Negative phototactic response to UVR in three cosmopolitan rotifers: a video analysis approach

摘要: Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is an environmental stressor in several ecosystems and can affect organisms’ survival reproduction, community structure. Rotifers cope with UVR stress adopting preventive behavioral metabolic mechanisms. However, the demonstration of immediate response rotifers missing. We investigated short-term to UVR, by combining video analysis movement ecology methods, three common species: Brachionus calyciflorus, Keratella cochlearis, quadrata. recorded behavior B. calyciflorus (both sexes), K. quadrata, cochlearis (females) exposed white light, intermittent cycles (30:30 s). Individual trajectories were extracted from videos open-source software. found that females exhibited strong negative phototaxis increased swimming speed, a weak positive males. quadrata showed weaker response. Our study reveals species-specific rotifers. Furthermore, we highlight how sexual dimorphism does not only occur morphology movement, but also traits. results help understand zooplankton dynamics providing mechanistic explanation one major taxonomic group.