Comparative population growth and life table demography of the rotifer Asplanchna girodi at different prey (Brachionus calyciflorus and Brachionus havanaensis) (Rotifera) densities

Abstract

Population growth and life table demography of the predatory rotifer A. girodi using spineless Brachionus calyciflorus and spined Brachionus havanaensis as prey at densities of 1, 2, 4 and 8 ind. ml−1 at 25 °C were studied. Regardless of the prey species, the population of A. girodi increased with increasing availability of Brachionus in the medium. At any given prey density, A. girodi fed B. calyciflorus showed consistently better growth than when fed B. havanaensis. The maximum population densities of A. girodi varied from 0.28 to 1.8 ind. ml−1 depending on the prey species and the density. The rate of population increase observed in population growth studies varied from 0.17 to 0.43 day−1 when fed B. calyciflorus and 0.09 to 0.27 day−1 when fed B. havanaensis. Male population of A. girodi was closely related to female density. The lowest average lifespan was observed for A. girodi when fed B. havanaensis at 1 ind. ml−1, while the converse was the case when fed B. calyciflorus at comparable prey concentration. Net reproductive rates varied from 16 to 26 offspring female−1 lifespan−1 depending on the prey species and concentration. Generation time of A. girodi decreased with increasing food concentrations for both the prey species. The rates of population increase obtained from life table demography were lower for A. girodi when fed B. havanaensis than when fed B. calyciflorus.