On the nutrition and metabolism of zooplankton III. Nitrogen excretion by Calanus

• Published in: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
• Main Authors: Corner, E. D. S., Cowey, C. B., Marshall, S. M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1965
• Subjects: Aquatic Science; Calanus finmarchicus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002531540005493x; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S002531540005493X

Nitrogen excretion by Calanus finmarchicus (Gunnerus) and C. helgolandicus Claus collected at Millport and Plymouth has been measured under various experimental conditions. Adult females feeding on Brachiomonas submarina, Cricosphaera elongata and Skeletonema costatum at cell concentrations corresponding to the mean annual level of particulate nitrogen in Plymouth Sound excrete 12·4, 9·0 and 6·4 μg N/mg dry body weight/day respectively. When the concentration of food is raised, as might occur during a spring outburst of phytoplankton, there is an increase in the quantity of nitrogen excreted. On the other hand, nitrogen excretion rapidly diminishes in the absence of food.