Plangklang N.1,2, Boonyanusith C.3, Waengsothorn S.4, Athibai S.1,2* 2025. Species composition of Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) in the water bodies of Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, Northeast Thailand in relation to environmental factors // Invert. Zool. Vol.22. No.3: 447–467 [in English].
1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand 40002.
2 Applied Taxonomic Research Center, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand 40002.
3 School of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand 30000.
4 Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research, Wang Nam Khieo District, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand 30370.
* Corresponding author
Nattaporn Plangklang: pk.nattaporn@kkumail.com ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5602-7259
Chaichat Boonyanusith: chaichat.b@nrru.ac.th ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1487-2160
Surachit Waengsothorn: surachit@tistr.or.th ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8847-7975
Sujeephon Athibai: sujiat@kku.ac.th https://orcid.org/ORCID 0000-0002-0900-1216
doi: 10.15298/invertzool.22.3.06
ABSTRACT: The Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve (SBR), located in Northeast Thailand, has a high biodiversity of invertebrates, but there is no records of the water fleas (Crustacea: Cladocera) in this area. We investigated the cladoceran fauna, as well as the relationship between physicochemical variables of water and the cladoceran abundances in this reserve. Thirty-three species of the cladocerans were recorded. The greatest species richness was detected in a reservoir with 29 species (accounting for 87.9% of the total number of species), while the lowest number of species was noted from a pond, with four species. PCA result indicated that the variations in physicochemical parameters of water were associated with different seasons. Moreover, the CCA results showed that orthophosphate, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid and ammonia seem to be environmental factors influencing cladoceran composition in SBR water bodies. Information on the characters, distribution, and ecology of four rare cladoceran species is also provided.
KEY WORDS: conservation area, diversity, seasonal variation, zooplankton.