Rodríguez-Jerez, Yira A.

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Abundancia y composición de las comunidades zoopláncticas sobre los arrecifes coralinos en Isla Desecheo, Puerto Rico
(2005-05) Rodríguez-Jerez, Yira A.; García-Saís, Jorge R.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; López, José Manuel; Armstrong, Roy A.; Aponte, Nilda E.; Department of Marine Sciences; Santos Flores, Carlos J.
A study of zooplancton taxonomic composition and abundance was performed in the vicinity of Puerto Canoas and Puerto Botes reefs in Isla Desecheo. The main objective of the study was to examine the influence of the coral reefs in the taxonomic structure and abundance of zooplankton. The approach was to sample the zooplankton in a series of six parallel transects at variable distances away from the reefs system in Isla Desecheo. A total of four sampling cruises were performed during June, September and November 2002, and February 2003. Holoplankton was compossed mainly of calanoids copepods and the abundance varied between 539 – 1,888 Ind/m3. The abundance of the meroplanktonic groups, excluding the fish eggs, fluctuated between 9 – 36 Ind/m3. Fish eggs were the numerically dominant zooplankton group throughout all sampling stations and dates. Results suggest that the reefs of Isla Desecheo are important sources of fish eggs that support a large community of zooplanktivorous fishes above the reefs.