The Effects of Starvation on the Thermal Limits of Lake Champlain Copepods
Saratkar, Chanchal
Saratkar, Chanchal
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Abstract
Eutrophication, the excess of nutrients in a water body, is the major cause of harmful algal blooms (HABs), which threaten aquatic ecosystems with cyanotoxins. Heat is often the major trigger for HABs. Copepods are ecologically crucial animals due to their role in making energy available as primary consumers. Copepods are selective grazers and avoid eating the toxins that HABs produce, which results in copepods starving in warming waters. Currently, it is unknown how starvation and heat stress affect the thermal plasticity of copepods. To study the impacts HABs and heat can have on copepods in Lake Champlain, I conducted an experiment to observe the effects of starvation, heat stress, and duration of treatments on thermal tolerance, measured by Critical Temperature maxima (CTmax). The copepods were subjected to starvation or feeding, temperatures equal to their collection temperature or 2�C higher, and a duration of two days or four days. Fed copepods had higher CTmax values than starving copepods. Copepods acclimated to warmer temperatures had higher CTmax values than ones acclimated to cooler temperatures. Starved copepods demonstrated the ability to acclimate to a limited degree compared to fed copepods. The results indicate copepods in Lake Champlain can acclimate to higher temperatures, even while enduring starvation. The thermal acclimation capabilities are and will continue to be a valuable asset to the copepods as the lake continues to heat and HABs occur year after year
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Date
1/1/2026
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Graduate Student
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Poster
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Biology
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College of Arts and Sciences
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Life Science