@article{WackerBechervonElert2002,
  author    = {Wacker, Alexander and Becher, Paul and von Elert, Eric},
  title     = {Food quality effects of unsaturated fatty acids on larvae of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha},
  year      = {2002},
  abstract  = {In standardized growth experiments, newly hatched larvae of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha were fed diets representing different biochemical compositions. Algae that were rich in (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), except for long-chained (.C18) PUFAs (Chlorella minutissima and Monoraphidium minutum) were of low food quality. Higher growth than on C. minutissima or M. minutum was supported by a culture of the cyanobacterium Aphanothece sp., which contained traces of a long-chained (n-3) PUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22 : 6n-3). The alga Isochrysis aff. galbana, which contained high amounts of the longchained (n-3) PUFAs DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 : 5n- 3), supported the highest growth. The alga Nannochloropsis limnetica, which differed from I. galbana by a defi- ciency in DHA, allowed slightly, but significantly lower, growth. Growth of larvae on N. limnetica was increased by enrichment of N. limnetica cells with a lipid extract of I. galbana, showing that larval growth on N. limnetica was limited by the deficiency of a compound that was present in I. galbana. Growth was also enhanced by feeding N. limnetica cells supplemented with DHA, but not by cells enriched with EPA, indicating that DHA was the limiting factor. We conclude that, on DHA-deficient food, the larvae of D. polymorpha were not able to sufficiently convert C18-PUFAs into long- chained (n-3) PUFAs and that the rates for elongation and desaturation of EPA into DHA limited growth.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{WackervonElert2002,
  author    = {Wacker, Alexander and von Elert, Eric},
  title     = {Strong influences of larval diet history on subsequent post-settlement growth in the freshwater mollusc Dreissena polymorpha},
  year      = {2002},
  abstract  = {A significant seasonal variation in size at settlement has been observed in newly settled larvae of Dreissena polymorpha in Lake Constance. Diet quality, which varies temporally and spatially in freshwater habitats, has been suggested as a significant factor influencing the life history and development of freshwater invertebrates. Accordingly, experiments were conducted with field-collected larvae to test the proposal that diet quality can determine planktonic larval growth rates, size at settlement and subsequent post-metamorphic growth rates. Larvae were fed one of two diets or starved. One diet was composed of cyanobacterial cells, which are de; cient in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and the other was a mixed diet rich in PUFAs. Freshly metamorphosed animals from the starvation treatment had a carbon content per individual 70\% lower than that of larvae fed the mixed diet. This apparent exhaustion of larval internal reserves resulted in a 50\% reduction of the post-metamorphic growth rates. Growth was also reduced in animals previously fed the cyanobacterial diet. Hence, low food quantity or low food quality during the larval stage of D. polymorpha, lead to irreversible effects for post-metamorphic animals and are related to inferior competitive abilities.},
  language  = {en}
}