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Temperature-induced changes in the life cycle of Leuctra nigra(Plecoptera: Leuctridae) from a Lake District stream
Article first published online: 29 MAY 2006
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.1987.tb01305.x
1365-2427/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=1463bb455438eb81a85b18bcd92b7c69372e93ed "Freshwater Biology")
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How to Cite
ELLIOTT, J. M. (1987), Temperature-induced changes in the life cycle of Leuctra nigra(Plecoptera: Leuctridae) from a Lake District stream. Freshwater Biology, 18: 177–184. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2427.1987.tb01305.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 29 MAY 2006
- Article first published online: 29 MAY 2006
- (Manuscript accepted 2 December 1986)
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
1. The life cycle of Leuctra nigra (Olivier) took 2 years in a small stream in the English Lake District and the exponential growth of the larvae was scarcely affected by variations in water temperature (range 4.2-14.0°C). Mean growth rates for three year-classes were 0.43±0.01, 0.42±0.01, 0.39±0.05% body length day−1. There were thirteen or fourteen larval instars for males and fourteen or fifteen for females. The ratio between successive instars was a constant 1.20 (conformed with Dyar's rule).
2. Larval growth and mortality were exponential at six constant temperatures (5.9, 8.2, 12.1, 15.8, 18.2, 19.8°C) in the laboratory. Mean growth rates (% body length day−1) increased directly with temperature from 0.37 (5.9°C) to 0.55 (19.8°C). Mean mortality rates (% day−1) increased directly with temperature from 0.20 (5.9°C) to 0.26 (12.1°C) and then markedly increased to 0.54-0.58 at the three higher temperatures. Only 7-10% of animals completed their life cycle at the three higher temperatures compared with 23–27% at the three lower temperatures. Egg production also decreased considerably at the higher temperatures.
3. As growth rates in the stream and laboratory were similar at similar temperatures (<14°C), the optimum conditions for growth in the laboratory were probably similar to those in the stream; therefore resources such as food and space were not restricting growth in the stream.
4. The implications of the temperature-induced changes in growth and mortality are discussed and it is concluded that although the life cycle can change from semivoltine to univoltine with increasing temperature, the costs of a univoltine life cycle are high in terms of survival and egg production, both of which decreased markedly between 12.1 and 15.8°C. Therefore the optimum habitat for this species appears to be a summer cool stream (maximum temperature <14°C) and the optimal life cycle appears to be about 2 years from egg to adult.