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vol-32SPATIO-TEMPORAL VARIATIONS OF ZOOPLANKTON
COMMUNITY IN THE HYPERSALINE LAGOON OF
BARDAWIL, NORTH SINAI – EGYPT
ADEL ALI A. MAGEED
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, 101 Kasr Al Ainy St., Cairo Egypt
E. mail: [email protected]
Key words: Bardawil, hypersaline lagoon, zooplankton, salinity
ABSTRACT
Bardawil Lagoon is a shallow oligotrophic hypersaline lake, located at the northern
periphery of Sinai peninsula-Egypt, connected to SE Mediterranean Sea through two main
openings known as Boughazes. Distribution of zooplankton in Bardawil Lagoon during
2004 was studied, not only in space and time but also with reference to species assemblages
and environmental factors. Copepoda, Protozoa, and Mollusca were dominating the lagoon
zooplankton community during the period of study with 58 identified forma. Zooplankton
stock peaked during August and October with severe depletion in spring. Spatially, the
maximum density occurred near the sea opening I. The lowest density and species richness
were noticed at stations with high salinity. The community composition was highly
changed with time series. Twenty new taxa were recorded during the study, whereas thirty
three taxa disappeared from the lagoon along twenty years
