The zooplankton of the Forth, Scotland

Abstract

Synopsis A description of the community structure of the Forth estuary's zooplankton was obtained by sampling monthly at nine stations ranging from fresh water to fully marine conditions for an eighteen-month period. The variation in species abundance and distribution is related to environmental variables. The apparent spatial and temporal successions of members of the Acartia species complex are described, as are the episodes of predation spreading from the firth and the domination of the upper estuary by Eurytemora . It is observed that the estuary of the Forth is rare among British estuaries in its ability to support a truly pelagic self-maintaining assemblage of species.