Jt. Lehman et al., PREDICTING DEVELOPMENT, METABOLISM AND SECONDARY PRODUCTION FOR THE INVERTEBRATE PREDATOR BYTHOTREPHES, Freshwater Biology, 38(2), 1997, pp. 343-352
1. Rates of embryonic and post-embryonic development for Bythotrephes
cederstroemi from Lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan are represented almos
t equally well by three empirical models across water temperatures ran
ging from about 12-22 degrees C, but at lower temperatures two of the
competing models fail and an exponential development rate model proves
most robust. 2. Clutch masses of parthenogenic females can greatly ex
ceed the tissue mass of the mother. Clutch size is strongly correlated
with the mass of reproductive adults, accounting for over 90% of the
variation among individuals. Hence, the mass gain from neonate to repr
oductive adult can be estimated directly from clutch size. 3. Tissue s
toichiometries, respiration quotients and stoichiometries of C and N m
etabolism were determined experimentally, extending the predictions of
existing respiration and growth models. 4. A predictive model for gro
wth and production by the invertebrate predator has advantages over pr
evious model formulations owing to our expanded calibration data base.
The model is presented in a modular design that is easily upgraded as
additional calibration data become available.