Open AccessEffects of Environmental Factors on Larval Settlement of Sea Cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka)
Author(s) -
Li Li,
Li Qi,
Kong Lingfeng
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of the world aquaculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0893-8849
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-7345.2010.00437.x
Subject(s) - sea cucumber , apostichopus japonicus , biology , salinity , algae , larva , metamorphosis , seawater , ecology , fishery
In this study, a series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of environmental factors on larval settlement of sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka). These experiments examined the following factors: temperature (18, 21, 24, and 27 C), salinity (20, 25, 30, and 35 ppt), and diet supply (micro‐algae, macro‐algae, sea mud, and a mixture of macro‐algae and sea mud). Results indicated that larval settlements were significantly different among different temperatures, salinities, and diet supplies ( P < 0.001). Lower temperature between 18 and 21 C and a salinity of 30 ppt were the optimum for larval settlement of A. japonicus . The sediments (macro‐algae and sea mud) replaced micro‐algae as a food source for the newly settled juveniles with an increase in metamorphosis and early settlement.