Temperature effects on life history traits of two sympatric branchiopods from an ephemeral wetland

PLoS One. 2017 Jun 27;12(6):e0179449. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179449. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Temperature effects on organisms are of multiple scientific interests, such as for their life history performance and for the study of evolutionary strategies. We have cultured two sympatric branchiopod species from an ephemeral pond in northern Taiwan, Branchinella kugenumaensis and Eulimnadia braueriana, and compared their hatching rate, maturation time, sex ratio, growth of body length, survivorship, clutch size, net reproductive rate R0, generation time TG, and intrinsic rate of natural increase r in relation to temperature (15, 20, 25 and 30°C). We found that E. braueriana had a significantly higher temperature-dependent fecundity and intrinsic population growth pattern (R0 and r). In contrast, B. kugenumaensis reproduced much slower than E. braueriana with much lower R0 (90-100 folds less) and r (about 10 folds less) at 15, 20 and 25°C and with a double as long TG at 20 and 25°C. In addition, E. braueriana increased its chance of hermaphroditic sexual reproductive mode at higher temperature because of a significantly delayed maturation of males from hermaphrodites. In contrast, B. kugenumaensis showed no significant change in reproductive mode with temperature. This is the first study indicating a significant differentiation in life history parameters of two sympatric branchiopods mediated by temperature.

Publication types

  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anostraca / physiology
  • Crustacea / physiology*
  • Fertility / physiology
  • Life History Traits*
  • Reproduction / physiology*
  • Sympatry / physiology*
  • Temperature*
  • Wetlands

Grants and funding

Funding support was received from Yangmingshan National Park (Grant: 095- 301020300G-1008), and partial support from National Science Council (NSC101-2311-B002-004 and MOST106-2119-M-002 -028).