Community structure of zooplankton across environmental variables in a high-altitude lake of central Himalayas, India

We determined seasonal and spatial variation of zooplankton and their correlation with environment variables in a subtropical lake of the Himalayas. Thirty-eight species of zooplankton were identified, of which, 38.0% belonged to rotifera, 26.3% to cladocera, and 15.7% to copepoda. Nitrogen nutrients, total organic matter (TOM), and clay particles significantly influenced on the distribution pattern of zooplankton. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed homogeneous assemblages of dominant zooplankton species except <i>Chydorus gibbus</i> which has wider range of niche partitioning. Turbidity formed by suspended materials facilitated better avoidance of larger zooplankton like <i>Daphnia similis</i> from predators. Sedimentary silt particles influenced on the assemblages of sensitive species such as <i>Tropocyclops prasinus</i>, <i>Asplanchna priodonta</i> and <i>Colurella obtuse</i>. Changes within the land-use pattern in the catchment of the central Himalayan lakes either directly or indirectly impact on the distribution of zooplankton community.