Influence of temperature changes on oxygen uptake and ammonia and phosphate excretion, in relation to body size and weight, inOikopleura dioica(Appendicularia)
✍ Scribed by G. Gorsky; I. Palazzoli; R. Fenaux
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Year
- 1987
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 943 KB
- Volume
- 94
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0025-3162
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✦ Synopsis
The relationship between the rates of oxygen consumption, ammonia and phosphate excretion of a pelagic tunicate, the larvacean Oikopleura dioica Fol, 1872 were assessed as a function of size, dry weight and ash-free dry weight at 15 ~ 20 ~ and 24 ~ C. O. dioica has higher respiration and excretion rates than copepods of similar weight, but the weight exponent of the allometric power function: Y= aX b is similar to that of other poikilotherms. Temperatures above 20 ~ C have a depressing effect on respiration and ammonia excretion. 90% of the variance in metabolic rates is explainable by body mass and temperatures Q10 values for oxygen consumption, ammonia and phosphate excretion, respectively, are 2.45, 1.86 and 1.75 between 15 ~ and 20 ~ and 3.75, 2.90 and 3.60 between 20 ~ and 24~ Metabolic quotients (O:N, O:P, N:P) indicate a protein-oriented diet. The results of this study suggest weak metabolic regulation in O. dioica, an energetic strategy which allows an immediate response to favourable changes in feeding conditions.