Capturing the life history of the marine copepod Calanus sinicus into a generic bioenergetics framework

Quantitative knowledge about copepod life histories is of crucial importance to interpret and predict the impacts of natural and anthropogenic stressors in this taxonomic group. Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) models are a useful tool in this context, as they quantitatively link the energy taken up by feeding to energy-demanding traits such as growth, development and reproduction. The copepod life cycle, however, has several features that require closer investigation. Firstly, they sport larval development through six naupliar stages (of which the initial stages do not feed), followed by six copepodite stages (which have a different shape from the nauplii). Furthermore, growth stops rather abruptly after the final moult to the adult stage, and many species build up a large lipid storage to survive, and initiate reproduction, in absence of food. After a few modifications, the simple and generic DEBkiss model could be calibrated for Calanus sinicus using data on body composition and size at age for different temperatures. Embryo and naupliar development were well explained by the model, after correcting for their deviating shape from the copepodites. Ceasing of growth after the final moult was implemented as a size-dependent switch in allocation. With these assumptions, predictions could be made for the rates of ingestion, respiration and reproduction in adults. The predictions were consistent with observed rates, which indicates the realism of the model structure and its parameterisation. Several issues remain to be addressed, specifically, the dynamics of lipid storage and its use. However, the present study provides a starting point for applications of DEB theory to copepods. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.