Document Type
Article
Department/Program
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Publication Date
2007
Journal
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
Volume
331
First Page
131
Last Page
138
Abstract
We investigated increased carbon absorption efficiencies (AEs) as a possible cause for positive effects of diet mixing on copepod egg production rates (EPRs) and hatching success (EHS). Female Acartia tonsa were fed C-14/Cr-51 dual-labelled Dunaliella tertiolecta (Dun), Amphidinium carterae (Amp), Phaeocystis globosa (Pha), and 3 pairwise 1: 1 mixes of the 3 diets. AEs, derived from the ratios of labels in algae and copepod faecal pellets, were 44% on Dun, 37% on Amp, and 49% on Pha, but increased significantly to 61% on Dun + Amp. As a result, EPRs remained low in all tested diets except for Dun + Amp, where it was twice that in the individual diets. Linear multiple regression analysis revealed that EPRs were strongly dependent on the ingestion and absorption of the fatty acids 18:3(n-3) and 22:6(n-3) so that the simultaneous ingestion and absorption of 18:3(n-3) from Dun and 22:6(n-3) from Amp enhanced EPR in the Dun + Amp diet. EHS was low with the Dun diet, which was devoid of 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3). Multiple regression analysis showed that EHS depended on 16:1(n-7) and any or all of 22:6(n-3), 20:5(n-3), or 18:5(n-3).
DOI
10.3354/meps331131
Keywords
copepods; food quality; absorption efficiency; diet mixing; fatty acid composition
Recommended Citation
Thor, Peter; Koski, Marja; Tang, Kam W.; and Jonasdottir, Sigrun H., Supplemental effects of diet mixing on absorption of ingested organic carbon in the marine copepod Acartia tonsa (2007). MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, 331, 131-138.
10.3354/meps331131
