Assessment of Temporal Variations of Zooplankton Populations and Their Role in Coral Recruitment in Narara reef, Gulf of Kachchh

Coral reef zooplankton represent a key community in coral ecosystems, as they are involved in trophic dynamics and coral wellbeing. In the present study, we examined the seasonal flux in the abundance and species composition of zooplankton populations at two stations on the Narara intertidal reef in the Gulf of Kachchh to learn how these might influence coral feeding in the run-up to recruitment. The zooplankton population was assessed monthly for a year (January 2024 to December 2024) along with the assessment of coral recruits. A total of 30 zooplankton taxa were identified during the study period, with specimens classified to the species level. Zooplankton abundance ranged from 1131 to 7528 individuals/m3 and exhibited seasonal fluctuation. Copepods dominated the samples, comprising 42.85% of the total, followed by crustacean larvae at 16.18%. The maximum abundance of zooplankton occurred during the summer months (April to June), whereas the abundance of coral recruits peaked between April and September. ANOVA and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) employed indicated the relationship between zooplankton abundance and coral recruits and associated environmental parameters. The findings suggest that the abundance of zooplankton for ingestion by coral colonies before or during spawning could be a factor favouring enhanced coral recruitment.