Anthropoid factors influence in the mesozooplankton community at Santa Cruz de Tenerife dock (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

Abstract

Over a period of six months, from July to December 2002, with the aim to study the mesozooplanktonic community and the influence it may have on the conditions in the area, there have been made a number of samples in fixed station located at the mouth of the Fishing Dock in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (D) and in a second neritic station that has been used as a reference (E-1). Besides the possible pollution caused by the constant inputs and outputs of vessels, there is a continuous effluent brine into the mouth of the Fishing Dock of Santa Cruz de Tenerife coming from the facilities of the Desalination Plant of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (desalination by reverse osmosis), whose salinity ranges between 60.98 and 67.18 PSU with a rejection flow of about 390 m3/h. Throughout the period studied in station D, it was found a lower population density, with an average value of 274.467 specimens/m3 compared to 402.12 specimens/m3 found in the E-1, with a lower diversity of groups or taxonomic categories than those found in the reference station.