Abstract
Primary producers exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation accumulate a range of metabolites as part of their UV-acclimation response. These metabolites play an important role in plant and algal UV protection. We investigated whether UV protection is transferred to consumers that feed on UV-acclimated algal biomass and showed that the copepod Tigriopus brevicornis (O. F. Müller, 1776) displays increased UV tolerance when fed on UV-acclimated Enteromorpha sp. (Clorophyta). We conclude that dietary transfer of metabolites produced in UV-acclimated biomass underlies the increased UV protection of the copepods. The data emphasise the complexity of the effects of UV radiation on the rock pool ecosystem.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 658-660 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Journal of Crustacean Biology |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
Keywords
- algae
- Enteromorpha sp.
- rock pools
- UV radiation