Sloppy feeding in marine copepods: prey-size-dependent production of dissolved organic carbon

Abstract

An equation predicting dissolved organic carbon (DOC) production by sloppy feeding was developed from literature data on apparent gross growth efficiency and copepod-to-prey size ratio based on the assumption that real gross growth efficiency is independent of relative prey size. The equation suggests that, for copepod-to-prey size ratios Q = 0.714 – 0.013 × (ESD_copepod/ESD_prey), where Q is the fraction of carbon removed from suspension that is lost as DOC and ESD is equivalent spherical diameter. Predictions by the equation were corroborated by actual measurements of copepod DOC production from the literature.