BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

Study of Zooplanktons from freshwater ponds and tanks

Submitted by-
DESHNA VARMA
XI A
 INDEX

Acknowledgement
Certificate
Abstract
Objectives
Theory and Experiment
Methodology
Result
Conclusion
Bibliography/References
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have supported me in the
completion of this physics investigatory project.

First and foremost, I am deeply thankful to my physics teacher, [Link] A, for their
guidance, expertise, and encouragement throughout the duration of this project. Their
mentorship has been invaluable in shaping the direction and execution of my research.

I am also grateful to Phoenix greens for providing me with the opportunity to present myself.

Furthermore, I extend my appreciation to my friends and classmates for their assistance and
feedback during various stages of the project. Their insights and encouragement have been
immensely valuable.

Lastly, I would like to thank my family for their unwavering support and understanding. Their
encouragement and belief in my abilities have been a constant source of motivation.

Without the support and encouragement of all those mentioned above, this project would not
have been possible. Thank you for your invaluable contributions.
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Deshna Varma, a student of class XI A has completed the chemistry
investigatory project in accordance with the guidelines and standards set forth by Mrs.
Vasantha A[Biology subject teacher].

This certification is based on a thorough review and evaluation of the project's content,
methodology, results, and presentation. The project was assessed for its scientific rigor,
adherence to ethical guidelines, and overall quality. After careful examination, I am pleased to
confirm that the project meets all the required criteria.
 ABSTRACT

Zooplankton are the microorganisms that feed on the phytoplankton. They are the food of
carnivorous as well as omnivorous fishes, They have been reported in percentage composition
of different groups. The diversity of various types of zooplankton was studied in the freshwater
pond of Sindewahi Maharashtra Located Latitude: 200 17’ 22. 18” N and Longitude: 790 39’ 05.
70” E. The planktonic forms were collected from the surface of the pond water with a plankton
net of 20μ mesh size nylon cloth. The plankton samples were preserved for laboratory analysis.
The collected samples were identified using standard references. The result revealed that the
zooplankton were represented by various phyla like, protozoa, helminthes, rotifera, annelida,
arthropoda etc. Arthropods have been reported maximum in number of varieties and
percentage amount in the total zooplankton followed by Rotifer in general. The range of
zooplankton between 174 to 769 n/l, and average was 378.42 n/l, the minimum zooplankton
was in March and maximum were in the month of October. The annual percentage composition
of various representative groups of zooplankton revealed 7.90% protozoa, 35.32% Rotifer, 5.41%
Arthropoda and Miscellaneous 2.64%. The detailed aspect of monthly variation, percentage
composition and diversity of zooplankton is discussed herein.
 OBJECTIVE

To Study Zooplanktons from freshwater ponds and tanks

 THEORY AND EXPERIMENT

Theory

Zooplankton are a diverse group of small, often microscopic organisms that drift in aquatic
environments. They play a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems as primary consumers, feeding on
phytoplankton and serving as an essential food source for larger aquatic organisms. Studying
zooplankton in freshwater ponds and tanks provides insights into ecosystem health, water
quality, and the dynamics of aquatic food webs. These organisms can be sensitive indicators of
environmental changes, reflecting alterations in water quality, pollution levels, and nutrient
dynamics. By analyzing zooplankton communities, researchers can assess the impact of both
natural and anthropogenic factors on aquatic ecosystems.

Zooplankton also contribute to the cycling of nutrients within these ecosystems, as they
consume phytoplankton and, in turn, are preyed upon by fish and other higher trophic levels.
This makes them integral to the transfer of energy and matter through the aquatic food web.
Moreover, changes in zooplankton populations can have cascading effects on the entire aquatic
community, influencing the abundance and diversity of other species. Therefore, regular
monitoring and detailed study of zooplankton populations can help in the early detection of
ecological imbalances and guide effective management and conservation strategies for
freshwater environments. Understanding their role and response to environmental variables is
essential for maintaining the health and sustainability of these vital ecosystems.

Experiment

The experiment involves collecting zooplankton samples from different freshwater ponds and
lakes, identifying and classifying the species present, and analyzing their abundance and
distribution in relation to environmental parameters.
 METHODOLOGY

Study Site:

Study site's fresh water pond is located in Sindewahi Dist. Chandrapur Latitude: 200 17’ 22 .18”
N and Longitude: 790 39’ 70.05” E. This perennial pond is rain fed as well as receives flood
water from Sindewahi and Lonwahi village. Primarily the water resource is identified to be
utilized for irrigation. This long seasonal pond has a catchment area of 31.8 sq. km which is used
for capture fisheries as well as stocking of Indian Major Carps. The surface water samples were
collected from different locations of the reservoir randomly from June 2018 to May 2019 and
such samples were pooled together to consider the final sample for analysis. All samples were
collected at trice in month during morning hours. The samples were collected by filtering 10L of
water through plankton net of 20μ pore size filtering cloth and concentrated up to 100 ml. The
concentrated zooplankton sample was preserved immediately with the help of 4% formalin. The
samples were analyzed qualitatively under the microscope for different types of zooplanktons.
The identification of zooplanktons was carried out by using keys and published literature. The
quantitative estimation was done by using the Sidgwick rafter cell. Zooplankton was
represented by three different groups viz., protozoa, rotifera and arthropoda. Percentage
compositions of these planktonic forms were indicative of its richness and possible contribution
in organic productivity as well as trophic status maintenance. It is usually observed that the
greater population of the rotifers.
 RESULTS

The range of zooplankton between 174 to 769 n/l, and average was 378.42 n/l, the minimum
zooplankton was in March and maximum were in the month of October, (table-1). The
zooplankton forms were represented in the phylum like Protozoa, Rotifera and Arthropoda,
wherein Arthropoda was dominating two different sub classes of Arthropoda, i.e. Copepods
(73.43%) and Cladocera (26.56%) were abundantly present in the water of this pond (table-2).
Correlation of physico-chemical properties with zooplankton abundance indicates a positive
relationship. All the types of zooplanktonic forms indicate a marginal decline trend from June to
May with no significant relationship with monthly variations. However, during the months of
September, October and November comparatively plankton density was high that coincides
with the similar condition for nutrients as well as some physico-chemical properties of water.
The annual percentage composition of various representative groups of zooplankton revealed
7.90% protozoa, 35.32% Rotifer, 5.41% Arthropoda and Miscellaneous 2.64%. Annual average
percentage of zooplankton from ponds revealed different forms in their density attributed to
water quality. Protozoan and Rotifers were less numerically however, Arthropods were
comparatively more. Arthropods were represented by a variety of copepods and cladocerans.
Larvae and nymphs of several insects were observed with specific seasonal variation. During the
post monsoon such stages were abundant. The density and diversity of zooplankton certainly
get influenced by the physico-chemical properties of water.
 CONCLUSION

The above Sindewahi pond is rain fed as well as receives flood water from Sindewahi and
Lonwahi. Primarily the water resource is identified to be utilized for irrigation. The zooplankton
study was carried out to understand its relation with water quality parameters. The range of
zooplankton between 174 to 769 n/l, and average was 378.42 n/l, the minimum zooplankton
was in March and maximum were in the month of October. The zooplankton forms were
represented in the phylum like Protozoa, Rotifera and Arthropoda. The Arthropods were
dominated as two different sub classes i.e. Copepods (73.43%) and Cladocera (26.56%). During
the months of September, October and November comparatively plankton density was high
that coincides with the similar condition for nutrients as well as some physico-chemical
properties of water. The annual percentage composition of various representative groups of
zooplankton revealed 7.90% protozoa, 35.32% Rotifer, 5.41% Arthropoda and Miscellaneous
2.64%. Zooplankton is one of the necessities to evaluate fresh water reservoir in respect to their
ecological and fisheries status.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES

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limnology. Published by Department of Botany,
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2. Bhandarkar SV and Gaupale DT. Correlation

Coefficient of physico-chemical properties with
zooplankton population in Sagar lake Bhandara,
Maharashtra, J. Curr. Sci., 17, 547–550 (2008).

3. Edmondson WT. Freshwater Biology 2nd Ed.

John Wiley and Sons. Ins. New York (1963).

4. Liu F. Production and application of rotifers in

aquaculture, Aquaculture magazine. 22, 16-22 (1996)

5. Patil Shilpa G, Chonde Sonal G, Jadhav Asawari

S and Raut Prakash D. Impact of Physico-
Chemical Characteristics of Shivaji University
lakes on Phytoplankton Communities, Kolhapur,
India, Res. J. Recent Sci.,1(2), 56-60 (2012)

6. Parikh Ankita N and Mankodi PC. Limnology of

Sama Pond, Vadodara City, Gujarat, Res. J. Recent
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