Turning defence into offence? Intrusion of cladoceran brood chambers by a green alga leads to reproductive failure.

ABSTRACT: Microalgae are the foundation of aquatic food webs. Their ability to defend against grazers is paramount to their survival, and modulates their ecological functions. Here, we report a novel anti-grazer strategy in the common green alga Chlorella vulgaris against two grazers, Daphnia magna and Simocephalus sp. The algal cells entered the brood chamber of both grazers, presumably using the brood current generated by the grazer's abdominal appendages. Once inside, the alga densely colonized the eggs, significantly reducing reproductive success. The effect was apparent under continuous light or higher light intensity. The algal cells remained viable following removal from the brood chamber, continuing to grow when inoculated in fresh medium. No brood chamber colonization w

SUBMITTER: Albini D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7540781 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature