Feeding four species of pelagic copepods under experimental conditions

Different qualitative and quantitative aspects of feeding with varied compositions of diets have been studied in 4 species of pelagic copepods: Calanus helgolandicus, Centropages typicus, Temora stylifera and Acartia clausi. By feeding copepods different algal concentrations, it was shown that when food concentration increases grazing rate decreases; the ingestion rate remains fairly constant in the lower range of concentrations, but then increases, reaching a plateau at higher algal concentrations. There is a significant correlation between daily food intake and fecal pellet production. On a pluri-algal diet, selective grazing is observed: larger phytoplankton cells are more efficiently removed than smaller ones. Using Artemia nauplii, it is shown that the copepods studied are also able to eatch and ingest animal prey. Increased daily food intake affects respiration and oviposition. Metabolic requirements, gross growth-efficiency, and food assimilation have been ealculated in Calanus helgolandicus, Centropages typicus and T. stylifera for a large range of algal concentrations.