Interactions between food quantity and quality (long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations) effects on growth and development of Chironomus riparius

Abstract

We quantified somatic growth, development, and emergence of the midge Chironomus riparius on experimental diets (oats, Spirulina, and Tetraphyll (R)) covering gradients in food quality (differing polyunsaturated fatty acids) and quantity (0.1-5.4 mg C center dot day(-1)). Additionally, similar incubations without food additions were made using a food-poor sediment containing peat and the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus. Larval and adult size was affected by both food quantity and quality and increased some three to four times across the food concentration gradients. Adult emergence, however, was affected only by food quantity. A type 3 response model showed that a saturation level was reached for the oats treatment at 2.7 mg C center dot day(-1) (or 3.9 mu g omega 3 and 120 mu g omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids center dot day(-1)), indicating that the quality of oats constrained further stimulation of larval growth. In the peat treatment, larval growth was very low, no adults emerged, and no larvae even made it to the pupa stage. Fatty acid analyses showed that larvae were capable of synthesizing arachidonic acid via gamma-linolenic acid by Delta 6- and Delta 5-desaturase activity using linoleic acid available in food sources. This strongly suggests that C. riparius is not dependent on dietary sources of eicosapentaenoic acid and arachidonic acid and can sustain viable populations even under a low-quality food regimen

Published in

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
2007, volume: 64, number: 3, pages: 425-436
Publisher: NATL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA-N R C RESEARCH PRESS

SLU Authors

• Goedkoop, Willem

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Fish and Aquacultural Science
Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/F07-016

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/15226