Abstract
ZOOPLANKTONIC COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF RIVER CHENAB OF JAMMU & KASHMIR (J&K)

Zooplankton are an important link in the transformation of energy from producers to consumers. They play a key role as efficient filter feeders on phytoplankton, and as a food source for other invertebrates, fish larvae and fish. Consequently, studies on zooplankton are quite important. Water flow, showing changes in the river hydromorphology, exerts an important control over lotic communities. In the present study the community structure and diversity of zooplankton was investigated seasonally in the River Chenab from 2000 to 2002. The zooplankton community of river Chenab as well as its tributaries consist of Rotifera (10 species), Cladocera (5 species) and Copepoda (2 species) each of which showed usual seasonal fluctuations.