Effect of salinity on competition between the rotifers Brachionus rotundiformis Tschugunoff and Hexarthra jenkinae (De Beauchamp) (Rotifera)

Abstract

We studied the effect of different concentrations (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 g l−1) of sodium chloride at one food level of Chlorella (1×106 cells ml−1) on competition between the rotifers B. rotundiformis and H. jenkinae, both of which were isolated from a saline lake. The population growth experiments were conducted for 3 weeks. Both the rotifer species did not survive beyond one week at a salinity of 0 g l−1. Regardless of salt concentration and the presence of a competitor, H. jenkinae reached higher densities than B. rotundiformis. When grown alone, both B. rotundiformis and H. jenkinae showed optimal peak population densities at the salinity of 6 and 9 g l−1. Since biomass wise, B. rotundiformis was larger than H. jenkinae, it showed a lower numerical abundance. Thus, the maximum peak population densities of B. rotundiformis and H. jenkinae recorded in this study were 107±3 and 203±28 ind. ml−1. The maximal rates of population increase for B. rotundiformis and H, jenkinae when grown alone were 0.264±0.003 and 0.274±0.004, respectively. Our results also indicated that B. rotundiformis and H. jenkinae coexisted better at a salinity of 6 and 9 g l−1 of sodium chloride while a salinity of 3 g l−1 favoured Hexarthra over B. rotundiformis. At 12 g l−1, both the rotifer species grown alone or together showed lower growth rates compared to those at lower salinity levels. Except 0 g l−1, in all other salinity treatments, H. jenkinae was a superior competitor to B. rotundiformis.