He, X.J., F.L. Cheng & W.J. Chen. (2020). Effects of maternal phosphorus deficiency on reproductive allocation of the copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei Sewell, 1919. Hydrobiologia. 847:2035-2048.

379960

10.1007/s10750-020-04229-7 [view]

He, X.J., F.L. Cheng & W.J. Chen

2020

847:2035-2048.

Publication

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The nutrient status of phytoplankton affects the reproductive traits of zooplankton, yet no study has addressed how reproductive allocation varies with phosphorus (P) availability in copepods. We hypothesized that maternal P deficiency reduces reproductive investment in copepods and that interactions exist between maternal and postnatal P condition effects on offspring development. Females of the copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei were fed algal prey with different P contents, then allocation of elements and fatty acids in offspring and naupliar development of offspring were measured. Females reduced total reproductive efforts and P investment per offspring under P-deficient conditions. Gross reproduction efficiency of P and the proportion of available maternal P invested in reproduction increased as P consumption decreased, revealing priority of reproductive investment under P deficiency. A high proportion of body docosahexaenoic acid was allocated into reproduction, regardless of the dietary P condition. Duration of naupliar phase and body length at stage CI in offspring were independent of the initial maternal P investment, implying a low P demand for early copepod development. As such, female copepods may down-regulate P investment per offspring to offset impairment of P deficiency on their fitness, and to maximize number of offspring at a given level of P availability.

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