Copepod Assemblages at the Base of Mangrove Food Webs during a Severe Drought

The effect of severe drought on the functional groups that sustain base mangrove food webs in semi-arid areas is largely unknown. We therefore analyzed intra-annual variation assemblages and copepods a shallow, low-inflow estuary Brazilian coast when most ever occurred. lowest density was found April (upstream region) highest August (downstream region). Three main were identified, sorted by spawning strategy, further subdivided according to feeding trophic regime, diel vertical migration behavior. community significantly influenced extreme period, presenting temporal homogenization terms composition, an expressive unexpected increase dry possibly due phytoplankton blooms resistant hypersalinity occurrence copepod species adapted stressful conditions. few stress-tolerant sustaining with seasonal variations observed simplifying variability. results indicate can induce changes zooplankton community, increasing mortality risk and, so, promoting alteration estuarine dynamic.