Dietary lipid quality mediates salt tolerance of a freshwater keystone herbivore.

摘要: Abstract Salinization of freshwater ecosystems is a growing hazard for organisms and ecosystem functioning worldwide. In northern latitudes, road salt that being transported into water bodies can cause year-round increases in lake salinity levels. Exploring the environmental factors driving susceptibility zooplankton to crucial assessing impact salinization on food web processes. We studied role essential lipids, i.e., sterols long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mediating tolerance keystone herbivore Daphnia. Sterols PUFAs are involved regulating ion permeability biological membranes thus we hypothesized affected by dietary sterol PUFA supply. Life history experiments revealed opposing effects supplementation tolerance, increased upon but decreased supplementation, which consistent with their proposed membrane permeability. Our results suggest strongly depends lipid supply phytoplankton community composition. Hence, trophic state related differences composition need be considered when consequences functioning.