Abstract
Daphnia exposed to the presence of fish mature at smaller size and are quicker to release fewer and smaller neonates than females not exposed to this factor. Releasing neonates requires intensive movement, rendering the female very susceptible to fish predation. A reduction of this time may thereby be adaptive in the presence of fish. Since there is no correlation between the time needed to release a whole clutch and other life-history traits that show a shift in the presence of fish kairomone, the shortening of the time needed to release the young can itself be an adaptation, and not merely a consequence of change in other life-history traits.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
De Meester, L. & L. J. Weider, 1999. Depth selection behavior, fish kairomones, and the life histories of Daphnia hyalina X galeata hybrid clones. Limnol. Oceanogr. 44: 1248–1258.
Dodson, S. I., 1989. Predator-induced reaction norms. Cyclic changes in shape and size can be protective. BioScience 39: 447–452.
Gliwicz, Z. M. & J. Pijanowska, 1989. The role of predation in zooplankton succession. In Somer, U. (ed.), Plankton Ecology. Succession in Plankton Communities. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 253–295.
Klüttgen, B., U. Dümler, M. Engels & H. T. Ratte, 1994. ADAM, an artificial freshwater for the culture of zooplankton. Wat. Res. 28: 743–746.
Lampert, W., 1993. Phenotypic plasticity of the size at first reproduction in Daphnia: the importance of maternal size. Ecology 74: 1455–1466.
Larsson, P. & S. I. Dodson, 1993. Chemical communication in planktonic animals. Arch. Hydrobiol. 129: 129–155.
Macháček, J., 1991. Indirect effect of planktivorous fish on the growth and reproduction of Daphnia galeata. Hydrobiologia 225: 193–198.
Pijanowska, J. & A. Kowalczewski, 1997. Predators can induce swarming behaviour and locomotory responses in Daphnia. Freshwat. Biol. 37: 649–656.
Sokal, R. R. & R. J. Rolf, 1981. Biometry. W. H. Freeman & Company, New York.
Stibor, H., 1992. Predator induced life-history shifts in a freshwater cladoceran. Oecologia 92: 162–165.
Stibor, H. & J. Lüning, 1994. Predator-induced phenotypic variation in the pattern of growth and reproduction in Daphnia hyalina (Crustacea: Cladocera). Funct. Ecol. 8: 97–101.
Von Elert, E. & C. J. Loose, 1996. Predator-induced diel vertical migration in Daphnia: enrichment and preliminary chemical characterization of kairomone exuded by fish. J. Chem. Ecol. 22: 885–895.
Weider, L. J. & J. Pijanowska, 1993. Plasticity of Daphnia life histories in response to chemical cues from predators. Oikos 67: 385–392.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mikulski, A. The presence of fish induces the quick release of offspring by Daphnia. Hydrobiologia 442, 195–198 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017542324597
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017542324597