Komposisi dan Kelimpahan Copepoda Selama Musim Timur di Teluk Ambon, Provinsi Maluku

Ambon Bay has a shallow neritic inner bay and a deep oceanic outer bay that opens on to the Banda Sea. The dynamics of oceanography including copepods is affected by topography of Ambon Bay. Copepods are dominant groups of marine zooplankton and have an important role in the marine food chain process. Aims of the research are to study composition and abundance of the copepods during east season in Ambon Bay. This research was conducted during three months of observations, start from June until August 2009 in Coastal of Ambon Bay. Samples of copepods were taken from 17 stations using NORPAC plankton net with vertical hauling from 10m of depth to the surface water. Results of the research showed that the composition of copepods is dynamic during the east season, which Undinula sp, Centropages sp, Acartia sp, Eucalanus sp, Oncaea sp and Corycaeus sp are present in all regions. Copepods from species of Haloptilus sp only present at Laha region and the species of Pseudocalanus sp is absent during east season, except on Ambon Kota region (last season). Mean abundance of copepods is 1552 ind/m3 (early season) and in the middle season is the peak of abundance which 3201 ind/m3 and it was decrease in the last season with the mean of abundance is 1541 ind/m3. The hydrological factors during east season such as salinity, temperature and chlorophyll-a is fluctuated. During east season, the average of salinity is 34.11 psu, temperature is 25.950C, and the average of chlorophyll-a is 0.63 mg/m3. Dynamic fluctuations of chlorophyll-a which is started from 0.55 mg/m3 in the early season, was increased in the middle (0.79 mg/m3) and decreased in the last season (0.55 mg/m3). Variations of composition and abundance of copepods are response to hydrological factors during east season in Coastal of Ambon Bay. Seminar Nasional Tahunan Ke-II. Hasil-hasil Penelitian Perikanan dan Kelautan. Semarang, 04 Oktober 2012.