Ingestion of natural particulate organic matter and subsequent assimilation, respiration and growth by tropical lagoon zooplankton
Gerber, R.P.; Gerber, M.B. (1979). Ingestion of natural particulate organic matter and subsequent assimilation, respiration and growth by tropical lagoon zooplankton. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 52(1): 33-43
In: Marine Biology: International Journal on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 0025-3162; e-ISSN 1432-1793, more
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| Keywords |
Ingestion
Suspended organic matter
Creseis acicula (Rang, 1828) [WoRMS]; Undinula vulgaris (Dana, 1849) [WoRMS]
ISEW, Marshall I. [Marine Regions]
Brackish water |
| Authors | | Top |
- Gerber, R.P.
- Gerber, M.B.
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| Abstract |
Rates of ingestion of natural particulate organic matter and subsequent assimilation and respiration by zooplankton at Enewetak Atoll lagoon (Marshall Islands) were measured using a flow-through system. Maximum daily ingestion rates of carbon and nitrogen, expressed as a percentage of the body content, were 79 and 37%, respectively, for the large copepod Undinula vulgaris; 112 and 65%, respectively, for a group of mixed small copepods; and 61 and 34%, respectively, for the pteropod Creseis acicula. Daily metabolic carbon losses, expressed as above, were 63% for U. Vulgaris, 88% for the small copepods, and 50% for C. Acicula. Assimilation efficiencies of carbon and nitrogen ranged from about 86 to 91%. The above rates are generally higher than in previous reports for similar sized zooplankton in temperate waters, while the daily growth increments, expressed as a percentage of the body carbon content (4.8% for U. Vulgaris, 8.6% for the small copepods, and 2.6% for C. Acicula), re comparable. It appears that the high rates of ingestion and assimilation of organic matters ar compensated by high metabolic losses. These results indicate that at least for carbon, tropical zooplankton may have low growth efficiencies ranging from 4 to 9%. |
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