Comparison of population dynamics between slow- and fast-growing strains of the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus pallas in continuous culture.

The population dynamics of a slow- and a fast-growing strain of the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus are compared. Rotifers were grown in steady-states, at various specific growth rates (μ), in both two-stage chemostat and turbidostat cultures on the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Population variables, including specific ingestion (I), loss (L) and filtration (F) rates, yield (Y), production (P) and half-saturation coefficient of growth (K g), were calculated using a growth model based on saturation kinetics. I, L, F and K g were shown to be higher and Y and P lower for the fast-growing strain. Differences between the two strains with regard to these variables may represent tradeoffs associated with the faster potential growth rate. Steady-state relationships between these values and μ for the fast-growing strain, however, deviated from model predictions which suggest a possible shift from carbon to non-carbon growth limitation.