Growth as a function of rationing: a model applicable to fish and microalgae

• Published in: Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology Vol. 236; no. 1; pp. 1 - 13
• Main Author: Muller-Feuga, Arnaud
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.03.1999; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Growth; Index; Marine; Microalgae; Oncorhynchus nerka; Porphyridium cruentum; Rationing; Yield; Fish; Rationing; Yield; Index; Microalgae; Growth; Rhodophyta; Salmonidae; Oncorhynchus nerka; Growth rate; Algae; Biomass; Bangiophyceae; Vertebrata; Food intake; Pisces; Physiology; Microorganism; Mathematical model; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0022-0981; 1879-1697
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0981(98)00194-4

Since food transformation obeys the same rules in both plant and animal kingdoms, data describing that of fish and microalgae, selected for their aquatic habitat and simple physiology, have been analyzed. It appears that three conditions must be observed in both cases: (i) fasting provokes weight loss, (ii) maximum growth is achieved with a feed ration known as saturation, and decreases beyond that; (iii) between rations of maintenance and of saturation, there is an optimal ration providing maximum transformation yield. Transformation models available in the literature were analyzed with respect to the mathematical constraints resulting from these rules. A three-parameter function to verify them was proposed, then applied to a few experimental series available for fish ( Oncorhynchus nerka) and microalgae ( Porphyridium cruentum). The satisfactory nature of the adjustments obtained suggests that the model is applicable to other cases, which are discussed.