Vol.26, N°1 (2025) - Article 5
Effect of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) droppings on zooplankton productivity in a model system in the western highlands of Cameroon
Zooplankton serves as an intermediary organism in aquatic food webs, transferring energy from planktonic algae to fish and other higher animals. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) droppings on zooplankton productivity in a model system in the Western Highlands of Cameroon agroecological zone. For this purpose, an experimental design consisting of 4 treatments (T0, T1, T2, and T3) in three replicates, corresponding to ponds fertilised with 0, 10, 16, and 21g of guinea pig droppings, seeded with zooplankton at densities of 29 individuals, was setup from mid-May to mid-June 2024 at the Application and Research Farm of the University of Dschang. Physicochemical and biological parameters were monitored every 2 days for 30 days. The highest values of electrical conductivity (18.13 ± 1.39 µS/cm) and dissolved oxygen (5.2±1.61 mg/L) were obtained with the 21g dose of guinea pig droppings, and the lowest values in unfertilised tanks. Except for rotifers and copepods, whose production peak was observed on the 14th day, the production peaks of other zooplankton groups varied according to the administered fertiliser dose. For cladocerans, this peak was recorded on the 10th day with the 10g dose, the 12th day with the 16g dose, and the 14th day with the 0 and 21g doses. However, the production peak of nauplii occurred on the 12th day with the 21g dose and the 14th day with the 0, 10, and 16g doses. The topmost rotifer density was observed with the 10, 16, and 21g doses. Meanwhile, the highest density of cladocerans (136 ind/L) and copepods (302 ind/L) were observed with the 21g dose. The highest daily production (55 ind/L/day) and intrinsic biomass growth rate (3.4Kr/day) were obtained with the 21g dose. In closing, zooplankton productivity was significantly affected by C. porcellus droppings.