INFLUENCE OF HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN ICHTHYOPLANKTON AND MACROZOOPLANKTON AT KHOR AL-ZUBAIR LAGOON, IRAQ, ARABIAN GULF

Abstract

The ichthyoplankton of Khor AL-Zubair lagoon consisted of 17 families and dominated by Gobiidae and Engraulidae, due to the hydrological situation of the Khor. The larval fish community of the Khor consisted of resident and transient species. Larvae of commercially important families e.g. Clupeidae. Mugilidae and Sparidae occured in the Khor but in a very low numbers. Copepoda in the Khor are the predominant type of zooplankton. Macrozooplankton and copepoda biomass was higher during March than the rest of the year. There was a positive association between icvhthyoplankton and zooplankton which reflects the trophic relationship between these groups.