Structural Cyclomorphosis in Populations of Low-motility Zooplankton

I examined past research on limited studies of structural cyclomorphosis in zooplankton populations as well as large scale size selection by predation. I compared the conditions under which cyclomorphosis occurs and the body size favoured under the pressure of different predation styles to predict cyclomorphic response in ecosystems with diverse predator assemblages. The data showed that larger predators selected for smaller body size while smaller predators selected for larger body size in zooplankton populations. Because structural cyclomorphosis is used to alter body size, I predicted that structural cyclomorphosis would be more prevalent in ecosystems with a predator assemblage composed predominantly of smaller predators.