article · The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research
An assessment of surface-water physicochemical conditions and zooplankton diversity across seven stations in Morocco's Merja Zerga Lagoon reveals significant seasonal and spatial variations. Environmental conditions in the coastal lagoon are largely shaped by fluctuations in temperature, salinity, and conductivity. Analysis of fifty-six samples identified one hundred and eight zooplankton taxa, with copepods representing ninety-one of these taxa. The copepods Euterpina acutifrons and Acartia species were the most abundant organisms recorded. Total abundance and diversity reached their highest levels during autumn and dropped to their lowest levels during winter. Variations across stations reflect localized hydrodynamic conditions and diverse habitat types. Shifts in these communities are driven mainly by seasonal temperature changes and gradients in salinity and dissolved oxygen linked to marine inflows, establishing a quantitative baseline for the lagoon.
Merja Zerga Lagoon is an ecologically sensitive Ramsar wetland site. Understanding how water properties and marine inflows influence tiny marine organisms like zooplankton helps researchers and environmental authorities monitor ecosystem health. Because zooplankton form a critical foundation of aquatic food webs, tracking their seasonal shifts supports better long-term preservation and resource management in vital coastal habitats.
This research provides baseline ecological data rather than a direct commercial product. Environmental management bodies, conservation programmes, or coastal monitoring services could use the quantitative findings to establish ecological indicators for lagoon health. The work is early-stage descriptive research, meaning any downstream use in formal environmental management systems or monitoring toolkits would require further development and practical integration.
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This study provides a seasonal and spatial characterization of surface-water physicochemical conditions and zooplankton diversity across seven stations in Merja Zerga Lagoon (Moroccan Atlantic coast). The seasonal variability in temperature, salinity, and conductivity governs the environmental structuring of Merja Zerga Lagoon. Zooplankton communities were highly diverse (108 taxa from 56 samples) and strongly dominated by copepods (91 taxa), with Euterpina acutifrons and Acartia spp. as the most abundant taxa (up to 1.31 × 10 5 and 8.92 × 10 4 ind. m -3 , respectively). Community abundance and diversity peaked in autumn (440 × 10 2 ind. m -3 ) and were significantly lower in winter (50 × 10 2 ind. m -3 ), with distinct differences among stations indicating localized hydrodynamic influences and habitat heterogeneity. The seasonal shifts in zooplankton assemblages were primarily structured by temperature-driven seasonality and marine-inflow–related gradients (salinity/oxygen), providing a quantitative baseline for long-term monitoring and management of this ecologically important coastal lagoon.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.ejar.2026.08.006
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