ZOOPLANKTON DISTRIBUTION IN LAKE KINNERET (ISRAEL), 1969–1970

ABSTRACT

More than 70 weekly zooplankton samples were taken during the period 9 December 1968 to 30 July 1970 in three different stations (A, D, and G). The organisms were counted and the results given as number of organisms/m² of the lake. It was found that: Copepods are present in high numbers throughout the year; the Cladocera populations show two peaks, in winter and in early summer; and the rich winter populations of Rotifers decrease sharply in the summer. In the summer, most of the organisms are concentrated in two layers: the first at 5 to 7 m, the second at the metalimnic layer at various depths between 12 and 27 m. Most of the organisms in the metalimnic layer are copepods feeding on nauplii and cladocerans. In the winter, the zooplankton is not always homogenously distributed at all depths.