A COMPARISON OF ZOOPLANKTON METHODS: MORPHOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION VS. GENETIC METABARCODING

Zooplankton are critical food sources for marine fish, particularly during the larval stage when fishes are first beginning to feed. As such, climate-driven changes in zooplankton abundance, diversity, and quality can have profound effects on food web dynamics in coastal oceans and estuaries where fishes spawn. Despite the importance of zooplankton in food webs and fisheries, accurate identification of species remains challenging. Here we present the results of an effort to quantify the diversity of zooplankton in the field. Zooplankton samples collected from the Choptank river were split and examined for taxa identification and quantification using two methods: the traditional method of morphological analysis under a dissecting microscope and the relatively novel method of metabarcoding of tissue samples. The two methods are compared and contrasted for taxonomic resolution, accuracy of quantification, cost, and time commitment required to produce results. The overarching goal of the project is to characterize the zooplankton community in the Choptank river and compare these data to fish gut content data generated from similar metabarcoding techniques.