Wotton R S
Department of Biological Sciences, University of London, Goldsmiths' College, Lewisham Way, SE14 6NW, London, UK.
Oecologia. 1978 Jan;33(3):279-290. doi: 10.1007/BF00348114.
A field experiment on feeding-rate in blackfly larvae (Diptera: Simuliidae) was conducted in the River Teuronjoki near its origin from Lake Pääjärvi, Finland. Small larvae were seen to feed more rapidly than large larvae.The increase in mean body-tissue weight of the larvae in Teuronjoki was determined and, from this relationship, growth-rate day for the larvae was obtained.In the laboratory, respiration-rate was determined for larvae of known body-tissue weight. Experiments were conducted when animals were feeding to replicate, as closely as possible, the conditions in the field. Respiration costs were higher for small, than for large, larvae.Estimates of assimilation-rate could be obtained by addition of growthrate and respiration-rate for larvae of given body-tissue weight. As the weight of material ingested per unit of time was known it was therefore possible to calculate assimilation efficiency. The values given in this study are the lowest yet recorded for freshwater detritivores.
在芬兰派亚尔维湖源头附近的特伦约基河进行了一项关于蚋幼虫（双翅目：蚋科）摄食率的野外实验。观察到小幼虫比大幼虫摄食更快。测定了特伦约基河幼虫平均身体组织重量的增加，并据此得出幼虫的日生长率。在实验室中，测定了已知身体组织重量的幼虫的呼吸率。当动物进食时进行实验，以尽可能紧密地复制野外条件。小幼虫的呼吸成本高于大幼虫。通过将给定身体组织重量的幼虫的生长率和呼吸率相加，可以获得同化率的估计值。由于已知单位时间内摄入物质的重量，因此可以计算同化效率。本研究给出的值是淡水碎屑食性动物迄今记录到的最低值。
