Physiological responses to stoichiometric constraints: nutrient limitation and compensatory feeding in a freshwater snail

摘要: Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are considered to be essential nutrients that control secondary production in various ecosystems; insufficient availability of N P can limit herbivore growth. Here, data presented from field samplings a laboratory experiment on the potential primary producers low P, N, or constrain growth freshwater gastropod Radix ovata. The filamentous green alga Ulothrix fimbriata was cultured under different nutrient regimes, resulting algae with C:N:P ratios. pure were fed high quantities juvenile R. Low especially strongly constrained biomass accrual herbivore. In accordance theoretical predictions, these food quality differences highly dependent quantity. snails’ rate significantly related their body C:P ratio, thereby supporting hypothesis. ovata displayed pronounced compensatory feeding response low-nutrient could partly dampen but not fully compensate effects snail Increased gastropods at and/or leads depletion periphyton biomass; hence would shift benthic community limitation C thus have whole-ecosystem effects.