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Effects of algal food quality on fecundity and population growth rates of Daphnia
Author(s) -
KILHAM SUSAN,
KREEGER DANIEL,
GOULDEN CLYDE,
LYNN SCOTT
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
freshwater biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2427
pISSN - 0046-5070
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2427.1997.00232.x
Subject(s) - fecundity , biology , daphnia , algae , population , cladocera , food quality , branchiopoda , ecology , zoology , botany , food science , zooplankton , demography , sociology
1. Food quality was at least as important as food quantity for both fecundity and population growth responses of the cladoceran Daphnia pulicaria fed the green alga Ankistrodesmus falcatus grown under N limitation, P limitation, or non‐limited condition. 2. The fecundity of D. pulicaria was reduced under conditions of low food quality (low N or low P) compared with that for animals fed control non‐limited algae regardless of ration size. The reduced fecundity of D. pulicaria fed P‐limited food could be partially alleviated by increasing the ration (hence, compensation), but such was not the case for animals fed N‐limited food. 3. Population growth rates of D. pulicaria ( r max ) were significantly reduced under conditions of low‐quality food for both N‐limited and P‐limited algae. Population growth rates were unaffected by ration size, indicating no compensation.