Effects of various environmental conditions on growth and reproduction of the sea hareAplysia oculifera (Adams and Reeve, 1850) |
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Authors: | I Plaut A Borut M E Spira |
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Institution: | (1) Marine Biology Laboratory, The Interuniversity Institute of Eilat, P.O.B 469, 88103 Eilat, Israel;(2) Department of Zoology, The Hebrew University, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, Israel;(3) Department of Neurobiology, The Hebrew University, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, Israel;(4) Present address: Department of Biology, University of Haifa, Oranim, 36006 Livon, Israel |
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Abstract: | We studied the influences of food type, food quantity, water currents, starvation and light on growth and reproduction of
the sea hareaplysia oculifera (Adams and Reeve, 1850) under laboratory conditions. Out of five species of algae served as food,Enteromorpha intestinalis promoted the fastest growth ofA. oculifera, Ulva spp. slower growth,Cladophora sp. allowed maintenance spp. slower growth,Cladophora sp. allowed maintenance of steady body mass, and the brown algaeColpomenia sp. andPadina pavonia were rejected by the sea hares. When sea hares were exposed to four levels of water currents, growth rates decreased as water
currents increased. Sea hares fed on 50% ration grew slower than those fed on 100% ration (ad libitum). During 10 days of starvation sea hares lost weight, but when subsequently fed 100% ration they recovered and grew at a
rate similar to those fed continuously with 100% ration. Under shade and under natural sunlight sea hares grew at the same
rates. Whenever growth rates decreased, sea hares began to spawn at a smaller body size.A. oculifera demonstrated physiological plasticity that adapted them to varied and unpredictable environmental conditions. At different
conditions of food availability they applied different tactics of resource allocation between growth and reproduction. |
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Keywords: | Growth Reproduction energetics Resource allocation Environmental conditions Aplysia oculifera |
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