Ref ID : 6801
William N. Bennett and Martin E. Boraas; An experimental test of the egg-ratio method with instantaneous birth rate as an independent variable. Limnol.Oceanogr. 34(6):1120-1125, 1989
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The accuracy of three mathematical models that have been used to calculate instantaneous birth rate (b) from the ratio of eggs to females (E) in a population was determined with steady state populations of the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. Typically, b is calculated from E with these models. We were able to choose b as an independent variable, with the physical characteristics of our culture device (a two-stage steady state chemostat), which also satisfied the major assumptions of the models. We then measured E and calculated b from E with the three models. The model of Paloheimo gave the best fit to these steady state data when the calculated b and observed b were compared.