Effect of pH on survival, reproduction, egg viability and growth rate of five closely related rotifer species
In: Aquatic Ecology. Springer: Dordrecht; London; Boston. ISSN 1386-2588; e-ISSN 1573-5125, more
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Keywords |
Cells > Sexual cells > Eggs Growth rate Mortality pH Population Properties > Chemical properties > Acidity > Ph Brachionus Pallas, 1766 [WoRMS] Marine/Coastal; Fresh water |
Author keywords |
Brachionus; pH; Life table; Intrinsic growth rate; Population growthrate; Egg mortality |
Abstract |
In the laboratory we examined the effect of pH (5–10 with one interval) on survival, reproduction, egg viability and growth rate (intrinsic growth rate—r m and population growth rate—r) of five Brachionus rotifer species (B. calyciflorus, B. quadridentatus, B. urceolaris, B. patulus and B. angularis). The pH was shown to exert a major influence on egg viability and growth rate (r m and r) for each species. The age-specific survivorship curves within a species were not significantly different at pH 6–10. The optimal pH for each species is near-neutral pH (pH 6–8), and the fecundity decreased as the pH deviated from these values. For each Brachionus species, there was no significant difference between age-specific fecundity curves at pH 7 and 8. At acid pH (pH 5 or 6) higher egg mortality was observed for each species. The r m and population r of the five Brachionus species incubated at different pHs were significantly influenced by pH. The pH supporting the highest r m or r was obtained at pH 6–8, but varied due to species. In this study B. urceolaris and B. patulus could tolerate a broad range of pH, while the populations of B. calyciflorus, B. quadridentatus and B. angulari declined at acid conditions. |
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