Comparative studies on zooplankton production using different types of organic manure

This study compares the species composition, diversity and abundance of zooplankton produced, using three different sources of organic manure as culture media. The study lasted for twenty-eight (28) days. Nine (9) concrete tanks, each of dimension 1m x 1m x 1m, were respectively filled with one hundred and fifty (150) litres of water from the same source and used for the study. The tanks were randomly grouped in threes and labelled A1 ? A3, B1 ? B3 and C1 - C3. Two kilograms of cow dung mixed with 1 Kg of humus tied in a porous bag was put into each of tanks A1 ? A3. Tanks B1 ? B3 received 2 Kg of poultry droppings and 1 Kg of humus while tanks C1 ? C3 received pig dung and humus in the same proportion. Zooplankton was harvested weekly by the horizontal trawl method, using a micro - filament plankton net of 50 ~km-1 mesh size and collected in a 50 ml glass bottle. The samples collected were stored in 10 % buffered formalin. Samples collected were identified and enumerated in the laboratory using a binocular dissecting microscope at a magnification of x100. Data collected were analysed, using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT). Mergerlef’s diversity indices was used to test for species diversity in each of the culture media. Result showed that total number of individuals produced was highest in cultures using poultry droppings. This was however not significantly different (P>0.05) from those cultured using pig dung, but was significantly different (P