Estimates of in situ population growth rates of four tintinnine ciliate species near Kingston Harbour, Jamaica

Population growth rates of four tintinnine species were estimated in situ by incubating predator-excluded, 201 seawater samples in plastic carboys. Initial ( t=0) and final ( t=24 h) abundances were enumerated from 20 μm meshfiltered, Bouin's fixed subsamples. Assuming exponential growth, estimates of population growth rate averaged 0·80 day ^-1 or approximately one doubling per day. These estimates were lower than both those estimated for tintinnines from temperate regions and those predicted using a relationship that considers temperature and cell volume. Comparisons of temperate and tropical chlorophyll a concentrations suggest that food availability may limit growth rate in this tropical ecosystem.