Gut clearance rate as predictor of food limitation situations. Application to two estuarine copepods: Acartia bifilosa and Eurytemora affinis

Abstract

Gut clearance rate-temperature relationships were determined in laboratory conditions, with food in excess, and in the fields to assess possible food limitation situations for 2 estuarine copepods, Eurytemora affinis and Acartia bifilosa. From the comparison of these relationships, it appeared that A. bifilosa was food limited whereas E. affinis was not. The gut clearance rate-temperature regressions obtained with nonsaturating food were not significantly different from the one obtained by Dam and Peterson (J exp mar Biol Ecol 123:1-14, 1988) for several copepod species. Consequently, we conclude that this regression can be employed as reference.