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Ecophysiological diversity of alpine populations of Gammarus lacustris in relation to environmental calcium
Author(s) -
Meyran J. C.
Publication year - 1998
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.1365-2427.1998.00257.x
Subject(s) - ecology , gammarus , biology , calcium , moulting , colonisation , zoology , amphipoda , crustacean , larva , colonization , chemistry , organic chemistry
1. The contribution of environmental calcium to ecophysiological diversity among populations of Gammarus lacustris was investigated by comparing five alpine lakes in France. 2. Calcium concentrations in the water varied with substratum lithology, ranging from 6 mg L –1 in lakes on crystalline (igneous) rocks to 32.7 mg L –1 in lakes on limestone, and up to 248 mg L –1 in a lake with a gypsum environment. 3. The duration of the moult cycle and mortality rate were compared between populations by means of field and in situ laboratory and translocation experiments on adult males. Animals from water with low calcium concentrations showed a significantly longer moult cycle and higher mortality rate than those from water with high calcium concentrations. A significant increase in the duration of the moult cycle was observed in animals translocated to water of lower calcium concentration and vice versa. 4. These results suggest the existence of different physiological races of G. lacustris with an ecophysiological plasticity of calcium metabolism narrower than that of river‐dwelling gammarids such as G. fossarum. This may be a consequence of geographic isolation among lacustrine populations together with the relatively stable environmental parameters in lakes.