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Influence of food quality on growth and reproduction in Daphnia
Author(s) -
GROEGER ALAN W.,
SCHRAM MARK D.,
MARZOLF G. RICHARD
Publication year - 1991
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2427.1991.tb00504.x
Subject(s) - daphnia pulex , algae , biology , daphnia , scenedesmus , branchiopoda , reproduction , cladocera , botany , zoology , food science , ecology , zooplankton
SUMMARY. 1. Growth and reproduction were measured for Daphnia pulex (Leydig) fed Scenedesmus obliquus (Turp.) Kutz. grown with nitrogen‐sufficient and nitrogen‐deficient media. The incorporation of carbon into the body of D. pulex was traced using 14 C‐labelled algae and biochemical fractionation. 2. Scenedesmus cultured on N‐defkient media allocated more carbon to lipid and less to protein than when cultured on N‐sufficient media. 3. In a short‐term feeding experiment, Daphnia accumulated more lipid when fed N‐deficient algal cells high in lipid content than when fed algae grown on N‐sufficient media that were lower in lipid. 4. Animals grew faster and produced larger broods when fed algae grown on an N‐sufficient medium over an 8‐day period. Daphnids fed N‐deficient algae had higher quantities of body lipid, suggesting it was not a lack of energy which limited their growth and reproduction. 5. Daphnia fed algae grown on N‐deficient media allocated more lipid to eggs, and their offspring lived longer under starvation conditions.