Differential grazing effects by isopods on Gracilaria gracilis and epiphytic Ceramium diaphanum in suspended raft culture
1998
Anderson, B.C. | Smit, A.J. | Bolton, J.J.
Large populations of epiphytic Ceramium diaphanum and the isopod Paridotea reticulata are found in association with commercially farmed Gracilaria gracilis. When given a choice, P. reticulata consumed C. diaphanum rather than G. gracilis. Feeding rate experiments indicate that small isopods could consume 0.060 +/- 0.040 mg(dry) C. diaphanum per gram(dry) of isopod per day and that large isopods consumed 0.043 +/- 0.007 mg(dry) C. diaphanum per gram(dry) of isopod per day. In contrast, the amount of G. gracilis consumed was negligible. One year's population data indicated that P. reticulata populations increased as C. diaphanum populations increased. However, P. reticulata's influence on C. diaphanum was only significant when C. diaphanum populations were low. Using the consumption rate of 0.060 +/- 0.040 g(dry) C. diaphanum consumed per gram(dry) of isopod per day and biomass values obtained in the field, it was calculated that during some months P. reticulata is capable of consuming 7.8% of the total C. diaphanum population per day.
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