scholarly journals Ontogenetic changes in the elemental composition and stoichiometry of marine copepods with different life history strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enric Saiz ◽  
Kaiene Griffell ◽  
Albert Calbet

Abstract We describe the ontogenetic variation in elemental and stoichiometric composition of two copepod species with very contrasted life history patterns, the calanoid Paracartia grani and the cyclopoid Oithona davisae. The first species is a broadcasting, highly productive copepod, whereas the latter is an egg-carrying copepod, much less productive. We reared cultures of both species under conditions of excess food and analyzed their C, N and P composition, and their molar ratios, along development. Both species differed on their specific P content, whereas the specific C and N content were similar. As expected, the specific P content of P. grani was higher, resulting in lower C:P and N:P ratios. Furthermore, we compared our elemental composition data with previously reported stage-specific (nauplii and adult female) maximum growth rates of these two species. We found that for O. davisae, the ontogenetic variation in specific P content agreed with the reported differences in growth rate along development; however, in the case of P. grani, in which juvenile and adult maximum growth rates are similar, the variations in specific P content along development did not reflect the growth rate pattern.

Genome ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 685-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dag O. Hessen ◽  
Marc Ventura ◽  
James J. Elser

As for most other organisms, genome size in zooplankton differs widely. This may have a range of consequences for growth rate, development, and life history strategies, yet the causes of this pronounced variability are not settled. Here we propose that small genome size may be an evolutionary consequence of phosphorus (P) allocation from DNA to RNA under P deficiency. To test this hypothesis we have compared the two major groups of zooplankton, copepods and cladocerans, that have overlapping niches and body size. Relative to the cladocerans, copepods have a more complex life history and a lower mass-specific P content, while cladocerans tend to have higher P and RNA contents and higher specific growth rates and frequently experience P-limited growth, likely due to a shortage of P for ribosome synthesis. Cladocerans also generally have smaller genomes than copepods (1C = 0.17–0.63 pg DNA·cell–1 vs. 1C = 0.10–10 pg DNA·cell–1). Furthermore, cladocerans have a higher slope of the relationship of body size with DNA content (1.5 vs. 0.28 in copepods) and present almost 15-fold higher RNA:DNA ratios (24.8 in cladocerans vs. 1.6 in copepods). Hence, small genome size in cladocerans could reflect an evolutionary pressure towards “efficient” genomes to conserve a key element needed to maximize growth rate. We do not claim that this is a universal cause of genome size variability, but propose that streamlining of genomes could be related to P conservation rather than energy conservation. This could be relevant for a range of organisms that may suffer P-limited growth rates.


1978 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Monteith

SUMMARYFigures for maximum crop growth rates, reviewed by Gifford (1974), suggest that the productivity of C3 and C4 species is almost indistinguishable. However, close inspection of these figures at source and correspondence with several authors revealed a number of errors. When all unreliable figures were discarded, the maximum growth rate for C3 stands fell in the range 34–39 g m−2 d−1 compared with 50–54 g m−2 d−1 for C4 stands. Maximum growth rates averaged over the whole growing season showed a similar difference: 13 g m−2 d−1 for C3 and 22 g m−2 d−1 for C4. These figures correspond to photosynthetic efficiencies of approximately 1·4 and 2·0%.


1997 ◽  
Vol 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Ustin ◽  
C. Long ◽  
L. Lauhon ◽  
W. Ho

AbstractCubic SiC films have been grown on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates at temperatures between 600 °C and 900 °C with a single supersonic molecular beam source. Methylsilane (H3SiCH3) was used as the sole precursor with hydrogen and nitrogen as seeding gases. Optical reflectance was used to monitor in situ growth rate and macroscopic roughness. The growth rate of SiC was found to depend strongly on substrate orientation, methylsilane kinetic energy, and growth temperature. Growth rates were 1.5 to 2 times greater on Si(111) than on Si(001). The maximum growth rates achieved were 0.63 μm/hr on Si(111) and 0.375μm/hr on Si(001). Transmission electron diffraction (TED) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for structural characterization. In-plane azimuthal (ø-) scans show that films on Si(001) have the correct 4-fold symmetry and that films on Si(111) have a 6-fold symmetry. The 6-fold symmetry indicates that stacking has occurred in two different sequences and double positioning boundaries have been formed. The minimum rocking curve width for SiC on Si(001) and Si(111) is 1.2°. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) absorption was performed to discern the chemical bonding. Cross Sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (XTEM) was used to image the SiC/Si interface.


1995 ◽  
Vol 416 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Rawles ◽  
W. G. Morris ◽  
M. P. D’Evelyn

ABSTRACTGrowth rates for homoepitaxy of diamond (100) and (111) by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition were measured via in situ Fizeau interferometry and the surface morphologies were subsequently characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). (100)-oriented growth from 0.5% CH4 in H2 exhibited pure Arrhenius behavior, with an activation energy of 17±1 kcal/mol, up to a substrate temperature of 1100°C. Addition of oxygen to the feed gas resulted in an increased growth rate below 900°C, a maximum growth rate between 900 and 1000°C, and etching (of diamond) above 1050 - 1100°C. However, the presence of oxygen apparently had less effect on the surface morphology than did the (100)-to-(111) growth rate parameter α, determined directly from the relative growth rates of (100) and (111) substrates mounted side by side. During homoepitaxial growth from 0.5% CH4 in H2 at 875°C of ca. 1-micron-thick films,α = was 2.2 without oxygen and 1.3 for growth with 0.14% O2. The (100) film grown with α = 2.2 was quite smooth, while that with α = 1.3 was covered by numerous hillocks and penetration twins. AFM analysis revealed surprisingly little difference between the (111) films despite the considerable difference in α. Implications of these results for the growth mechanism are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista ◽  
Uriel Hernández-Salinas ◽  
J. Gastón Zamora-Abrego

Determination of growth rate provides an important component of an organism’s life history, making estimations of size at maturity, survival rate, and longevity possible. Here, we report on growth rate of males and females of the tropical tree lizard Urosaurus bicarinatus, in a seasonal environment in the state of Jalisco on the Mexican Pacific Coast. We calculated body growth rates and fitted these to the Von Bertalanffy, the logistic-by-length, and the logistic-by-weight growth models. The Von Bertalanffy model provided the best fit, and we used it to analyze the growth pattern. Males and females did not differ in estimated asymptotic size and other characteristic growth parameters. Estimated growth curve predicted an age at maturity of 38 mm SVL on 120 days for males, and 40 mm SVL on 170 days for females. On the basis of the similarities in the growth rates between the sexes, comparisons were made between seasons, and we found that the average rate of growth was slightly, albeit insignificantly, higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. The similarities in the growth patterns for the sexes of this species might be indicative of variance in its life history traits (e.g., fecundity, egg size) compared to those of other populations of this species and other species of this genus; therefore, it is important to document interpopulation differences to understand the evolutionary changes that have led to optimal adaptation in a particular environment more accurately.


1988 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max L. Bothwell

Phosphate enrichment experiments were conducted year-round at the experimental troughs research apparatus (EXTRA) on the South Thompson River in British Columbia to determine the relationship between external concentration of orthophosphate and the growth rates of lotic periphytic diatom communities. Growth rate saturation always occurred at a phosphate concentration of approximately 0.3–0.6 μg P∙L−1. The maximum growth rate (μmax-P) with phosphorus enrichment varied seasonally with temperature. The relative specific growth rates (μ:μmax-P) as a function of external phosphate were constant. Seasonal changes in solar insolation (PAR) had no effect on the autotrophic community growth rates in unamended river water. Temperature exerted the most dominant influence on phosphorus-replete growth rates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 530-538
Author(s):  
Cédric L Meunier ◽  
Emily M Herstoff ◽  
Carla Geisen ◽  
Maarten Boersma

Abstract Although consumers may use selective feeding to cope with suboptimal resource quality, little work has examined the mechanisms that underlie selective feeding, the efficiency of this behavior or its influence on consumer growth rate. Furthermore, a consumer’s exposure to suboptimal resources may also influence the consumer’s behavior and life history, including growth rate. Here, we studied how the availability of P-rich and P-poor phytoplankton influences the growth and behavior of copepod nauplii. We observed that copepod nauplii preferentially feed on P-rich prey. We also found that even relatively short exposure to P-rich phytoplankton yielded higher nauplii growth rates, whereas the presence of P-poor phytoplankton in a mixture impaired growth. Overall, we observed that swimming speed decreased with increasing phytoplankton P-content, which is a behavioral adjustment that may improve utilization of heterogeneously distributed high-quality food in the field. Based on our results, we propose that the optimal prey C: P ratio for copepod nauplii is very narrow, and that deviations from this optimum have severe negative consequences for growth.


1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 131 ◽  
Author(s):  
DA Ivory ◽  
PC Whiteman

Cenchrus ciliaris, Chloris gayana, Panicum maximum var, trichoglume, Panicum coloratum var. makarikariense and Pennisetum clandestinum were grown in two experiments in controlled environments, each experiment having all possible day/night temperature combinations of (1) 10, 20, 30, and 40°C and (2) 15,25, 30 and 35°C. Both day and night temperatures significantly affected growth in all species. Growth was greatly restricted by constant temperatures of 10 and 15°, while maximum growth rates occurred at 29-35°C day temperatures with 26-30°C night temperatures. At optimum or supra-optimum temperatures a diurnal variation in temperature gave higher growth rates than a constant temperature for the same daily mean. By contrast, at suboptimum temperatures a constant temperature gave the highest growth rates and growth rate was decreased as the diurnal variation about a given daily mean temperature was increased. Mathematical functions relating the growth of each species to day and night temperature and maximum growth rate at optimum temperatures were developed. The effect of temperature on relative growth rate (Rw) was mediated through its effect on net assimilation rate (EA). Night temperature was found to affect Rw and EA independently of day temperature and therefore a prehistory effect of night temperature on photosynthesis in the subsequent day was indicated. Temperature had significant effects on tillering in P. maximum and P. clandestinum but had little effect in C. gayana, C. ciliaris and P. coloratum. The optimum temperatures for leaf growth and leaf area development in C. ciliaris and C. gayana were higher than the optimum temperatures for growth of the whole plant, while optimum temperatures for stem growth were lower. In P. maximum, P. coloratum and P. clandestinum, optimum temperatures for all growth components were similar. Differences between temperate and tropical grasses in morphological reaction to temperature are discussed.


Author(s):  
Ken H. Andersen

This chapter proposes a shortlist of fish “master” traits and connects these traits to classic life-history strategy thinking. First, it sets the historical background for the current state-of-the-art thinking about fish life history strategies. From there, the chapter explains that the main axes of variation between fish species can be captured by three traits: the asymptotic size; the growth rate coefficient; and the adult–offspring mass ratio strategy. Together, these three traits determine the central demographic parameters: somatic growth rate, investment in reproduction, age at maturation, survival to maturation, mortality, and so on, and from there follows population-level quantities like population growth rate, population structure, fitness, and selection responses. The chapter concludes with a reflection on the trait-based approach and compares it to other methods of assessment.


1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 1997-2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.R. Remphrey ◽  
C.G. Davidson

Elongation of shoots in various crown locations, and of individual internodes and leaves of the leading shoot, were recorded at 2-day intervals throughout the 1991 growing season in four clones of Fraxinuspennsylvanica var. subintegerrima (Vahl) Fern. (green ash). Other trees were disbudded and pruned to a single leader. Using a logistic growth function, nonlinear regression equations were generated and parameter estimates were used to determine maximum growth rates. Terminal leading shoots had a longer growth duration and a greater maximum growth rate than lateral shoots. The pruning treatment resulted in larger shoots, which grew 2–3 weeks longer and had a higher maximum growth rate. Leaf emergence occurred at regular intervals but the rate of emergence varied among clones. Leaf maximum growth rates were not significantly different among clones. Leaf size declined acropetally whereas internode length increased and then decreased. The longest leaves and internodes had the highest maximum growth rates. The size and maximum growth rates of putative preformed leaves were larger than putative neoformed leaves. As a shoot expanded, growth of one internode tended to cease during the linear phase of growth of its associated leaf and that of the succeeding internode.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document