Temporal Changes in Zooplankton Community Composition and Abundance in Chemical and Organic Rice Fields in Buri Ram Province, Thailand

Abstract

Zooplankton serve as crucial consumers, facilitating energy and nutrient transfer between phytoplankton producers and higher trophic levels such as fish and invertebrates in aquatic ecosystems (Alcaraz and Calbet, 2003). Sensitivity to environmental changes, including water quality, nutrient levels, temperature fluctuations, and toxins, underscores the importance of studying zooplankton for preserving water resource equilibrium and understanding their response to environmental factors (Chen, 2020).The abundance and diversity of zooplankton are influenced by various environmental factors, such as nutrient levels, phytoplankton abundance, hydrological conditions, and predation pressure from fish species, shaping zooplankton community structure (Badsi et al., 2010). Temperature variations positively influence zooplankton distribution (Sellami et al., 2011), while increased nutrient levels correlate with higher zooplankton abundance (Yang et al., 2023). Seasonal and habitat variability further contribute to differences in zooplankton distribution. Climate change and anthropogenic impacts significantly affect community abundance and structure (Hassan et al., 2022;Yang et al., 2023).