SOME POPULATION GROWTH STUDIES ON TWO FRESHWATER ROTIFERS

Abstract

1. The population growth of B. calyciflorus was significantly influenced by the culture medium. 2. Knop's medium was found to be the best culture medium for the culture of B. calyciflorus. 3. The chemical composition of Knop's medium may influence more amictic female production. 4. As regards to the feeding habits, B. forficula may fall to t he category of current producers. 5. B. forficula seemedto be unselective in their ciliary feeding of yeast and Chlorella. 6. Certain types of food e.g. P. caudatum may influence mictic female production in B. forficula. 7. The population size of B. calyciflorus and B. forficula may vary according to the ratio of the number of mictic females to the number of amictic females in the population. 8. The population size will keep on increasing rapidly as long as the female rotifers and their female offsprings are amictic. 9. In large scale culture of Brachionus sp, it is therefore, important to maintain the population size where t here is a predominant number of amictic females.