Responses of life-history traits of brackish- and freshwater populations of the water strider to NaCl Aquarius paludum (Hemiptera: Gerridae)

Autor: Manabu KISHI, Tetsuo HARADA, Kenji FUJISAKI
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2009
Předmět:
Zdroj: European Journal of Entomology, Vol 106, Iss 1, Pp 43-48 (2009)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1210-5759
1802-8829
DOI: 10.14411/eje.2009.006
Popis: The water strider Aquarius paludum inhabits the surfaces of a wide variety of freshwater habitats both temporary and permanent. It can also live on the surface brackish-water around river mouths. Exposure to a brackish rather than freshwater environment may affect a range of adult and offspring life-history traits. In a two-stage experiment A. paludum offspring from fresh- (F) and brackish-water (B) populations were obtained and their offspring reared in either a fresh- or brackish-water (0.45% NaCl) environments. The four offspring treatment groups (F-F, F-B, B-F, B-B) varied in terms of the parental and offspring rearing environments. The effect of parental and offspring rearing environment on longevity, fecundity and flight was assessed. Offspring reared in a brackish environment throughout their larval and adult stages had a reduced longevity and egg production. The flight activity of the offspring originated from the brackish-water population was maintained when they were reared in a brackish environment, but inhibited when they were exposed to freshwater. Our results suggest that the life-history strategies depend critically on the degree of salinity in both the current environment and that of their parents.
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