Sampling and preservation methods for the quantitative enumeration of microzooplankton

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Abstract
Four sampling and four preservation techniques were compared for the quantitative enumeration of microzooplankton (ciliates, rotifers, and nauplii) in a eutrophic lake and in an oligotrophic lake. Counts of most microzooplankton groups were significantly higher in samples preserved with Lugol's iodine and mercuric chloride than with formalin and glutaraldehyde. The collection of samples with nets or pumps, and the concentration of samples with nylon screens gave significantly lower counts than discrete settled samples. All ciliates < 50 jxm in length passed through a 20 μm mesh screen showing that size fractionation by screen or net is not an effective way of partitioning planktonic organisms.