Evaluating Relationship between Surface Water Quality and Zooplankton Diversity in Coastal Areas of Tien Giang Province, Vietnam

Abstract

The zooplankton diversity is the most important ecological parameter for water quality assessment, as these small creatures are sensitive to any changes in water quality, hence the objective of this study as to evaluate the relationship between surface water quality and zooplankton diversity in the coastal areas of Tien Giang province, Vietnam using appropriate standard methods. The results showed that the coastal water quality had high concentrations of suspended solids, ammonium and coliforms. A total of 71 zooplankton species with a total density ranging from 3,219,383 to 24,993,634 individuals/m³ were identified. Among the zooplankton species, Copepoda nauplius appeared at all monitoring stations, predominating with a density ranging from 740,800 to 7,555,250 individuals/m³. The values of the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') ranged from 1.54 to 2.37, reflecting the coastal water quality in the study area from polluted to mildly polluted. The coastal water variables of pH, salinity, DO, NH₄⁺-N and coliform were closely correlated with the density of zooplankton species. The relationship between surface water quality and zooplankton diversity could be a basis for selecting biological indicators to monitor coastal water quality.