Zooplankton Monitoring in Zingst Bay

Sampling event
Latest version published by Test Organization #1 on May 27, 2026 Test Organization #1
Publication date:
27 May 2026
Published by:
Test Organization #1
License:
CC0 1.0

Download the latest version of this resource data as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A) or the resource metadata as EML or RTF:

Data as a DwC-A file download 544 records in English (58 KB) - Update frequency: unknown
Metadata as an EML file download (8 KB)
Metadata as an RTF file download (8 KB)

Description

Monitoring of zooplankton communities was conducted in Zingst Bay on behalf of University of Rostock to characterize temporal dynamics and community composition within the coastal basin. The sampling strategy was designed to capture both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the zooplankton assemblage across monthly intervals. On a single day of each month, two complementary water samples were collected. A 1 L “full sample” was obtained to provide a quantitative representation of the ambient zooplankton community. In parallel, a 5 L “net sample” was collected and concentrated using a plankton net to enhance the detection of less abundant or larger-bodied organisms that may be underrepresented in smaller volumes. The monitored taxa comprise a broad spectrum of zooplankton groups, including copepods (e.g., Eurytemora affinis, Acartia tonsa, Temora), cladocerans (e.g., Bosmina, Daphnia-like taxa such as Diaphanosoma), rotifers (e.g., Keratella, Brachionus, Filinia, Polyarthra), and various meroplanktonic larvae such as polychaete larvae, as well as early life stages of mollusks (bivalves and gastropods). This taxonomic diversity reflects the transitional nature of the ecosystem, where marine and freshwater influences shape the zooplankton community. Samples were analyzed using optical microscopy, allowing identification based on morphological characteristics. The combination of full and net sampling approaches enables a more comprehensive assessment of both dominant and rare taxa, supporting robust ecological interpretation of seasonal patterns and environmental responses. These data contribute to long-term monitoring efforts aimed at understanding zooplankton dynamics in coastal systems and their role in trophic interactions and ecosystem functioning within Zingst Bay.

Data Records

The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 544 records.

2 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.

Event (core)
544
Occurrence 
4730
ExtendedMeasurementOrFact 
396

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

How to cite

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

Schumann, R. (2026). Zooplankton monitoring in Zingst Bay. University of Rostock Monitoring Reports.

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is Test Organization #1. To the extent possible under law, the publisher has waived all rights to these data and has dedicated them to the Public Domain (CC0 1.0). Users may copy, modify, distribute and use the work, including for commercial purposes, without restriction.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 581fad81-9f8a-47ae-b1bb-2af2466dffef.  Test Organization #1 publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Secretariat.

Keywords

biodiversity; marine; Zingst; Zooplankton; Samplingevent

Contacts

Rhena Schumann
  • Originator
  • Research Assistant
Universität Rostock; Biologische Station Zingst
  • Mühlenstraße 27, 18374 Zingst
18374 Zingst
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
DE
Universität Rostock
Universität Rostock; Biologische Station Zingst

Geographic Coverage

Zingst Bay, a coastal lagoon located in the southern Baltic Sea region of Germany, characterized by its brackish water conditions and dynamic ecological interactions between freshwater and marine environments.

Bounding Coordinates South West [54, 12.5], North East [54.5, 13]

Taxonomic Coverage

The dataset comprises a taxonomically diverse assemblage of zooplankton, including representatives from the classes Copepoda (copepods), Branchiopoda (cladocerans), Monogononta and Bdelloidea (rotifers), as well as meroplanktonic larvae of Polychaeta (annelids) and Bivalvia and Gastropoda (mollusks).

Class Copepoda, Branchiopoda, Monogononta, Bdelloidea, Polychaeta, Bivalvia, Gastropoda

Temporal Coverage

Start Date / End Date 2012-01-10 / 2018-12-18

Additional Metadata

marine, harvested by the University of Rostock.

Introduction
Purpose