Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A method for the determination of copepod feeding rates during short time intervals

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An experimental technique for measuring the feeding behavior of copepods on small time scales is important because grazer/micro-patch interactions in the ocean are probably short (minutes to hours). By placing copepods with empty guts into a known food concentration and monitoring the rate of increase in gut contents until defecation begins, usually 20 to 100 min, the volume of water swept clear of particles per min can be calculated. This process is easily quantified by using phytoplankton as food and measuring the gut contents by fluorometry. The utility of this technique is demonstrated in the laboratory and at sea.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Conover, R. J. and V. Francis: The use of radioactive isotopes to measure the transfer of materials in aquatic food chains. Mar. Biol. 18, 272–283 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Corner, E. D. S., R. N. Head, and C. C. Kilvington: On the nutrition and metabolism of zooplankton. VIII. The grazing of Biddulphia cells by Calanus helgolandicus. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 52, 847–861 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dagg, M. J. and D. W. Grill: Natural feeding rates of Centropages typicus females in the New York Bight. Limnol. Oceanogr. 25, 597–609 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Deason, E. E.: Grazing of Acartia hudsonica (A. clausi) on Skeletonema costatum in Narragansett Bay (USA): influence of food concentration and temperature. Mar. Biol. 60, 101–113 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Derenbach, J. B., H. Astheimer, H. P. Hansen and H. Leach: Vertical microscale distribution of phytoplankton in relation to the thermocline. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 1, 187–193 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Frost, B. W.: Effects of size and concentration of food particles on the feeding behavior of the marine planktonic copepod Calanus pacificus. Limnol. Oceanogr. 17, 805–815 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Frost, B. W.: A threshold feeding behavior in Calanus pacificus. Limnol. Oceanogr. 20, 263–266 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Frost, B. W.: Feeding behavior of Calanus pacificus in mixtures of food particles. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22, 472–491 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Haney, J. F. and D. J. Hall: Diel vertical migration and filter-feeding activities of Daphnia. Arch. Hydrobiol. 75, 413–441 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, R. P.: Comparison of the feeding behavior of Calanus and Pseudocalanus in two experimentally manipulated enclosed ecosystems. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 62, 71–91 (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lasker, R.: Field criteria for survival of anchovy larvae: the relation between inshore chlorophyll maximum layers and successful first feeding. Fish. Bull. U.S. 73, 453–462 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lasker, R.: The relation between oceanographic conditions and larval anchovy food in the California current: identification of factors contributing to recruitment failure. Rapp. P.-v. Reun Cons. int. Explor. Mer. 173, 212–230 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Longhurst, A. R., and A. W. Herman: Do oceanic zooplankton aggregate at, or near, the deep chlorophyll maximum? J. mar. Res. 39, 353–356 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackas, D., and R. Bohrer: Fluorescence analysis of zooplankton gut contents and an investigation of diel feeding patterns. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 25, 77–85 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mullin, M. M., and E. R. Brooks: Some consequences of distributional heterogeneity of phytoplankton and zooplankton. Limnol. Oceanogr. 21, 784–796 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nival, P. and S. Nival: Particle retention efficiencies of an herbivorous copepod, Acartia clausi (adult and copepodite stages): effects on grazing. Limnol. Oceanogr. 21, 24–38 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortner, P. B., P. H. Wiebe and J. L. Cox: Reply to “Do oceanographic zooplankton aggregate at, or near, the deep chlorophyll maximum? J. mar. Res. 39, 357–359 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Poulet, S. A. and P. Marsot. Chemosensory grazing by marine calanoid copepods (Arthropoda: Crustacea). Science, N.Y. 200, 1403–1405 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Roman, M. R. and P. A. Rublee: A method to determine in-situ zooplankton grazing rates on natural particle assemblages. Mar. Biol. 65: 303–309 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Runge, J. A.: Effects of hunger and season on the feeding behavior of Calanus pacificus. Limnol. Oceanogr. 25, 134–145 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schindler, D. W.: Feeding, assimilation and respiration rates of Daphnia magna under various environmental conditions and their relation to production estimates. J. Anim. Ecol. 37, 369–385 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Shuman, F. R. and C. Lorenzen: Quantitative degradation of chlorophyll by a marine herbivore. Limnol. Oceanogr. 20, 580–586 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Strickland, J. D. H. and T. R. Parsons: A practical handbook of seawater analysis. Bull Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 167, 1–310 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, D. S.: Food size selection among copepods. Ecology 54, 909–914 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium-LUMCON, Star Rt, Box 541, 70344, Chauvin, Louisiana, USA

    M. J. Dagg

Authors
  1. M. J. Dagg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by J. M. Lawrence, Tampa

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dagg, M.J. A method for the determination of copepod feeding rates during short time intervals. Mar. Biol. 75, 63–67 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392631

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392631

Keywords

Search

Navigation