RNA:DNA ratios as a proxy of egg production rates of Acartia

Cruz, Joana; Alexandra Teodosio Chicharo, Maria; Ben-Hamadou, Radhouane; Manuel Zambujal Chicharo, Luis; Garrido, Susana; Re, Pedro; Santos, A.M.P.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/13188

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Authors

Cruz, Joana

Alexandra Teodosio Chicharo, Maria

Ben-Hamadou, Radhouane

Manuel Zambujal Chicharo, Luis

Garrido, Susana

Re, Pedro

Santos, A.M.P.

Abstract(s)

Estimates of copepod secondary production are of great importance to infer the global organic matter fluxes in aquatic ecosystems and species-specific responses of zooplankton to hydrologic variability. However, there is still no routine method to determine copepods secondary production in order to eliminate time consuming experimental analyses. Therefore, we determined whether there is a correlation between Egg Production Rates (EPR) and RNA:DNA ratios of Acartia species, by measuring their seasonal and spatial variability and the influence of environmental factors for Acartia sp. collected in the Guadiana river estuary. EPR of Acartia tonsa was positively related with chlorophyll a concentration, freshwater inflow and biomass of dinoflagellates, while Acartia clausi was only related to dinoflagellates. Dinoflagellates seem to be the optimal food item influencing the reproduction of both Acartia species in the studied area. The biochemical index RNA:DNA was positively related to EPR, indicating that it is a good proxy of copepod production and a promising method to use in the future to estimate secondary production. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Sardine sardina-pilchardus Anchovy engraulis-encrasicolus Copepod temora-longicornis Marine planktonic copepods Estuary Mondego estuary Adjacent coastal area Acid derived indexes Dietary fatty-acids Guadiana Estuary Temperate estuary