Exotic and indigenous freshwater gammarid species: physiological tolerance to water temperature in relation to ionic content of the water
Wijnhoven, S.; Van Riel, M.C.; van der Velde, G. (2003). Exotic and indigenous freshwater gammarid species: physiological tolerance to water temperature in relation to ionic content of the water. Aquat. Ecol. 37(2): 151-158 In: Aquatic Ecology. Springer: Dordrecht; London; Boston. ISSN 1386-2588; e-ISSN 1573-5125, more |  |
| Keywords | Aquatic organisms > Freshwater organisms
Niches
Oxygen consumption
Properties > Biological properties > Tolerance
Properties > Chemical properties
Properties > Physical properties > Thermodynamic properties > Temperature
Taxa > Species > Introduced species
Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) [WoRMS]; Echinogammarus ischnus (Stebbing, 1899) [WoRMS]; Gammarus fossarum Koch, 1836 [WoRMS]; Gammarus pulex (Linnaeus, 1758) [WoRMS]; Gammarus roeseli; Gammarus tigrinus Sexton, 1939 [WoRMS]
Netherlands [Marine Regions]
Fresh water |
| Authors | | Top | - Wijnhoven, S., more
- Van Riel, M.C.
- van der Velde, G., correspondent, more
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| Abstract | Bioinvasions by closely related species often lead to niche competition between exotic and indigenous species. The outcome of this competition is partly determined by differences in physiological tolerance of the competing species to the environmental conditions of the colonised habitat. Physiological tolerance of the invading gammarid species Gammarus tigrinus, Echinogammarus ischnus and Dikerogammarus villosus and the indigenous gammarid species Gammarus pulex, Gammarus roeseli and Gammarus fossarum from Dutch waters was studied in the laboratory by comparing their pleopod beats at rest at different water temperatures, which reflect the gammarid's oxygen consumption. Pleopod beat frequencies increased from a minimum ventilatory activity of 0 beats per minute at 1 °C to maximum activity of up to 300 beats per minute at temperatures between 25 °C and 35 °C. At the state of maximum activity, a further increase in temperature was followed by a strong decrease in pleopod beat frequency, indicating acute stress, and subsequently mortality. Frequency response patterns of invading and indigenous gammarids were found to be highly similar, indicating a wide tolerance to temperature for all species. The tolerance of D. villosus, however, was reduced in brook water, indicating a lower competitive ability in relatively ion-poor water. G. tigrinus survived at higher temperatures in the more ion-rich, polluted waters than the indigenous gammarids, indicating a wider physiological tolerance and thus a higher competitive ability in these waters. |
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