Progress towards characterization of a predator/prey kairomone: Daphnia pulex and Chaoborus americanus

Hydrobiologia ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 198 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Parejko ◽  
Stanley Dodson
Keyword(s):  
Daphnia Pulex ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Chaoborus Americanus

scholarly journals Changes in water chemistry can disable plankton prey defenses

2012 ◽  
Vol 109 (38) ◽  
pp. 15377-15382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard P. Riessen ◽  
Robert Dallas Linley ◽  
Ianina Altshuler ◽  
Max Rabus ◽  
Thomas Söllradl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Ecosystems ◽  
Daphnia Pulex ◽  
Water Flea ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Defensive Responses ◽  
Chaoborus Americanus ◽  
Low Calcium ◽  
Softwater Lakes ◽  
Prey Defenses ◽  
Phantom Midge

The effectiveness of antipredator defenses is greatly influenced by the environment in which an organism lives. In aquatic ecosystems, the chemical composition of the water itself may play an important role in the outcome of predator–prey interactions by altering the ability of prey to detect predators or to implement defensive responses once the predator’s presence is perceived. Here, we demonstrate that low calcium concentrations (<1.5 mg/L) that are found in many softwater lakes and ponds disable the ability of the water flea, Daphnia pulex to respond effectively to its predator, larvae of the phantom midge, Chaoborus americanus. This low-calcium environment prevents development of the prey’s normal array of induced defenses, which include an increase in body size, formation of neck spines, and strengthening of the carapace. We estimate that this inability to access these otherwise effective defenses results in a 50–186% increase in the vulnerability of the smaller juvenile instars of Daphnia, the stages most susceptible to Chaoborus predation. Such a change likely contributes to the observed lack of success of daphniids in most low-calcium freshwater environments, and will speed the loss of these important zooplankton in lakes where calcium levels are in decline.

Inter- and Intra-specific Variability in the Response of Zooplankton to Acid Stress

1985 ◽  
Vol 42 (11) ◽  
pp. 1749-1754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmund E. Price ◽  
Michael C. Swift
Keyword(s):  
Natural Populations ◽  
Daphnia Pulex ◽  
Acid Stress ◽  
Intraspecific Variability ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Acid Sensitivity ◽  
Chaoborus Americanus ◽  
Acute Bioassays ◽  
Mesocyclops Edax

We measured the toxicity of sulfuric acid to natural populations of Daphnia pulex, D. galeata mendotae, Simocephalus serrulatus, Mesocyclops edax, Chaoborus americanus, and C. punctipennis. Organisms were collected in the spring and fall from acidic (pH 5.4) and circumneutral (pH 6.3–7.5) ponds, and their response to low pH was compared in 48- or 96-h acute bioassays. Based on 48- and 96-h LC50, cladocerans were most susceptible to acid stress, followed by Mesocyclops and Chaoborus larvae. Simocephalus was the most tolerant cladoceran, followed by D. pulex then D. galeata mendotae. Daphnia populations tested in the spring or early summer were more tolerant of low pH than those tested in the fall. Mesocyclops edax from an acid pond were more tolerant than those from a neutral pond. The response of the two Chaoborus species to low pH were quite similar; their 96-h LC50 (2.00, 2.09) was two pH units lower than those of cladocerans and one pH unit lower than that of M. edax. Our data demonstrate interspecific variability in acid sensitivity and suggest intraspecific variability due to habitat and season.

The impact of two Chaoborus species on a zooplankton community

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 981-985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil A. MacKay ◽  
Stephen R. Carpenter ◽  
Patricia A. Soranno ◽  
Michael J. Vanni
Keyword(s):  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
Daphnia Pulex ◽  
Zooplankton Community ◽  
Chlorophyll A Concentration ◽  
Chaoborus Flavicans ◽  
Chaoborus Americanus ◽  
Diaptomus Oregonensis ◽  
Herbivore Responses ◽  
The Impact

The responses of a zooplankton community to Chaoborus predation were studied in large in situ mesocosms in Peter Lake. Chaoborus flavicans, the native chaoborid, significantly reduced the density of the dominant grazer, Daphnia pulex, in relation to controls that lacked Chaoborus. Chaoborus americanus, a species found only in fishless bogs, reduced Da. pulex densities far more than the chaoborid found in Peter Lake, C. flavicans. Chaoborus americanus also significantly reduced the dominant copepod, Diaptomus oregonensis, in relation to both the control and the C. flavicans treatment. Chlorophyll a concentration did not differ among treatments, indicating that herbivore responses could not be explained by changes in food levels. Our results show that Chaoborus predation can greatly affect a zooplankton community, especially daphnids.

scholarly journals Functional characterization of four metallothionein genes in Daphnia pulex exposed to environmental stressors

2012 ◽  
Vol 110-111 ◽  
pp. 54-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Asselman ◽  
S.P. Glaholt ◽  
Z. Smith ◽  
G. Smagghe ◽  
C.R. Janssen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Daphnia Pulex ◽  
Environmental Stressors

scholarly journals Using 3D micro-geomorphometry to quantify interstitial spaces of an oyster cluster

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwanmok Kim ◽  
Vincent Lecours ◽  
Peter C. Frederick
Keyword(s):  
Species Interactions ◽  
Point Cloud ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Ecological Studies ◽  
Empirical Relationships ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Interstitial Volume ◽  
Curvature Measures ◽  
Technological Limitations

In ecology, it is assumed that the characteristics (e.g. shape, size) of interstitial spaces found in a variety of habitats affect the colonization of species, species interactions, and species composition. However, those characteristics have traditionally been difficult to measure due to technological limitations. In this study, we used the Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry technique to measure the physical characteristics of interstitial spaces in a small oyster cluster. The point cloud (and mesh) of the oyster cluster derived from SfM photogrammetry was found to be accurate enough (mean error of 0.654 mm) to conduct 3D geomorphometric analyses. We present an example of measures of curvature, roughness, interstitial volume, surface area, and openness for three 3D interstitial spaces. The interpretation of those measures enabled establishing which interstitial spaces were the most likely to be used as a shelter for an average crab. Those spaces are characterized by smaller openness and higher roughness and curvature measures. This initial quantitative 3D characterization of an oyster cluster is the first step in establishing empirical relationships between structural complexity of biological structures like oyster clusters and their ecological role for instance in predator-prey interactions. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of combining SfM photogrammetry with geomorphometry for fine-scale ecological studies.

Stable isotope characterization of mammalian predator–prey relationships in a South African savanna

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl Codron ◽  
Jacqui Codron ◽  
Julia A. Lee-Thorp ◽  
Matt Sponheimer ◽  
Darryl de Ruiter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
South African ◽  
African Savanna ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Mammalian Predator
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