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The effect of Daphnia on filament length of blue-green algae

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Abstract

Water from a hypertrophic lake rich in filamentous blue-green algae was passed through a continuous-flow system of aquaria containing Daphnia magna, and a control system without Daphnia. Daphnia caused a significant decrease in the blue-green algal density, and a two-fold reduction in filament length. It is suggested that feeding activity of Daphnia may result in an increase in the availability of blue-green filaments to filter-feeding cladocerans.

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Dawidowicz, P. The effect of Daphnia on filament length of blue-green algae. Hydrobiologia 191, 265–268 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00026061

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