Diurnal Variation in Feeding and Assimilation Rates of Planktonic Rotifers and its Possible Ecological Significance
✍ Scribed by Dr. rer. nat. Hartmut Arndt; Dr. sc. nat. Reinhard Heerkloss
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1989
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 828 KB
- Volume
- 74
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1434-2944
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✦ Synopsis
Though rotifers play an important role in many pelagic ecosystems, there is a lack for studies on diurnal variations in feeding behaviour. Diurnal feeding rhythms of estuarine populations of Brnchionus plicatilis and Kerntella, crucifortnis f. eichzualdi and a pond population of K. cochlearis were investigated using 14C-Chlorella and I4C-la belled natural bacteria populat,ions, respectively, as ti tracer food during in situ experiments. A clCr/W double tracer techniyue was used to determine assimilation efficiencies.
A11 specics had about two times higher feeding rates during day than during dark hours. There was a tendency for higher values during the afternoon. N o trend was found regarding diurnal changes in assimilation efficiency.
Diurnally segregated niches betwecn microphagous daytime active rotifers and nighttime active crustacean populations in pelagic ecosystems are demonstrated and their ecological significance with special regard to changes in food quality and predation pressure is discussed.