Morphological differentiation of Brachionus calyciflorus caused by predation and coal ash pollution.

ABSTRACT: Different rotifer stains exhibited remarkably morphological differences which could not be eliminated under laboratory conditions. In the present study, we hypothesized that predation pressure and pollution might be two forces driving morphological differentiation of rotifer. To test this hypothesis, rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus) belonging to two sibling species were collected from three special lakes (with coal ash pollution, high predation pressure or neither) and cultured for more than three months to investigate their potential differentiation in morphology. Twelve morphological parameters were measured and compared among three lakes at four food density (Scenedesmus obliquus). The results showed that most of the tested morphological parameters changed in response to food level an

SUBMITTER: Xue YH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5693999 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature