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Effect of mixed diets (cyanobacteria and green algae) on the population growth of the cladocerans Ceriodaphnia dubia and Moina macrocopa

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Abstract

Microcystis aeruginosa, a cosmopolitan form, is a colonial cyanobacterium, which is also common in many freshwater bodies in Mexico. In eutrophic water bodies cyanobacteria are often the main phytoplankton that co-exist with cladocerans. We evaluated the effect of mixed diets, comprising 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% on dry weight basis of M. aeruginosa, and the rest of one of two green algal species (Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus acutus), on the population growth of the cladocerans Ceriodaphnia dubia and Moina macrocopa. Regardless of the share of M. aeruginosa in the mixed diet, C. dubia fed Chlorella had a longer initial lag phase. However, in mixed diet with S. acutus, the lag phase of C. dubia increased with increasing proportion of M. aeruginosa. When raised on 100% M. aeruginosa, the population growth of C. dubia was lowered compared with 100% S. acutus or 100% C. vulgaris. Increased proportion of M. aeruginosa in the mixed diet also resulted in decreased abundance of M. macrocopa. Irrespective of diet type, M. macrocopa had a shorter lag phase than C. dubia. Depending on the diet type, the rate of population increase (r) of C. dubia varied from 0.07 to 0.26 d−1 while that of M. macrocopa was higher (0.14–0.61 d−1). For both cladoceran species, the lower r values were obtained when fed Microcystis. Our study showed that the strain of M. aeruginosa was not highly toxic to cause total elimination of either C. dubia or M. macrocopa. Addition of a green algal component to the diet improved the population growth rates of both cladoceran species.

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Acknowledgments

Three anonymous reviewers have improved our presentation. We are grateful to Dr. Marlene Sofia Arcifa for critical comments on our contribution. AFAM thanks María de Jesus Ferrara and Maria Elena Castellanos-Paez (UAM Xochimilco) for useful discussion and Mexican National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT – 176190) for a doctoral scholarship. SSSS thanks IN201907 (PAPIIT) and PE201406 (PAPIME) for financial support. SN thanks an IFS grant F / 3076-1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Doctoral Programme, Autonomous Metropolitan University, Campus Xochimilco, Calzada del Hueso No. 1100, Villa Quietud, C.P. 04960, Mexico City, Mexico

    Alejandro Federico Alva-Martínez

  2. Laboratory of Aquatic Zoology, Building UMF, Division of Research and Postgradulate Studies, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Campus Iztacala, Av. de los Barrios no. 1, Los Reyes, AP 314, CP 54090, Tlalnepantla, State of Mexico, Mexico

    S. S. S. Sarma

  3. UIICSE, Division of Research and Postgraduate Studies, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Campus Iztacala, Av. de los Barrios no. 1, Los Reyes, AP 314, CP 54090, Tlalnepantla, State of Mexico, Mexico

    S. Nandini

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  1. Alejandro Federico Alva-Martínez
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  2. S. S. S. Sarma
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  3. S. Nandini
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Correspondence to S. S. S. Sarma.

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Alva-Martínez, A.F., Sarma, S.S.S. & Nandini, S. Effect of mixed diets (cyanobacteria and green algae) on the population growth of the cladocerans Ceriodaphnia dubia and Moina macrocopa . Aquat Ecol 41, 579–585 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-007-9115-1

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