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Zooplankton vertical migration and plasticity of pigmentation arising from simultaneous UV and predation threats
Author(s) -
Hylander Samuel,
Larsson Niklas,
Hansson Lars-Anders
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.2009.54.2.0483
Subject(s) - predation , zooplankton , ultraviolet radiation , diel vertical migration , biology , ecology , phenotypic plasticity , zoology , chemistry , radiochemistry
We assessed how zooplankton (copepods) handle the simultaneous threats of predators and ultraviolet (UV) radiation and whether they respond with changes in pigmentation, vertical migration, or both. We found weak vertical migration among copepods in response to UV stress, and this response was not apparently influenced by predation risk. Exposure to high levels of UV radiation caused copepods to retain pigments in the absence of a predation threat. When exposed to predation threat, they reduced their pigmentation regardless of UV level. Thus, they ranked predation as a threat more severe than UV radiation. Reducing the protective pigment level in response to predation in a situation in which UV radiation is high may, however, lead to higher mortality.