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<p>Pelagic appendicularians, known for their rapid bloom capability, are important secondary producers and play essential roles in marine ecosystems. To assess the environmental adaptation of the most common appendicularian species <i>Oikopleura dioica</i> in Jiaozhou Bay, Shandong, China, its annual variations in abundance and body size were investigated monthly at 12 stations in 2011, and the relationship between somatic growth and gonadal development was compared with previously published laboratory data. <i>Oikopleura dioica</i> exhibited distinct seasonal abundance patterns, peaking in summer and autumn, particularly in the inner bay, reflecting its adaptation to the eutrophic conditions and high food availability. Compared to laboratory results, <i>O. dioica</i> in Jiaozhou Bay exhibited shorter body lengths, smaller gonad volumes, and earlier maturation at reduced body sizes, despite high natural chlorophyll-<i>a</i> concentration, suggesting that factors beyond food availability, such as resource competition and environmental stressors, may limit its growth in natural settings. Correlation analysis indicated that the somatic growth of natural <i>O. dioica</i> was primarily influenced by temperature, while gonadal development was related to chlorophyll-<i>a</i> concentration, and its population abundance was linked to food availability and the abundance of other zooplankton, such as copepods and jellyfish. It was suggested that the growth and recruitment of <i>O. dioica</i> were constrained by resource limitations in natural environments, further exacerbated by interactions with other zooplankton, including predation and competition. This study provides valuable data on the mechanisms underlying bio-environmental interactions and their spatiotemporal variations, offering critical insights into the ecological roles of appendicularians in marine ecosystems.</p>

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Limited growth and recruitment of Oikopleura dioica (Tunicata: Appendicularia) in the Jiaozhou Bay, China

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月18日

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  • Shuai Li,
  • Mengtan Liu,
  • Aiyong Wan,
  • Zhiqiang Xu,
  • Shiwei Wang,
  • Yi Liang,
  • Zengxia Zhao,
  • Guangtao Zhang

摘要

Pelagic appendicularians, known for their rapid bloom capability, are important secondary producers and play essential roles in marine ecosystems. To assess the environmental adaptation of the most common appendicularian species Oikopleura dioica in Jiaozhou Bay, Shandong, China, its annual variations in abundance and body size were investigated monthly at 12 stations in 2011, and the relationship between somatic growth and gonadal development was compared with previously published laboratory data. Oikopleura dioica exhibited distinct seasonal abundance patterns, peaking in summer and autumn, particularly in the inner bay, reflecting its adaptation to the eutrophic conditions and high food availability. Compared to laboratory results, O. dioica in Jiaozhou Bay exhibited shorter body lengths, smaller gonad volumes, and earlier maturation at reduced body sizes, despite high natural chlorophyll-a concentration, suggesting that factors beyond food availability, such as resource competition and environmental stressors, may limit its growth in natural settings. Correlation analysis indicated that the somatic growth of natural O. dioica was primarily influenced by temperature, while gonadal development was related to chlorophyll-a concentration, and its population abundance was linked to food availability and the abundance of other zooplankton, such as copepods and jellyfish. It was suggested that the growth and recruitment of O. dioica were constrained by resource limitations in natural environments, further exacerbated by interactions with other zooplankton, including predation and competition. This study provides valuable data on the mechanisms underlying bio-environmental interactions and their spatiotemporal variations, offering critical insights into the ecological roles of appendicularians in marine ecosystems.