General distribution of zooplankton in Turkish coast of the Black Sea and a study on egg production of Acartia clausi Giesbrecht, 1889 (Copepoda=Calanoida)

In the present study, distribution, composition, abundance and biomass values of zooplankton on Turkish coast of Black Sea were studied at a total of 53 stations in June 2006, October 2006 and May 2007. Zooplankton samplings were carried out vertically by using Nansen type plankton net with a 112 ?m mesh size and 70 cm diameter.Total abundance and biomass values of zooplankton samples obtained throughout the sampling period were found to be 92 888 ind/m3?8906 mg/m3 in June 2006, 86 436 ind/m3?2743 mg/m3 in October 2006 and 75 577 ind/m3?5104 mg/m3 in May 2007. Abundance and biomass values of zooplankton were determined to be high in May in the eastern Black Sea and in June and October in the western and central Black Sea. Copepoda was found to be dominant in October (82.3%) and May (69.2%) in terms of abundance whereas a relatively high percentage of 49.7% was recorded for Noctiluca scintillans in June. As for biomass, in June N. scintillans (45.6%), in October Copepoda (43.8%) and in May Chaetognatha (49.5%) was found to reveal high percentages.Egg production rates (EPR) of Acartia clausi were measured between January and December 2008 in Sinop Peninsula. During the study period EPR were found to be generally low varying between 2.04±0.43 (20 October) and 19.41±1.73 eggs/female.day (26 March). The mean EPR was recorded 8.62±102 egg/female.day. It was determined that egg production has a relationship neither with temperature nor with chlorophyll-a concentration.