Poster Details
EFFECT OF SALINITY ON HATCHING OF BRANCHINECTA LINDAHLI, PACKARD 1883.
The effect of salinity on hatching rates of Branchinecta lindahli, Packard 1883, was examined using five salt (NaCl) concentrations ranging from 0 g/L to 4 g/L (N = 18). A significant negative relationship (p=7.03x10-3, R2 = 0.522) was found between salt concentration and the number of fairy shrimp hatched. This supports other studies looking at hatching cues as a survival mechanism of fairy shrimp in ephemeral habitats. The avoidance of abortive hatching suggests that fairy shrimp do use a bet-hedging strategy that allows them to survive and persist in temporary wetlands. Salinity is most likely a hatching trigger used in that strategy.
Nayla Rhein (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Otago, nayla.rhein@gmail.com;
Fredric Govedich ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Southern Utah University, govedich@suu.edu;