Changes in life histories of cladocerans (Cladocera) from the rotifer-mediated allelochemicals

Abstract

ABSTRACT We hypothesised that at higher densities herbivorous rotifers through their allelochemicals affect the survival and reproduction of cladocerans. To test this, we separately cultured three rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus havanaensis, and Plationus patulus) and three cladocerans (Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia pulex, and Moina macrocopa). Chlorella vulgaris was used as food and reconstituted moderately hard water was used as medium. The conditioned-medium (CM) obtained from each of rotifer species was used to conduct cohort life table tests of cladocerans. SDS PAGE electrophoresis revealed the molecular weights of proteins present in the rotifer conditioned medium were 55–63 kDa. Compared to C. dubia and D. pulex, Moina was more resistant to rotifer-mediated chemicals. Gross reproductive rate of C. dubia was significantly stimulated by the rotifer-CM. However, gross and net reproductive rates of D. pulex were strongly reduced (72–85%) due to P. patulus-CM but not from the other two rotifer species. The rate of population increase of M. macrocopa was significantly reduced by the rotifer CM. Overall, about 46% (adverse effect: 24%; stimulatory impact: 22%) of the life history variables in controls significantly differed from rotifer-CM treatments, thus proving our hypothesis that rotifer-mediated allelochemicals had some effect on the cladoceran life history variables.