Reproductive response of the copepod Rhincalanus gigas to an iron-induced phytoplankton bloom in the Southern Ocean

The reproductive response of Rhincalanus gigas to the build up of a phytoplankton bloom in the Southern Ocean was studied during the European iron fertilization experiment (EIFEX). Egg production experiments were conducted over a period of approximately 5 weeks during development of a diatom dominat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar biology 2006-11, Vol.29 (12), p.1039-1044
Main Authors: JANSEN, Sandra, KLAAS, Christine, KRÄGEFSKY, Sören, VON HARBOU, Lena, BATHMANN, Ulrich
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Bacillariophyceae
Biological and medical sciences
Copepoda
Crustacea
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Invertebrates
Marine
Particular ecosystems
Plankton
Rhincalanus gigas
Synecology
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Summary:The reproductive response of Rhincalanus gigas to the build up of a phytoplankton bloom in the Southern Ocean was studied during the European iron fertilization experiment (EIFEX). Egg production experiments were conducted over a period of approximately 5 weeks during development of a diatom dominated bloom. R. gigas showed a clear response to increasing chlorophyll a concentrations and the total egg production of the R. gigas population was highest just after the peak of the bloom at day 29 after fertilization. The average peak production was 50 eggs female^sup -1^ day^sup -1^. The percentage of egg producing females increased from about 0 to 90% during the course of the experiment. Accordingly, the maturation of the gonads reflected the positive response towards enhanced chlorophyll a concentrations. The fast reproductive response indicate that R. gigas was food limited during the period of this study in the Antarctic Polar Front region (APF).[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0722-4060
1432-2056
DOI:10.1007/s00300-006-0147-0