Effects of Experimental Change in Egg Size on Development of Planktotrophic Larvae of Marin

海洋无脊椎动物的浮游性摄食幼虫总是在 来自于含有少量蛋黄的小鸡蛋。 为了完成 在发育过程中，幼虫必须以悬浮在水中的食物颗粒为食。 周围的海水，以补充储备提供的 蛋 在这个项目中，可用于 发展到最初的喂养幼虫阶段将是 通过改变细胞数量进行实验操作 早期胚胎 对初始幼虫形态（大小， 在进食开始时， 量化。 随后的幼虫生长和发育将 在限制性和非限制性食品条件下进行评价。 这 研究项目旨在阐明重要的功能和 父母教育水平变化的发展后果 投资 这些结果适用于生活史的预测模型 海洋无脊椎动物的生态学和进化， 浮游悬浮食鱼者。

Pelagic, feeding larvae of marine invertebrates invariably develop from small eggs that contain little yolk. In order to complete development, larvae must feed on suspended food particles in the surrounding seawater to supplement the reserves provided in the egg. In this project, the amount of material available for development to the initial feeding larval stage will be experimentally manipulated by altering the number of cells in the early embryo. The effect on initial larval morphology (size, shape, feeding structures) at the onset of feeding will be quantified. Subsequent larval growth and development will be evaluated under limiting and nonlimiting food conditions. This research project seeks to elucidate the important functional and developmental consequences of a change in the level of parental investment. The results apply to predictive models of life history ecology and evolution in marine invertebrates and foraging by pelagic suspension feeders.