Growth and development of copepodite stages of Pseudocalanus spp.

Quantitative expressions are presented describing the effects of temperature and food concentration on the growth and development of the copepodite stages of Pseudocalanus spp. The calculations were made on the basis of experimental data from the literature for two geographically separate populations of Pseudocalanus from Puget Sound (Washington, USA) and from the southern North Sea. Relationships were obtained between the growth parameters for Pseudocalanus sp. from Puget Sound and temperature in the 8–15.5°C range and food concentrations from 10 mg C m−3 to excess, as well as for Pseudocalanus elongatus from the southern North Sea at high food concentrations and in the 4–15°C temperature range. Also computed was the total development time of P. elongatus for the final four copepodid stages as a function of food concentration from 50 mg C m−3 to excess and temperature from 5 to 20°C. Empirical models computed here may be used with good precision in mathematical models of pelagic communities.