ABSTRACT: Eggs of 3 calanoid copepods Acartia tonsa, Centropages hamatus and Labidocera aestiva were exposed to either anoxia or anoxia/sulfide. Mean sulfide concentrations ranged from 283 to 352 M. Viability, determined at 4 d intervals for 32 d and judged as hatching success under normoxia was variable, but generally declined with increasing time of exposure. Values for hatching success were transformed to probits to determine the median lethal times of exposure to anoxia and anoxia/sulfide and 95% confidence limits. We observed no significant difference in the mortality of eggs exposed to anoxia/sulfide compared to anoxia alone and suggest that eggs switch to anaerobic metabolism when exposed to anoxia.

KEY WORDS: Copepods · Resting eggs · Anoxia · Sulfide

Published in MEPS Vol. 146 (1997) on January 30
ISSN: 0171-8630. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1997