Roman, M.R. (1984). Utilization of detritus by the copepod, Acartia tonsa. Limnology and Oceanography 29(5):949-959, figs. 1-7, tabs. 1-6. (ix-1984)
111438
Roman, M.R.
1984
Utilization of detritus by the copepod, Acartia tonsa.
Limnology and Oceanography
29(5):949-959, figs. 1-7, tabs. 1-6. (ix-1984)
Publication
Available for editors
Ingestion, survivorship, and growth experiments were conducted with the marine Calanoid copepod, Acartia tonsa, various concentrations of the diatom, Thalassiosira weissjlogii, and detritus derived from the macrophyte, Thalassia testudinum. Copepod ingestion rates of detritus increased with detritus concentration from ~50 to > 1,700 pg Celiter-I.
Copepod survival in detritus suspensions was significantly greater than in filtered seawater controls. The instantaneous mortality coefficient, z, of A. tonsa was a linear (negative) function of the diatom concentration (r2 = 0.783 1). When T. weissfrogii suspensions were supplemented with detritus (I ,000 pg C.liter-l), the copepod instantaneous mortality rate decreased (0.3002-O. 1362 in 50 pg Caliter-’ T. weissj’logii; 0.1345-0.0406 in 200 pg C-liter-l T. weissflogii). The growth rate of A. tonsa was a linear function of diatom concentration (r2 = 0.8816). When the diatom suspensions were supplemented with T. testudinum detritus, the growth rate of the copepod increased.
Thalassiosira weissfrogii contained 12 x the protein, 8 x the fatty acids, and a greater amount and diversity ofamino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids per unit dry weight than T. testudinum detritus. Although A. tonsa could not grow from egg to adult on a detrital diet, T. testudinum detritus did supplement algal diets to increase copepod production rates.
