Plasticity of growth rate and metabolism in Daphnia magna populations from different thermal habitats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of temperature on growth and aerobic metabolism in clones of Daphnia magna from different thermal regimes. Growth rate (increment in size), somatic juvenile growth rate (increment in mass), and oxygen consumption were measured at 15 and 25°C in 21 clones from one northern and two southern sites. There were no significant differences in body size and growth rate (increase in length) at both 15 and 25°C among the three sites. Clones from southern site 2 had a higher mass increment than clones from the other two sites at both temperatures. Clone had a significant effect on growth (body length) and body size at both temperatures. As expected, age at maturity was lower at 25°C (4.5 days) than at 15°C, (11.6 days) and body sizes, after the release of the third clutch, were larger at 15°C than at 25°C. Northern clones had higher oxygen consumption rates and specific dynamic action (SDA) than southern clones at 15°C. By contrast, southern clones from site 1 had a higher oxygen consumption and SDA than subarctic clones at 25°C. Clones from southern site 2 had high oxygen consumption rates at both temperatures. Our results reveal important differences in metabolic rates among Daphnia from different thermal regimes, which were not always reflected in growth rate differences. J. Exp. Zool. 309A:553–562, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.