Date of Completion
Spring 5-1-2018
Thesis Advisor(s)
Mark Urban
Honors Major
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Disciplines
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Abstract
Zooplankton grazers are essential to reducing the impact of algal blooms, especially as they become more frequent in a warming world. The size of these grazers is important as it determines how much algae they are able to consume. This study aims to investigate how low water oxygen content, another likely outcome of climate change, will impact competition between zooplankton of different size. When zooplankton of different sizes were tested against each other at different dissolved oxygen levels, it was found the larger species could feed more effectively at low oxygen. This suggests even in a future with reduced dissolved oxygen large zooplankton grazers will remain competitive.
Recommended Citation
Mikullitz, Jacob, "How does Body Size Affect Zooplankton Feeding in a Low Oxygen Environment?" (2018). Honors Scholar Theses. 599.
https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/srhonors_theses/599