DIEL FEEDING RHYTHM IN ANTARCTIC COPEPOD CALANUS-PROPINQUUS

Diurnal feeding rhythm in antarctic copepod Calanus propinquus was investigated in the Atlantic region of Antarctica on the four stations with different phytoplankton biomass. Well pronounced diel feeding rhythm in copepods inhabiting upper homogeneous layer with constant feeding conditions was found. The variable food concentration on studied stations brought to similar changes in day and night gut contents level. Analysis of the obtained data with the use of simulation model suggest that pronounced variability in gut contents of copepods inhabiting stations with low phytoplankton biomass may be caused by individual intermittent feeding and population heterogenity; the increase of food concentration probably causes the decrease of population heterogenity and synchronization of copepods feeding.