Publicação
Nutritional condition and starvation in Sardina pilchardus (L.) larvae off southern Portugal compared with some environmental factors
| Resumo: | The aim of this study was to determine the condition and the incidence of starvation among field-caught Sardina pilchardus larvae, using RNA/DNA ratios and to compare them with various abiotic and biotic factors. S. pilchardus larvae were collected off southern Portugal, during April and May 1992. A highly sensitive fluorometric method for quantifying larvae nucleic acid was applied. Sardine larvae were generally in good condition. The means of the RNA/DNA ratios were relatively high and low percentages of starving larvae (RNA/DNA ratio ,1.3) were recorded, ranging from 0 to 12.5%. These two results were associated with high prey availability, which contributes to enhanced condition, and with a high density of potential predators, which may result in fewer larvae in poor condition. |
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| Autores principais: | Chicharo, Maria Alexandra Teodosio |
| Assunto: | Fish larvae Starvation RNA DNA ratios Nutritional condition Sardina pilchardus |
| Ano: | 1998 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso restrito |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade do Algarve |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Sapientia - Universidade do Algarve |
| Resumo: | The aim of this study was to determine the condition and the incidence of starvation among field-caught Sardina pilchardus larvae, using RNA/DNA ratios and to compare them with various abiotic and biotic factors. S. pilchardus larvae were collected off southern Portugal, during April and May 1992. A highly sensitive fluorometric method for quantifying larvae nucleic acid was applied. Sardine larvae were generally in good condition. The means of the RNA/DNA ratios were relatively high and low percentages of starving larvae (RNA/DNA ratio ,1.3) were recorded, ranging from 0 to 12.5%. These two results were associated with high prey availability, which contributes to enhanced condition, and with a high density of potential predators, which may result in fewer larvae in poor condition. |
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