Zooplankton community of Bhayandar and Thane salt pans around Bombay

The zooplankton community of the salt pans of Bhayandar and Thane was studi ed based on the contribution of microzooplankton and meso-macrozooplankton. Population of microzooplankton was about 4. times more in Bhayandar as com pared to Thane salt pan. The protozoan ciliate Fabrea salina dominated the microzooplankton community. The meso-macrozooplankton standing stock was mo re at Thane (av 1.7g wet wt/m(3)) as compared to Bhayandar (av 1.4g wet wt/ m(3)). However, group diversity was more at Bhayandar. A reduction in group diversity to the order of 50% was observed from creek to crystallizer asso ciated with high salinity regime. Copepods were the most abundant group at both the salt pans. Calanoids dominated the Bhayandar salt pan while cyclop oids were predominant at Thane. Decapods and mysids were common in the area . During the monsoon season mysids were dominant in the crystallizer and co ndenser of Thane. Artemia was observed only at Bhayandar. In general the sa lt pans sustain a fairly rich zooplankton Standing stock with low diversity .