Non-lethal effects of the predator Meganyctiphanes norvegica and influence of seasonal photoperiod and food availability on the diel feeding behaviour of the copepod Centropages typicus

Abstract

Predators can induce changes in the diel activity patterns of marine copepods. Besides vertical migration, diel feeding rhythms have been suggested as an antipredator phenotypic response. We conducted experiments to assess the non-lethal direct effects of the predator Meganyctiphanes norvegica (northern krill) on the diel feeding patterns of the calanoid copepod Centropages typicus. We also analysed the influence of seasonal photoperiod and prey availability on the intensity of copepod feeding rhythms. We did not detect any large effect of krill presence on the diel feeding behaviour of copepods, either in day-night differences or total daily ingestions. Seasonal photoperiod and prey availability, however, significantly affected the magnitude of copepod feeding cycles, with larger diel differences in shorter days and at lower prey concentrations. Therefore, the role of non-lethal direct effects of predators on the diel feeding activity of marine copepods remain debatable and might not be as relevant as in freshwater zooplankton.