Transfer of seston to zooplankton in marine ecosystems
Tackx, M. (1984). Transfer of seston to zooplankton in marine ecosystems, in: Bonnyns-Van Gelder, E. et al. (Ed.) Role of microorganisms on the behaviour of radionuclides in aquatic and terrestrial systems and their transfer to man: proceedings of a workshop held in Brussels, 25-27 April 1984. pp. 91-97 In: Bonnyns-Van Gelder, E.; Kirchmann, R. (Ed.) (1984). Role of microorganisms on the behaviour of radionuclides in aquatic and terrestrial systems and their transfer to man: proceedings of a workshop held in Brussels, 25-27 April 1984. International Union of Radioecologists: Brussel. , more |
| Available in | Author | | Document type: Conference paper
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| Keywords | Aquatic communities > Plankton > Zooplankton
Aquatic communities > Seston
Ecosystems
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract | When considering zooplankton feeding as one of the pathways involved in the transfer of substances in marine ecosystems, it is important to study the composition and size distribution of the seston: firstly, the elements in which one is interested may be associated with different types and sizes of particles; secondly, particle size and composition are important factors in relation t o the feeding process of the zooplankton itself. High speed cinematographic studies have recently revealed that copepods use two different mechanisms for feeding. Small particles (< 12 pm) are collected by continuous low amplitude movements of the second maxillae and combing of the appendages. Larger particles are detected and collected individually by means of a specific sequence of movements of several mouthparts (Price et al., 1983). This feeding mode enables copepods to collect particles from larger volumes of water than would be possible by strict filter-feeding. It also enables them to select and reject certain types of particles (Paffenhdfer et al., 1982). In the future these cinematographic techniques will probably be of great use to determine on which type of particles copepods and other zooplankton organisms feed precisely. For quantitative grazing measurements we have, a t the moment however, still to rely on more indirect methods. |
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