Meeting Abstract

P3.106  Tuesday, Jan. 6  Evidence of senescence in a branchiopod crustacean, Branchinecta lindahli, living in a highly unpredictable environment KRUMM, J.L.; Widener University jlkrumm@widener.edu

The longevity of ephemeral aquatic environments can be highly unpredictable due to variations in precipitation, temperature, and humidity. Small pools are especially sensitive to environmental conditions and are typically colonized by animals adapted for rapid maturity and reproduction. Selection for early reproduction can have negative effects on other traits such as late reproduction and longevity, resulting in senescence. Branchinecta lindahli is a species of fairy shrimp that commonly colonizes small disturbed pools, such as roadside ditches. These pools are known to dry unpredictably, occasionally killing actively reproducing populations of B. lindahli. It is unknown if B. lindahli females exhibit reproductive senescence. Daily egg production in female B. lindahli was measured in the laboratory to determine if senescence occurs, and if females display a trade-off between early reproduction and late reproduction and survival. Preliminary results indicate that egg production decreases towards the end of the lifespan in a subset of female B. lindahli.