Zooplankton abundance in the River Kars, Northeast Turkey: Impact of environmental variables

The zooplankton of the River Kars was studied from May to October 2005 at five sampling stations. Thirty different zooplankton taxa were recorded, consisting of one copepod, four cladocera and twenty-five rotifers. The highest zooplankton densities were recorded in July and the lowest in October. Water temperature and nutrients were the main environmental factors which affected zooplankton abundance in the river. Key words: River Kars, zooplankton, running water, environmental factors.