The Role of Food quality in growth and reproduction of copepods

Continuous copepod culturing facilities will be used to study
the role of food quality on the growth efficiency of copepods.
Target species are the small North Sea calanoids, which are bred
in the laboratory on a routine basis. Attempts will be made to
extend the technique to Calanus spp. Focus is on the composition
of the diet, in terms of food species and connected biochemical
compounds as influenced by nutrient availability. Attention will
be paid to complementary componenets in different food sources.
Protozoa are included to study the contribution of heterotrophic
diets and their role in the transfer and biochemical upgrading of
low quality auto- and heterotrophic and detrital food.