Effects of varying food and density on reproduction in Diaptomus clavipes Schacht

Technical Report · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7028087· OSTI ID:7028087

Cooney, J. D.; Gehrs, C. W.; Bunting, II, D. L.

Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of varying food and density on the egg production of the calanoid copepod, Diaptomus clavipes Schacht. These experiments were performed at both the population and organismic level. An attempt was also made to evaluate the feasibility of using a flow-through system to study the effects of various environmental factors on egg production in copepods. It was found that food supply was an important factor determining rate of clutch production, number of eggs per clutch, and size of individual eggs. As food supply decreased, both the rate of clutch production and the number of eggs per clutch decreased, but the size of individual eggs increased. During periods of extreme food shortage, not only did egg production cease, but also the production of spermatophores by males. When starved females were placed under optimum feeding conditions, they produced eggs within a few days and were producing maximally within two weeks. Egg production in the flow-through system was reduced, due primarily to food shortage. The trout chow solution which was used as food was inadequate because it was not directly utilized by the copepods.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 7028087
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-6330
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520100* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COPEPODS
CRUSTACEANS
ECOSYSTEMS
INVERTEBRATES
NUTRITION
POPULATION DENSITY
REPRODUCTION