Feeding Habits of Diaptomus ashlandi and Diaptomus sicilis in Lake Michigan

The herbivorous habits of Diaptomus ashlandi and Diaptomus sicilis were studied at a nearshore station in Lake Michigan. Filtering and feeding rates were measured from December 1975 to October 1976. Feeding was measured from the change in concentration in three size fractions of chlorophyll a. D. ashlandi fed only on particles in the smallest size class, while the larger D. sicilis consumed particles in all three size fractions. During the isothermal period (winter and spring), the feeding rates of both species were proportional to temperature or chlorophyll concentration. D. sicilis preferentially ingested particles in the largest size class, when this size class increased significantly during the spring bloom. During the summer the highest feeding rates of D. ashlandi occurred in the epilimnion. The highest feeding rates of D. sicilis were in the metalimnion, where large particles in a subsurface chlorophyll maximum were available for consumption. These results indicated the importance of the depth distributions of herbivores and phytoplankton for feeding.