Abstract
The rotifer Brachionus plicatilis can grow in a wide range of salinities and temperatures, but rapid shifts in both salinity and temperature may result in immobilized, non-swimming rotifers. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of perturbations in temperature and salinity on the swimming pattern of the rotifer.
Only slight changes in mobility were observed when rotifers were exposed to changes in temperature (from 20 °C to 8–30 °C) and to an increase in salinity (from 20% to 30%). When the salinity was reduced to 15% and 5%, the proportion of mobile rotifers was reduced to 50% and 5%, respectively. The rotifers were throughout more resistant to perturbations in temperature than to those of salinity.
Combined temperature and salinity perturbations compared to perturbations in each factor separately suggested a synergetic effect of temperature and salinity on the rotifers locomotion. Transfer from cultivation conditions to low salinity (5%) and high temperature (28 °C) resulted in very low percent of mobile rotifers (0–10%). However, if the temperature was reduced to 8 °C concomitant with the changes in salinity, the percent of mobile rotifers was 85%.
Rotifers use a high share of their metabolic energy for locomotion, and it is therefore not surprising that perturbations in salinity and temperature may result in partial or complete immobilization.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chochrane, B. J., R. B. Irby & T. W. Snell, 1991. Effects of copper and tributyltin on stress protein abundance in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 98C: 385–390.
Epp, R. W. & M. Jr Lewis, 1980. Metabolic uniformity over the environmental temperature range in Brachionus plicatilis (Rotifera). In H. J. Dumont & J. Green (eds), Rotatoria. Developments in Hydrobiology I. Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague: 145–147. Reprinted from Hydrobiologia 73.
Epp, R. W. & P. W. Winston, 1977. Osmotic regulation in the brackish-water Brachionus plicatilis (Muller). J. exp. Biol. 68: 151–156.
Lubzens, E., G. Minkoff & S. Maron, 1985. Salinity dependence of sexual and asexual reproduction in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. Mar. Biol. 85: 123–126.
Miracle, M. R. & M. Serra, 1989. Salinity and temperature influence in rotifer life history characteristics. Hydrobiologia. 52: 81–102.
Olsen, Y., K. I. Reitan & O. Vadstein, 1993. Dependence of temperature on loss rates of rotifers, lipids, and ω3 fatty acids in starved Brachionus plicatilis cultures. Hydrobiologia 255/256: 13–20.
Potts, W. T. & G. Parry, 1964. Osmotic and ionic regulation in animals. Pergamon Press, Oxford.
Schmidt-Nielsen, K., 1985. Animal physiology: adaption and environment. Third edition. Cambridge University Press.
Snell, T. W., J. M. Childness, E. M. Boyer & F. H. Hoff, 1987. Assessing the status of rotifer mass cultures. 1987. J would aquacult soc. 18: 270–277.
Walker, K. F., 1981. A synopsis of ecological information on the saline lake rotifer Brachionus plicatilis Muller, 1786. In W. D. Williams (ed.), Salt Lakes. Developments in Hydrobiology 5. Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague: 156–167. Reprinted from Hydrobiologia 81/82.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Øie, G., Olsen, Y. Influence of rapid changes in salinity and temperature on the mobility of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis . Hydrobiologia 255, 81–86 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025824
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025824