Relationship between sediment organic content, metamorphosis, and postlarval performance in the deposit-feeding polychaete Capitella sp I

Chemical cues induce metamorphosis for the larvae of many benthic marine in vertebrate species. These cues help to place organisms into habitats that w ill allow for rapid growth and increased reproductive success. This study w as designed to examine the correspondence between induction of metamorphosi s and post-metamorphic success in the deposit feeding polychaete Capitella sp. I. Larvae were offered substrates with organic content reduced by 50, 7 5, 90 or 95% to examine inductive ability. Post-metamorphic success was ass essed as juvenile growth rate, time to first brood production, and fecundit y. Larvae did not consistently choose the substrate with the highest organi c content, and often metamorphosed sooner in response to substrates with in sufficient organic material for optimal growth and reproductive success. Th ese findings suggest that, while the cue for metamorphosis is probably orga nic and bound to fine particulates, the larvae of Capitella sp. I cannot as sess the concentration of organic material necessary to support subsequent growth and development. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.