Abstract
AbstractUnder the current ocean warming scenario, multigenerational studies are essential to address possible adaptive changes in phenotypic traits of copepod populations. In this study, we exposed the calanoid copepod Paracartia grani, reared in the laboratory at 19°C, to warmer conditions (22°C and 25°C) to investigate the changes in key phenotypic traits in the 1st, 10th, and 11th generations. Development rates and adult body size were inversely related to temperature in all generations. We also found a decline in copepod egg size at higher temperatures. Temperature had positive effects on the ingestion and egg production rate of females in the first generation, but the thermal response of the copepods diminished significantly in the consecutive generations. The decrease in thermal effects on feeding and egg production rates after multigenerational exposure cannot be explained only by the shrinkage in body size at warmer temperatures, but also involves the action of physiological compensation. These adaptive processes did not appear to have a significant cost on other traits, such as egg hatching success, gross growth efficiency, and sex ratio. Our findings have implications for the prediction of ocean warming effects on copepod activity rates and highlight the importance of physiological adaptation processes after multigenerational exposure.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
