Application of individual growth and population models of Daphnia pulex toDaphnia magna, Daphnia galeata and Bosmina longirostris

Daphnia models for individual growth and population dynamics have been deve loped in the manner of models developed by Gurney, McCauley, Andersen and o thers. All or most of the earlier models were parameterized for Daphnia pul ex; we have used the D. pulex model as a baseline model for other species o f Daphnia such as magna, galeata and also Bosmina longirostris. Because of the lack of ample data for D. magna, D. galeata and B. longirostris, some o f the physiological data had to be relied on the other species whose data w ere available and in some case calibrated. We were able to produce reasonab le results for individual growth as well as population dynamics under the c ontrolled laboratory conditions. Most of the results were compared with the available laboratory data for population as well as growth. All the simula tions have been done under high and low food concentrations. The animals ar e assumed to be feeding on green algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtti) under th e laboratory conditions of 18-20 degrees C. The continuous growth until the end of the life was observed in smaller B. longirostris, whereas rapid gro wth in the beginning and slower after the start of the reproduction was obs erved in Daphnia species. The smaller species matured earlier than larger s pecies. B. longirostris population sustained better than Daphnia species in medium food concentrations.