Gelatinous zooplankton; their biological characteristics and ecological significance
2004
Nishikawa, J. (Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Ocean Research Inst.)
The biological characteristics and ecological significance of gelatinous zooplankton, cnidarians, ctenophores, and pelagic tunicates are reviewed. Gelatinous zooplankton generally have large body sizes, and their soft tissues exhibit high water contents and low organic content on a dry weight basis compared with crustacean zooplankton. While weight-specific growth rates are higher in gelatinous animals, similar rates of respiration and ammonia excretion as carbon-specific values have been reported compared with those of crustacean zooplankton, Many gelatinous zooplankton show alternations of generations and have asexual reproduction generations that may enable them to attain rapid population growth. The ecological significance of gelatinous zooplankton in terms of predation impacts, contributions to nutrient, regeneration through excretion and fecal pellet production, prey organisms, and as hosts of parasites are briefly reviewed.
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