Meeting Abstract
P3.59 Wednesday, Jan. 6 Effects of dissolved oxygen concentration on the respiration rates of larval and adult Daphnia pulex MCCLARY, M.*; SANTIAGO, O.; ARGUEDAS, S.; SALEM, H.; Fairleigh Dickinson Univ.; Fairleigh Dickinson Univ.; North Bergen High School; North Bergen High School mcclary@fdu.edu
The effect of temperature on the respiration of adult Daphnia has been studied. However the effect of dissolved oxygen concentration on larvae and adults has not. In general it is known that when dissolved oxygen concentrations are high, respiration rates are independent of the dissolved oxygen concentration and proceed at a constant rate until reaching very low dissolved oxygen concentrations. When dissolved oxygen concentrations are low, respiration rates are dependent on the dissolved oxygen concentration and decrease as the dissolved oxygen concentration decreases. It is also known that respiration rates of small organisms are faster than the respiration rates of large organisms and have rates that are dependent on the dissolved oxygen concentration and decline as the dissolved oxygen concentration declines. Respiration rates of large organisms are slower than the respiration rates of small organisms and have rates that are independent of the dissolved oxygen concentration and proceed at a constant rate until reaching very low dissolved oxygen concentrations. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dissolved oxygen concetration on the respiration rate of larval and adult Daphnia. Larval and adult Daphnia pulex were placed in 2 ml of spring water that was saturated with oxygen prior to measurements of dissolved oxygen concentration over time in a closed system to determine their respiration rates. Both larval and adult respiration rates were always dependent on the dissolved oxygen concentration and declined as the dissolved oxygen concentration declined. Future studies will measure respiration rates of larval and adult D. pulex at higher dissolved oxygen concentrations to determine if respiration rates can be independent of dissolved oxygen concentration.
