Zooplankton Fauna and Seasonal Changes of Two Karstic Sinkhole Lakes: Meyil and Kızören (Konya/Türkiye)

Abstract

Meyil and Kızören sinkholes are large karstic formations located in the Konya plain, Turkey. Seasonal distribution of planktonic community of these two karstic lakes have yet to be studied. In this study, samples were collected from pelagic station in different seasonal periods (March-July-October 2018) and their physico-chemical parameters were determined and evaluated with seasonal species composition. As a result, fifty-two zooplankton species were identified in the two lakes, amongst which are forty six rotifers, five cladocerans and one copepod. Rotifers were founded as the dominant group for both lakes. All species identified as a new record for Meyil and Kızören sinkhole lakes. Furthermore, this study contributes to literature by explaining the first detailed data for zooplankton fauna of sinkhole lakes in Turkey as of the sampling date.