Effects of net cages on the vertical distribution of zooplankton in a semi-arid reservoir, northeastern Brazil Interferência de tanques-rede na distribui o vertical do zooplancton num a ude do semi-árido, nordeste do Brasil

AIM: Carneiro reservoir is an aquatic environment used for net cage aquaculture activities, located in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. Vertical distribution was evaluated in order to determine the effects of organic enrichment induced by aquaculture on zooplankton movements. METHODS: three replicate samples were collected during midday and midnight at each of three depths along the water column (i.e. surface: 0 m; middle: 2 m and bottom: 4 m) at two sites (near and far from the net cages). Samples were collected using a 3 L volume capacity Van Dorn bottle. The collected individuals were preserved in a 4% formaldehyde solution saturated with sugar and, later, identified and counted on a Sedgwick-Rafter chamber under a microscope, considering a minimum of 100 individuals per subsample. RESULTS: higher species richness and density were observed at the N station (nearby the net cages) compared to the F station (distant from the net cages). With few exceptions, Rotifer species did not exhibit typical vertical migration patterns, concentrating at bottom depths during daytime and at intermediate depths during nighttime. Brachionus dolabratus and Hexarthra mira were the only species to show reverse vertical migration at the N station, in opposition to patterns of the cyclopoid copepod Termocyclops crassus. Furthermore, vertical migration patterns were not clear for Cladocera and Copepoda species nearby the net cages, but were rather clear at the F station. CONCLUSIONS: the presence of fish net cages increased zooplankton species richness (mostly rotifers) and density. Vertical movements were more pronounced at sites distant from net cages, suggesting that the increased food availability reduced the need for the typical vertical movements during daytime at sites nearby the net cages. OBJETIVO: O a ude do Carneiro é um ambiente aquático utilizado para atividades de aquicultura em tanques-rede, localizado na regi o semi-árida do nordeste do Brasil. A distribui o vertical foi avaliada com a finalidade de determinar os efeitos do enriquecimento organico induzido pela aquicultura nos movimentos do zooplancton. MéTODOS: três réplicas amostrais foram coletadas à meia noite (0:00 horas) e ao meio dia (12:00 horas ) em cada uma de três profundidades da coluna d'água (i.e. superfície: 0 m; meio: 2 m e fundo: 4 m) em duas áreas (próximo e distante dos tanques-rede). As amostras foram coletadas utilizando uma garrafa de Van Dorn com 3 L de capacidade volumétrica. Os indivíduos coletados foram preservados em uma solu o de formol a 4% saturada com a úcar e, post