Bilkovic, D.M. and J.T. Lehman, 1997.  Lipid Concentration and Size Variation of Bythotrephes (Cladocera: Cercopagidae) from Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan, University of Michigan. 

Reprinted from Journal of Great Lakes Research (1997) 23(2): 149-159

Lipid Concentration and Size Variation of Bythotrephes (Cladocera: Cercopagidae) from Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan

Abstract
Lipid concentrations of Bythotrephes cederstroemi were compared among three Great Lakes, Erie, Huron, and Michigan, in an effort to investigate the phenotypic plasticity in size displayed among the lakes. Four developmental stages were measured in Lakes Erie and Huron and two stages were studied  in Lake Michigan. With a gravimetric extraction method, the totally lipid concentration range (µg lipid µg dry weight-1, expressed  as percent for Bythotrephes was estimated to be 10-19%. Statistically significant differences were found in lipid consecrations of Bythotrephes among lakes and developmental stages. Lake Erie had significantly higher lipid concentration values than Lake Huron stage's 2 through 4, and had similar values to Lake Michigan for the analyzed stage's 1 and 4. The first instar had indistinguishable lipid concentrations among Lakes Erie, Huran, and Michigan. Even though animals from Lake Erie were significantly smaller. the data suggest that they were not less well nourished. We hypothesize that selective mortality imposed by visual predators an larger Bythotrephes and the lack of deep water refuges in Lake Erie has encouraged the smaller size of Bythotrephes found there in comparison to those found in Lakes Huron and  Michigan.

Entire Paper
Contact: John Lehman, University of Michigan, Department of Biology, Center for Great Lakes and Aquatic Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048
Keywords: Bythotrephes, Basic_biology, Monitoring
Product Type: Research, Basic_biology
User Type: General