Food Type Effects on the Population Growth Patterns of Littoral Rotifers and Cladocerans

Abstract

AbstractLittoral rotifers and cladocerans feed on bacteria, phytoplankton, and detritus. In comparison to planktonic organisms their species diversity is high, yet little is known about their biology. In this study we present data on the functional response of the cladocerans Macrothrix triserialis and Alona rectangula, and the rotifer Brachionus macracanthus to different levels of the alga Chlorella vulgaris. Based on the incipient limiting level, we chose the food concentration and tested the population growth on four types of diets for three cladoceran species — Macrothrix triserialis, Alona rectangula, and Chydorus sphaericus — and three rotifer species — Brachionus macracanthus, Lecane quadridentata, and Platyias quadricornis. We studied growth rates of each of these species on diets of live Chlorella vulgaris, heat‐killed Chlorella vulgaris, baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and field collected detritus. The incipient limiting level was around 0.9 · 106 cells mL−1 of Chlorella for the tested zooplankton species. The population growth patterns showed that, in general, the cladocerans took 25…50 d to reach their peak population densities, which ranged from 10…75 ind. mL−11. Among the rotifers L. quadridentata and B. macracanthus had equally high growth rates on live and heat‐killed forms of C. vulgaris while P. quadricornis grew best on detritus. The growth rates ranged from 0.03…0.21 d−1. The similarities and differences between littoral and planktonic organisms in relation to food type and availability have been discussed.