Effect of Temperature and Food on Development and Growth of Daphnia similoides (Cladocera: Daphniidae) from Lake Donghu

摘要

Growth, reproduction, and life history parameters of Daphnia similoides from a subtropical eutrophic Chinese lake (Lake Donghu) were measured at four temperatures (10, 15, 25 and 35 degree C) and two food concentrations (0.2 and 2 mg carbon L super(-1) of a green alga) in the laboratory. D. similoides had five juvenile instars and up to 28 adult instars. The number of adult instars was greater at the low food level than at the high food level. The number of adult instars with maximal number of offspring, the cumulative number of offspring per female, development time, and body lengths of females and offspring were higher or longer at the low temperatures than at the high temperatures. Body length of females was significantly correlated with offspring number per adult instar at all combinations of temperature and food. Innate capacities of increase (0.13-1.01) linearly increased with temperature.