Effects of temperature and body size on the clearance rate of Oikopleura dioica

Abstract

The effects of temperature and body size on the clearance rate of the appendicularian Oikopleura dioica were investigated. The clearance rate increased with the trunk length of the animals according to a power function with exponent 3.2 ± 0.17 (range 2.9–3.8). The intercepts of the three regressions were significantly different with the highest rates at 20°C, corresponding to a Q10value of 1.78 (10–20°C).