SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF MICROCRUSTACEAN AND ROTIFER COMMUNITIES IN MALAYSIAN RICE FIELDS USED FOR RICE-FISH FARMING

The abundance, seasonal dynamics and species composition of microcrustacean and rotifer communities in rice fields used for rice-cum-fish culture were examined. The shallow littoral-like nature of rice fields resulted in the presence of cladoceran and rotifer species, but copepods were numerically more abundant. Abundance and seasonal dynamics were affected by factors such as pesticides and herbicide use, predator-prey relationships, presence of hydrophytes and interactions among microcrustaceans and rotifers. The implications of microcrustacean and rotifers abundance and seasonal dynamics on rice-fish farming are discussed.