Summary
The ostracod Cyprideis torosa Jones, 1850 is a dominant species in the meiofauna of brackish water habitats. Its production in the field over a five-year period has been calculated using two production models. The first model uses the age-distribution of shells preserved in the sediment to assess the stage-specific mortality rates and the stage durations. The second model is the size-frequency model, modified for use with developmental stages instead of size-classes. Productions calculated with both methods agree very well. Their values are 9.7 and 9.2 g dwt·m−2·y−1 respectively. The yearly P/B-ratio is 2.7 or 2.6 y−1, production efficiency P/A is 0.38 or 0.37.
The production efficiency of Cyprideis torosa nearly equals the mean efficiency of non-insect invertebrate detritivores. The species' conservative strategy and long generation time enables it to maintain a relatively high biomass with a fixed amount of food. These characteristics make it a superior competitor.
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Herman, P.M.J., Heip, C. & Vranken, G. The production of Cyprideis torosa Jones 1850 (Crustacea, Ostracoda). Oecologia 58, 326–331 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00385231
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00385231