STATUS AND DIVERSITY OF ZOOPLANKTON POPULATION IN THE BUDKI DAM OF SHIRPUR, DHULE DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Zooplanktons are microscopic heterotropic organisms usually too small, present in aquatic environment. They are present at various depths in their own niches in every type of water bodies.The present investigation deals with the study of monthly changes of diversity and density of Zooplankton in Budki Dam of Shirpur in Maharashtra. The work was carried out for a period of two year from January 2009 to December 2010. The population status of Zooplankton at Budki dam consisted total 51 species of Zooplankton belonging to 30 genera, belong to four groups: Rotifera (28 species), Cladocera (12 species), Copepoda (7 species)  and Ostracoda (4 Species). Quantitatively and qualitatively these four groups administered same sequence as: Rotifera>Cladocera>Copepoda>Ostracoda.