Kirsten Hamburger

Synchronous divisions in Tetrahymena pyriformis as studied in an inorganic medium: The effect of 2,4-dinitrophenol☆

Abstract It is possible to maintain the synchronous division of Tetrahymena pyriformis on an inorganic medium, and thus on endogenous sources. The oxygen uptake for synchronized and normal log-phase cells is compared in proteose-peptone and inorganic media. The effects of 2,4-dinitrophenol on respiration and cell division in synchronized and normal log-phase cells are demonstrated and discussed.

Energy metabolism of Chironomus anthracinus (Diptera: Chironomidae) from the profundal zone of Lake Esrom, Denmark, as a function of body size, temperature and oxygen concentration

The profundal zone of Lake Esrom, Denmark has a dense population of Chironomus anthracinus, which survives 2–4 months of oxygen depletion each summer during stratification. The metabolism of 3rd and 4th instar larvae was examined in regard to variation in biomass and temperature. Respiration at air saturation was described by a curvilinear multiple regression relating oxygen consumption to individual AFDW and temperature. At 10 °C and varying oxygen regimes the O2 consumption and CO2 production of 4th instar larvae were almost unaltered from saturation to about 3 mg O2 l−1, but decreased steeply below this level. The respiratory quotient increased from 0.82 at saturation to about 3.4 at oxygen concentrations near 0.5 mg O2 l−1. This implied a shift from aerobic to partially anaerobic metabolism. At 0.5 mg O2 l−1 the total energy production equalled 20% of the rate at saturation of which more than one third was accounted for by anaerobic degradation of glycogen. This corresponded to a daily loss of 12 µg mg AFDW−1 or approximately 5% of the body reserves. At unchanged metabolic rate the glycogen store would last three weeks, but long term oxygen deficiency causes a further suppression of the energy metabolism in C. anthracinus.

Effects of oxygen deficiency on survival and glycogen content of Chironomus anthracinus (Diptera, Chironomidae) under laboratory and field conditions

Growth and glycogen content of Chironomus anthracinus in Lake Esrom, Denmark was examined during summer stratification in 1992 and 1993. Simultaneously, effects of oxygen deficiency on glycogen utilization and survival were experimentally studied. The population consisted of almost fullgrown 4th instar larvae in 1992 and 2nd and 3rd instar larvae in 1993. Growth rate and glycogen content changed as hypolimnetic oxygen deficiency increased. During a 1st phase of stratification dry weight and glycogen content increased (2nd and 3rd instars) or was almost constant (4th instar) but decreased significantly during the following 2nd phase. This change from growth to degrowth and utilization of endogenous glycogen reserves correlated with a change in the thickness of the microxic layer (<0.2 mg O2 1−1) above the sediment surface. The layer increased from 2–3 m in phase 1 to 4–5 m in phase 2, and we suggest that this deteriorated the oxygen conditions and resulted in a change in larval energy metabolism from fully aerobic during the 1st phase to partly anaerobic in the 2nd phase. During the 2nd phase larval metabolism was estimated at less than 20% of normoxic rate. Experimental exposure of the larvae to anoxia indicated highly different survival of young larvae (2nd and 3rd instars) and older larvae (large 4th instars). The morality of young larvae was 50% after three days in anoxia at 10 °C, whereas only 25% of the older larvae had died after 3–4 weeks under similar conditions. Extending the treatment, however, resulted in increased death rate of the 4th instar larvae with only 10% surviving after seven weeks. The anaerobic metabolism of 4th instar larvae as estimated from glycogen degradation at 10 °C was 5% of normoxia in the interval from 0–5 days but 1.5% in the interval from 20–25 days. It is concluded that survival of C. anthracinus in anoxia is very limited, but traces of oxygen in the environment allowing for faint aerobic metabolism prolong the survival time of the larvae from a few days (2nd and 3rd instars) or a few weeks (4th instar) to probably 3–4 months.

The respiration of common benthic invertebrate species from the shallow littoral zone of Lake Esrom, Denmark

To enable estimation of the total assimilation of benthic populations, we measured the oxygen consumption of macroinvertebrates from the littoral zone of a eutrophic lake. The animals were collected all the year round, and their respiration was measured at field temperatures using a closed-bottle method. Multiple regressions relating the rate of oxygen consumption to temperature and body size were established for 22 taxa, including data derived from the literature for meiofaunal groups.

Survival and energy metabolism in an oxygen deficient environment. Field and laboratory studies on the bottom fauna from the profundal zone of Lake Esrom, Denmark

AbstractThe three macroinvertebrate taxa, Potamothrix hammoniensis, Chironomus anthracinus and Pisidium spp. are permanent inhabitants of the regularly microxic/anoxic profundal zone in Lake Esrom. In situ and laboratory studies (10 °C) of metabolism (aerobic and anaerobic) and anaerobic survival in P. hammoniensis and Pisidium spp. are compared with previous results from C. anthracinus. The late summer microxic conditions in the lake lasts 2–2

Population dynamics and energy budget of Marionina southerni (Cernosvitov) (Enchytraeidae, Oligochaeta) in the shallow littoral of Lake Esrom, Denmark

- \frac{1}{2}

Chironomids (Diptera) and oxy-regulatory capacity: An experimental approach to paleolimnological interpretation

months, during which the three taxa display metabolic and behavioral strategies in order to survive. All three are respiratory oxy-regulators with critical oxygen levels at 1 mg O2 l−1 (P. hammoniensis and Pisidium spp.) or 2–3 mg O2 l−1 (C. anthracinus). The lethal time (LD50) in experimental anoxia follows a similar trend, with 150–170 days of survival in P. hammoniensis and Pisidium spp., compared to 2–5 weeks in C. anthracinus. The glycogen stores are almost (C. anthracinus) or fully exploited (P. hammoniensis and Pisidium spp.) during anaerobis and the animals finally enter a state of quiescence or dormancy. During the late phase of anoxia, their metabolism is down at (C. anthracinus) or below (P. hammoniensis and Pisidium spp.) 1% of normoxic metabolism. The populations in the lake behave rather similar in so far that the energy gain from anaerobic degradation of glycogen maximizes 1% of normoxic conditions regardless of species. Also, in Pisidium this appears to be the only energy source during dormancy. However, as previously presented in case of C. anthracinus, P. hammoniensis maintain a partly aerobic metabolism constituting 44% of normoxia during the microxic period, compared to the 12–19% obtained by C. anthracinus. It is thus demonstrated that P. hammoniensis and Pisidium spp. possess a remarkable ability to survive in situ severe oxygen depletion. P. hammoniensis can benefit from the presence of merely traces of oxygen, whereas C. anthracinus with poorer anaerobic survival is strongly dependent on minute oxygen supplies.

Ontogeny of growth, respiration and feeding rate of the freshwater calanoid copepod Eudiaptomus graciloides

Large fluctuations in glycogen content were found in larvae, pupae and adults of Chironomus anthracinus (Zetterstedt) from the profundal zone of Lake Esrom, Denmark. In 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar larvae the glycogen concentration (expressed as percentage of dry weight) increased during periods of aerobic conditions to a maximum of 25%, but decreased in periods of hypoxia longer than two months to 10–12% in young larvae. A further decrease to about 5% took place, when moulting from 2nd to 3rd or from 3rd to 4th instar occurred after overturn. Prior to pupation the glycogen concentration was restored to 26–28%. The glycogen concentration approximated 22% in young pupae, but decreased during the pupal stage and newly hatched adults contained 12–15%. Finally, the glycogen store of both males and females was further reduced during the swarming period. Thus, glycogen seems to be an important energy source (1) during periods with hypoxic conditions, (2) during periods with high internal energy requirement such as ecdyses and metamorphosis, and (3) during the non-feeding adult life stage.