Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Development and population dynamics of Amonardia normani Brady reared on axenic and non-axenic diatoms

1999; Elsevier BV; Volume: 235; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0022-0981(98)00006-9

1879-1697

Lília P. Souza-Santos, Paulo Jorge Parreira dos Santos, Jacques Castel,

Marine Biology and Ecology Research

Amonardia normani Brady nauplii, harpacticoid copepods, were fed axenic and non-axenic Nitzschia constricta cultures in order to study the dietary importance of heterotrophic bacteria associated with diatom cultures. The concentration of diatoms used during experiments (0.13 μg chlorophyll-a ml−1) resulted in maximum ingestion rates. Larval development was delayed but survival was higher in the axenic diatom diet. Female fecundity did not change significantly between diets. The exponential rate of population increase (r) estimated from life table analysis was greater in the non-axenic diatom diet. Although A. normani are able to grow on a diatom-only diet, heterotrophic bacteria were important for significantly increased rates of population growth.