Feeding of zooplankton on phytoplankton: influence of total suspended particulate matter
Tackx, M.; Irigoien, X.; Tamrat, S.; Bakker, C.; Daro, M.H. (1998). Feeding of zooplankton on phytoplankton: influence of total suspended particulate matter, in: Dehairs, F.A. et al. (Ed.) Integrated Marine System Analysis. European Network for Integrated Marine System Analysis FWO Vlaanderen: Proceedings of the second network meeting (Brussels, May 29-31, 1997). pp. 199-217 In: Dehairs, F.A.; Elskens, M.; Goeyens, L. (Ed.) (1998). Integrated Marine System Analysis - European Network for Integrated Marine System Analysis FWO Vlaanderen: Proceedings of the second network meeting (Brussels, May 29-31, 1997). VUB. Laboratorium voor Analytische Chemie: Brussel. 376 pp., more |
| Keywords | Aquatic communities > Plankton > Phytoplankton
Aquatic communities > Plankton > Zooplankton
Feeding
Particulates > Suspended particulate matter
Water bodies > Coastal waters > Coastal landforms > Coastal inlets > Estuaries
Copepoda [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top | - Tackx, M., more
- Irigoien, X.
- Tamrat, S.
| - Bakker, C.
- Daro, M.H., more
| |
| Abstract | In coastal zones and estuaries, a substantial variation is encountered in the relative abundance of phytoplankton cells and non-phytoplankton particles. To the mesozooplankters feeding on this suspended particulate matter (mainly copepods), phytoplankton is, besides microzooplankton, a high quality and hence preferred food source. This raises the question in how far the copepod's feeding activity on phytoplankton is influenced by increasing concentrations in non-phytoplankton particles.This paper regards a case sandy in which a substantial change in phytoplankton/suspended particulate matter (SPM) and phytoplankton/ particulate organic carbon (POC) occurred. In the Oosterschelde, a semi-estuary in the South-West Netherlands, a storm surge barrier (SSB) was constructed as part of the Delta project. Because of the resulting decrease in water current velocities, an increase of the phytoplankton/ SPM ratio and phytoplankton/ POC ratio occurred. Although the brackish water copepod species dominating the Oosterschelde in the pre-barrier period (Acartia bifilosa and A. tonsa) were expected to profit from the improved feeding sirnation, a clear trend of replacement of brackish water copepod species by species from the North Sea (Temora longicornis and A. clausi ) was observed.In recent years, feeding experiments performed with A. bifilosa and A. tonsa in the Westerschelde and Gironde estuary showed that the dominant copepods in these estuaries can select phytoplankton in spite of the high abundance of non- phytoplankton particles. Their intake of phytoplankton was shown to be unhampered, as long as SPM concentrations did not exceed 200 mg 1-1, which is substantially higher than the maximum values occurring in the pre-barrier Oosterschelde.These new insights in the selection capacities of estuarine copepods help to understand why the decrease in suspended matter concentrations which occurred in the Oosterschelde probably did not improve feeding conditions for the dominating Oosterschelde copepods: these were very satisfying to start with. |
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