Investigation of a rotifer (Brachionus calyciflorus) - green alga (Scenedesmus pectinatus) interaction under non- and nutrient-limited conditions

Aquatic Ecology & Water Quality Management, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 8080, NL-6700DD Wageningen, The Netherlands

Corresponding author: miquel.lurling@wur.nl

Abstract

Two-day life cycle tests with the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus were run to study the nutritional quality effects to rotifers of Scenedesmus pectinatus grown under non-limiting, nitrogen limiting and phosphorus limiting conditions and the feedback of the rotifers on the food algae. Under nutrient-limited conditions of its algal food Brachionus production was depressed, animals produced fewer eggs and were smaller sized. Clearance rates of Brachionus offered non-nutrient-limited and nutrient-limited food were similar. The number of cells per colony was similar for S. pectinatus under nitrogen limited and phosphorus limited conditions both in the absence and presence of Brachionus. Cell volumes of phosphorus limited S. pectinatus were larger than those of nitrogen limited cells. The most dramatic response of the food alga S. pectinatus was observed in non-nutrient-limited conditions: a strong size enlargement occurred only in the presence of Brachionus. This was caused by a higher share of eight-celled colonies and larger individual cell volumes in the presence of rotifers than in their absence. S. pectinatus might gain an advantage of becoming larger in moving out of the feeding window of its enemy, but nutrient limited conditions might undermine the effectiveness of such reaction.