Distribution, Abundance, and Biomass of the Macrozooplankton of Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii 1966-1971

Abstract

Many hundreds of zooplankton samples have been collected in Kaneohe Bay during the years 1950 through 1970, but data from the various studies completed during this interval are not generally available. This report makes available enumeration data from about 300 zooplankton samples collected between December 1966 and March 1971. A general feature of zooplankton distribution and abundance in the bay is that highest total zooplankton abundances are found in the eutrophic southeastern basin, but only a few species have their greatest abundance there. Most species abundances change along an environmental gradient. Spatial abundance patterns for the 19 most important macrozooplankton taxa are discussed. The data presented in this report are compared to results of studies completed by Hiatt (1951) and Piyakarnchana (1965). During the twentyyear period of 1950-1970, total zooplankton abundance seems to have increased somewhat, presumably as a result of eutrophication, but there have been few changes in zooplankton species composition. The only change is that macrocopepods have become less common in the southern sector of the bay and the pelagic tunicate, Oikopleura longicauda, has become more abundant.