Annual cycle of zooplankton abundance and species composition in Izmit Bay (the northeastern Marmara Sea)

The monthly abundance, biomass and taxonomic composition of zooplankton of Izmit Bay (the northeastern Marmara Sea) were studied from October 2001 to September 2002. Most species within the zooplankton community displayed a clear pattern of succession throughout the year. Generally copepods and cladocerans were the most abundant groups, while the contribution of meroplankton increased at inner-most stations and dominated the zooplankton. Both species number (S) and diversity (H′) were positively influenced by the increase in salinity of upper layers (r = 0.30 and r = 0.31, p < 0.001, respectively), while chlorophyll a was negatively affected (r = −0.36, p < 0.001). Even though Noctiluca scintillans had a significant seasonality (F11,120 = 8.45, p < 0.001, ANOVA), abundance was not related to fluctuations in temperature and only chlorophyll a was adversely correlated (r = −0.35, p < 0.001). In general, there are some minor differences in zooplankton assemblages of upper and lower layers. A comparison of the species composition and abundance of Izmit Bay with other Black Sea bays reveals a high similarity between them.