DIETARY FATTY ACID AND TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE CLADOCERAN, MOINA MACROCOPA

¹ Department of Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520

1. The cladoceran, Moina macrocopa americana was cultured axenically on an artificial diet consisting of a particulate and soluble phase. The effect of changes in the quantitative and qualitative dietary fatty acid composition was investigated.

2. Qualitative fatty acid differences were made to simulate the unique proportional differences found among four orders of algae, Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cryptophyceae, Bacillarophyceae.

3. The quality of dietary fatty acids available to Moina exerts an effect upon productivity and the nutritional value of a particular diet in relation to fatty acid composition can be temperature dependent.

4. Increased levels of fatty acids in the diet of Moina reduces productivity.

5. The cladoceran, Moina macrocopa americana, may be entirely dependent upon diet for its source of fatty acids.

6. A partial explanation for the differential nutritiousness of particular species of algae may be their qualitative and quantitative fatty acid content.