DIVERSITY AND SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF ZOOPLANKTON IN SOMALAPURA WATER TANKS IN HOSAPETE CITY, KARNATAKA (INDIA)

This study focuses on assessment of zooplankton with special reference to seasonal variation and selected physic-chemical variables of Somalapura water tanks in Hosapete city, Karnataka state. A large quantity of manmade activities near the water tank. During the study period, 48 species of zooplankton - 14 species of Rotifera, 12 species of Cladocera, 6 species of Ostracoda and 4 species of Copepoda were observed. Among zooplankton, Rotifera was (645 no./Org) noticed as the dominant group in the entire the study period and the maximum count was identified in the summer period while less numbers were noticed during winter season. Zooplankton community is also significantly correlated with some physico-chemical variables. The analytical results during the study period indicate that the scattering and density of zooplankton species were encouraged by prevailing physical and chemical features of the aquatic ecological condition. KEYWORDS: Somalapura, water tank, zooplankton, diversity, seasonal and domestic activity