Effects of Three Diets on Life-History Traits and Stage-Specific UV-B Tolerance of Brine Shrimp Artemia franciscana

To compare the effects of different diets on the life-history traits and stage-specific UV-B tolerance of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana, individuals were fed with Haematococcus pluvialis powder (20 mg/L), baker’s yeast powder (10 mg/L), or Dunaliella powder (20 mg/L). Survival and reproductive parameters were recorded during culture, and UV-B dose gradients were imposed to the nauplius, juvenile, and adult stages, followed by survival monitoring for 96 h. On day 14, the survival rate was 66.7% in the Haematococcus pluvialis group compared with 27.7% in the Dunaliella group, accompanied by a higher number of oviparous broods and larger number eggs per brood. The total number of offspring averaged about 401 and 424 in the Haematococcus pluvialis and yeast groups, respectively, but only 200 in the Dunaliella group. After UV-B exposure, survival declined with increasing dose and post-exposure time, the nauplii being more sensitive than adults. Haematococcus pluvialis maintained survival in nauplii and retained relatively high survival in adults under high-dose exposure, whereas in juveniles, the main diet effect was weak and was expressed mainly through interactions with dose and time. Overall, Haematococcus pluvialis demonstrated combined reproductive and stress-resistance benefits under the present conditions. These findings provide practical guidance for diet selection and the stage-specific nutritional enrichment of Artemia larvae in UV-B-relevant shallow-water culture systems.