title: Influence of salinity on the life table demography of a rare Cladocera Latonopsis australis.
abstract: Latonopsis australis is a rare Cladocera inhabiting the entire stretch of the Cochin backwaters, the largest monsoonal estuary along the West Coast of India, during the summer monsoon, but restricted to the upper reaches during the non-monsoon periods. Here, we present the results of an experimental study, which assessed the influence of salinity on the life table demography of the species at different salinity levels. The life table demographic parameters such as net reproduction rate, generation time, intrinsic growth rate, gross reproductive rate, and survivorship of the species were measured in different salinities ranging from freshwater to mesohaline levels (salinity 14). The study showed that higher salinity had a significant negative effect on all life table demography parameters of the species, whereas freshwater to low saline conditions (salinity up to 8) favored the survivorship, life expectancy, net production, and growth rate. It was also noticed that salinity above 8 caused a significant decrease in the survivorship, life expectancy, and reproduction rate of the species, which clearly explained the seasonal distribution pattern of the species in the Cochin backwaters. The present study suggests salinity 2 to 6 as the optimum range for the large-scale production of L. australis for purposes like live feed in aquaculture.
authors.affiliation: St. Stephens College, Pathanapuram, Kerala, 689695, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haridevan
authors.affiliation: CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Kochi, 682018, India. rjyothi1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jyothibabu
authors.affiliation: CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Kochi, 682018, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arunpandi
authors.affiliation: CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Kochi, 682018, India.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jagadeesan
authors.affiliation: St. Stephens College, Pathanapuram, Kerala, 689695, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biju
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D033361:Cladocera / Q000254:growth & development*; D003710:Demography; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D007194:India; D015993:Life Tables; D012098:Reproduction; D054712:Salinity; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D012965:Sodium Chloride
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride
keywords: Cladocera; Cochin backwaters; Demography; Salinity; Zooplankton