Seminars

In sampling the East River in 2022, we found a diversity of zooplankton, from polychaete worms to larval American lobsters. Shannon diversity and evenness did not differ across sample dates and were not influenced by water chemistry. However, the proportion of major zooplankton groups did significantly differ across the sampling period. For instance, gelatinous zooplankton made up a large portion of the zooplankton community for one week in June; the following week, copepod abundance dropped precipitously. The patterns we observed are likely indicative of population cycles in zooplankton abundance and diversity. Our study helps establish a baseline for zooplankton in the East River, which will be useful to monitor alongside local changes in urbanization, habitat restoration, and climate change.