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Effects of cyanobacteria on fitness components of the herbivore Daphnia

Sarnelle, Orlando ; Gustafsson, Susanne LU and Hansson, Lars-Anders LU orcid (2010) In Journal of Plankton Research 32(4). p.471-477
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are known to negatively affect their herbivores either by being of low nutritional value, by clogging the feeding apparatus or by producing toxins, and specifically, the role of toxins has been debated. Hence, in order to assess to what extent cyanobacterial toxins affect a major herbivore (Daphnia magna) that has had previous experience of cyanobacterial toxins, we conducted a life-table study using two otherwise-similar strains of Microcystis aeruginosa, one producing and one not producing the toxin microcystin. In contrast to previous studies, we found that Daphnia population growth was positive (r > 0.1 day(-1)) on a diet containing toxic Microcystis. However, we also found that the presence of the toxin negatively... (More)
Cyanobacteria are known to negatively affect their herbivores either by being of low nutritional value, by clogging the feeding apparatus or by producing toxins, and specifically, the role of toxins has been debated. Hence, in order to assess to what extent cyanobacterial toxins affect a major herbivore (Daphnia magna) that has had previous experience of cyanobacterial toxins, we conducted a life-table study using two otherwise-similar strains of Microcystis aeruginosa, one producing and one not producing the toxin microcystin. In contrast to previous studies, we found that Daphnia population growth was positive (r > 0.1 day(-1)) on a diet containing toxic Microcystis. However, we also found that the presence of the toxin negatively affected early survival and population growth of a microcystin-tolerant D. magna clone. Although there was no effect of toxin presence on per-capita fecundity of surviving adults, Daphnia produced smaller neonates when fed toxin-containing M. aeruginosa than when fed the non-toxic mutant. Hence, although Daphnia survival, population growth and neonate size were negatively affected by microcystin presence, Daphnia populations that have prior experience with toxic cyanobacteria may show positive population growth even at high concentrations of cyanobacterial toxins. This conclusion may have considerable implications for interactions between toxic cyanobacteria and herbivores in natural systems. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cyanobacteria, toxin, daphnia, microcystin, microcystis, limnology
in
Journal of Plankton Research
volume
32
issue
4
pages
471 - 477
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000275270600007
  • scopus:77749254832
ISSN
0142-7873
DOI
10.1093/plankt/fbp151
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
37060597-ad57-4c2d-9c0c-5a45aaaf0e7a (old id 1589498)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:48:39
date last changed
2022-04-22 05:19:25
@article{37060597-ad57-4c2d-9c0c-5a45aaaf0e7a,
  abstract     = {{Cyanobacteria are known to negatively affect their herbivores either by being of low nutritional value, by clogging the feeding apparatus or by producing toxins, and specifically, the role of toxins has been debated. Hence, in order to assess to what extent cyanobacterial toxins affect a major herbivore (Daphnia magna) that has had previous experience of cyanobacterial toxins, we conducted a life-table study using two otherwise-similar strains of Microcystis aeruginosa, one producing and one not producing the toxin microcystin. In contrast to previous studies, we found that Daphnia population growth was positive (r > 0.1 day(-1)) on a diet containing toxic Microcystis. However, we also found that the presence of the toxin negatively affected early survival and population growth of a microcystin-tolerant D. magna clone. Although there was no effect of toxin presence on per-capita fecundity of surviving adults, Daphnia produced smaller neonates when fed toxin-containing M. aeruginosa than when fed the non-toxic mutant. Hence, although Daphnia survival, population growth and neonate size were negatively affected by microcystin presence, Daphnia populations that have prior experience with toxic cyanobacteria may show positive population growth even at high concentrations of cyanobacterial toxins. This conclusion may have considerable implications for interactions between toxic cyanobacteria and herbivores in natural systems.}},
  author       = {{Sarnelle, Orlando and Gustafsson, Susanne and Hansson, Lars-Anders}},
  issn         = {{0142-7873}},
  keywords     = {{cyanobacteria; toxin; daphnia; microcystin; microcystis; limnology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{471--477}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Plankton Research}},
  title        = {{Effects of cyanobacteria on fitness components of the herbivore Daphnia}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbp151}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/plankt/fbp151}},
  volume       = {{32}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}