Physiological costs of reproduction in the Sydney rock oyster Saccostrea glomerata

Abstract

In this study, triploid Sydney rock oysters Saccostrea glomerata, which do not reproduce and have only limited gonadal development, were used to calculate the cost of producing and maintaining somatic tissues. The consumption of oxygen was measured and converted to units of energy expended. The consumption of oxygen of diploid oysters, in different stages of the reproductive cycle, was also measured. Knowing the costs of producing and maintaining somatic tissues (obtained from the triploid oysters), it was possible to calculate the energy demand of somatic and reproductive tissues of diploid oysters. The focus of this study was to test whether this method would work, to investigate if this method would give results in accordance with modern life-history theory and to test hypotheses about costs of reproduction in oysters. It was found that in diploid oysters, 27% of the consumed oxygen was needed for reproductive processes. It was also found that the costs of production and maintenance of reproductive tissues were on average 84% of those of somatic tissues. Costs for the production and maintenance of somatic tissues decreased over time. Costs for reproduction also decreased, but were dependent on the stage of gonadal development. If the relative mass of gametes in the gonads was large, the costs were relatively small; if the mass was relatively small, the costs were large. Differences between traits of males and females were never significant, suggesting that reproductive effort and costs were similar in males and females. It was estimated that if diploid oysters did not reproduce, they could gain 64% more somatic ash-free dry mass. Thus, in terms of growth, reproduction is an expensive activity.