Diel variation in the productivity of Acartia lilljeborgii and Acartia tonsa (Copepoda: Calanoida) in a tropical estuary (Taperaçu, Northern Brazil)

ABSTRACT Magalhaes, A., Nobre, D.S.B., Bessa, R.S.C., Pereira, L.C.C. and Costa, R.M. da, 2013. Diel variation in the biomass and productivity of Acartia tonsa (Copepoda: Calanoida) in a tropical estuary (Taperacu, northern Brazil). In: Conley, D.C., Masselink, G., Russell, P.E. and O'Hare, T.J. (eds.) Diel variation in the productivity of the copepods Acartia lilljeborgii and Acartia tonsa was investigated in the Taperacu estuary in July (rainy season) and October (dry season), 2004. The estimated productivity of A. lilljeborgii (min-max: 3.932,385.41 mg C m−3 d−1; mean: 246.60 mg C m−3 d−1) and A. tonsa (min-max: 0.32–160.21 mg C m−3 d−1; mean: 16.99 mg C m−3 d−1) highlight the importance of their contribution to zooplankton production in the Taperacu estuary. The absence of significant short-term variation in the productivity of A. lilljeborgii and A. tonsa in relation to the period of the day may be related to the combined effect of the shallow depth of the waters of this estuary and its strong tidal ...