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Temperature and zooplankton

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Chesapeake Science

Abstract

All metabolic rates of zooplankton are dependent on temperature. Rates generally rise in a linear fashion, with inflection points when plotted on a semi-log scale, and fall at higher temperatures. The upper limits of thermal tolerance for two species of copepods from Chesapeake Bay were found to be near the normal temperature of the habitat during the summer. Acclimation temperature had little effect on the upper limits of thermal tolerance.

Estuarine copepods were killed by passage through the condensers of a power plant, although temperatures encountered were generally below the upper limits of thermal tolerance. Chlorine gas was applied at relatively high rates at that particular power plant and is suspected to be the cause of mortalities. The operation of the power plant did not alter the seasonal patterns of distribution or production of estuarine copepods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Natural Resources Institute, 20688, Solomons, Maryland

    Donald R. Heinle

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  1. Donald R. Heinle
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Contribution No. 400 from the Natural Resources Institute, University of Maryland.

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Heinle, D.R. Temperature and zooplankton. Chesapeake Science 10, 186–209 (1969). https://doi.org/10.2307/1350456

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