Effects of temperature, salinity and food stress on larval growth and development in the Olympia oyster, Ostrea lurida
Date
2015-08-27
Authors
Rippington, Alicia
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Abstract
Ostrea lurida Carpenter 1864 is the only native oyster on the western North American coast, but it is functionally extinct in most of its historic range. Knowledge of environmental tolerances during larval development of O. lurida is minimal, which limits recovery strategies for this listed “species of special concern” (Species At Risk Act). The effects of rearing temperature (13, 17, 21°C), salinity (11, 15, 21, 24, 30, 31 psu) and food concentration (5x103, 1x104 and 5x104 algal cells/ml) on larval growth and development were investigated. Larvae were obtained from laboratory conditioned adults from Ladysmith Harbour, and the Gorge Waterway on Vancouver Island BC. At low temperature (13°C), salinity (15 psu) and food concentration (5x103 algal cells/ml) larvae did not grow or develop. Higher temperature, salinity and food concentration increased growth and developmental rates. Larvae reared at higher food densities and salinities, but not higher temperature, were larger when eyespots differentiated.
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Keywords
Ostrea lurida, temperature, salinity, food concentration, growth, development, larvae