The salinity tolerance of freshwater macroinvertebrate eggs and hatchlings in comparison to their older life-stages: A diversity of responses - The salinity tolerance of freshwater macroinvertebrate eggs and hatchlings

B.J. Kefford, D. Nugegoda, L. Zalizniak, E.J. Fields, K.L. Hassell

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    72 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The tolerance to high salinity of older life stage macroinvertebrates could underestimate the effects of increasing salinity on freshwater macroinvertebrates. The salinity tolerance of the eggs and/or hatchlings of Glyptophysa gibbosa (Planorbidae), Glyptophysa aliciae, Glacidorbis sp. (Glacidorbidae), a Glossiponiidae, Piona cumberlandis (Pionidae), and Chironomus sp. (Chironomidae) were determined. The salinity tolerances of younger life-stages of species studied here and elsewhere were then compared to salinity tolerances of their mature aquatic or dominant life-stage. A diversity of responses have been observed with some species having similar salinity tolerances in all life-stages examined, whilst the eggs or hatchlings of other species had salinity tolerances ranging from 4% to 88% of their older life stages. On present knowledge, this diversity of responses presents some difficulties for simple rules of thumb to approximate sensitivity of young life-stages of freshwater macroinvertebrates inferred from their dominant stage's tolerance. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, B.V.
    Original languageUndefined
    Pages (from-to)335-348
    Number of pages14
    JournalAquatic Ecology
    Volume41
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

    Cite this