Partitioning of respiratory energy and environmental tolerance in the copepods Calanipeda aquaedulcis and Arctodiaptomus salinus

Total and basal metabolism was studied in the widely distributed copepod species Calanipeda aquaedulcis and Arctodiaptomus salinus of both genders in order to estimate respiratory energy partitioning. Specific oxygen consumption was found to double in C. aquaedulcis than in A. salinus, and double in males than in females both in terms of total and basal metabolism. Respiration rates in females carrying ovisacs were 1.49 and 1.43 times higher than those in females without ovisacs for C. aquaedulcis and A. salinus, respectively. Extra energy expenditures are due to carrying ovisacs and egg respiration. There was no significant effect of salinity (0.1–40), oxygen concentration (1–8 mg O2 l−1) or crowding on oxygen consumption confirming the hypothesis that C. aquaedulcis and A. salinus are the animals with a type of respiratory metabolism independent of salinity and oxygen concentration. At critical oxygen concentrations less than 1 mg O2 l−1 respiration rate fell notably by approximately an order of magnitude in both species and in both genders.