Population dynamics of the calanoid copepod, Acartia tsuensis in a brackish-water pond in the Philippines

Abstract

The occurrence pattern and population dynamics of Acartia tsuensis were investigated in a brackish-water pond in Panay Island in central Philippines by implementing both bi-monthly and daily sampling schemes. A. tsuensis occurred in the pond during the dry season (November-April) when the salinity of the water is in the range of 14 ~ 40 ppt but was completely absent at lower salinities. An almost constant rate of development from the nauplius 2 through to copepodite 5 stages of A. tsuensis was observed both in the pond and in the laboratory. The generation time ranged from 5.9~11.3 days. Fecundity had a positive linear corelation with chlorophyll a. Salinity and chlorophyll a affect the stage duration, mortality, and fecundity of A. tsuensis in the pond.