Differential response of Daphnia genotypes to oxygen stress: respiration rates, hemoglobin content and low-oxygen tolerance

Laboratory respiration rate experiments using three electrophoretically identified clones of the fresh water, planktonic cladoceran, Daphnia pulex, from an eutrophic farm pond, indicated that clones acclimated to both low and high oxygen levels, regulated oxygen consumption across a wide range of oxygen concentrations (1.0-9.0 mg. liter(-1)). A "threshold" oxygen level of 0.5-1.0 mg.liter(-1) was reached, where animals succumbed to oxygen stress, regardless of hemoglobin content. No significant clonal differences in respiration rates were found. These data suggest that members of this Daphnia population are able to regulate oxygen metabolism across a wide range of ambient oxygen concentrations, and indicate a well-adapted respiratory system. Low-oxygen tolerance experiments and hemoglobin measurements indicated further that physiological differences indeed exist between clones; one clone produced the lowest amount of hemoglobin and was least tolerant of low oxygen levels. These data imply that spatial and temporal changes in dissolved oxygen concentration may be an important selective force influencing the clonal (genotypic) composition of natural cladoceran populations