Dietary nitrogen availability in macroalgae enhances growth of the sea hare Aplysia californica (Opisthobranchia: Anaspidea)

Evidence suggests that marine herbivores select for prey items with elevated nitrogen content. We tested this hypothesis with experimental growth studies of the herbivorous gastropod Aplysia californica offered diets of the rhodophyte Gracilaria ferox with varying nitrogen content. A. californica had a sevenfold feeding preference by weight for G. ferox with higher tissue % N and % protein, and lower % C, % carbohydrate and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) as compared to treatments with lower nitrogen and protein content.

This is the author’s version of a work accepted for publication byElsevier. Changes resulting from the publishing process, including peer review, editing,corrections, structural formatting and other quality control mechanisms, may not be reflectedin this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted forpublication. The definitive version has been published athttp://www.elsevier.com/locate/jembe locate and may be cited as Barile, Peter J., Brian E.Lapointe, Thomas R. Capo (2004) Dietary nitrogen availability in macroalgae enhances growthof the sea hare Aplysia californica (Opisthobranchia: Anaspidea), Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 303(1):65–78 doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2003.11.004

Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution #1533.