Specific growth rates of heterotrophic plankton organisms in a eutrophic lake during a spring bloom

Benni Hansen*, Kirsten Christoffersen

*Corresponding author for this work

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23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The in situ growth of the dominating pelagic organisms at several trophic levels was investigated during a spring bloom characterized by well-mixed cold water. The study includes primary production and the carbon flow through the nano-, micro- and mesozooplankton populations based on population dynamics and specific growth rates. The phytoplankton biomass and production were totally dominated by small algae <20 μm. of which ̃5% were <3μm. potentially a food source for the nano- and microzooplankton. The mean carbon-specific primary production was 0.15 day-1 and was regulated solely by light. The mean volume-based specific growth rate of bacterioplankton was modest. 0.1 day-1. and probably controlled by the low temperature. The volume-based specific growth rates of heterotrophic nanoflagellates. ciliates. rotifers and copepods were 0.35. 0.13. 0.16 and 0.03 day-1, respectively. The observed growth of the heterotrophic plankton was generally not food limited, but was controlled by temperature. The stable temperature during the experiment therefore allows a cross-taxonomic comparison of specific growth rates. The b exponent in the allometric relationship (G = aVth) between volume-specific growth rate (G) and individual body size (V) was -0.15 ± 0.03 for all filtrating zooplankton. indicating an in situ scaling not far from the physiological principles onginally demonstrated for laboratory populations.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Plankton Research
Volume17
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)413-430
Number of pages18
ISSN0142-7873
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 1995

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