Different tolerances of jellyfish ephyrae (Aurelia sp. 1) and fish larvae (Paralichthys olivaceus) to nutrient limitations
Eutrophication is a major global pollution problem, which is associated with altered nutrient ratios (e.g. N:P ratio). It may result in a nutrient imbalance (a mismatch in nutrient ratios between the available food supply and the demands of consumers), which has the potential to be transported up through food chains and influence higher trophic-level organisms. Chen & Li performed experiments to estimate the tolerance of jellyfish ephyrae (Aurelia sp.1) and fish larvae (Paralichthys olivaceus) to P and N limitation. They found that Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae could be more competitive than P. olivaceus larvae in terms of growth, survival, and elemental homoeostasis under nutrient-limited conditions. They suggest elemental imbalances may favor jellyfish increasing in some eutrophicated regions.