water setups from the bay. The total zooplankton production over the vegetation season in river medial and riparian zones were similar (8.3 and 7.1 kcal/m³, respectively), the production rates were at the level typical of the riparian systems.