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Rosner A, Ballarin L, Barnay-Verdier S, Borisenko I, Drago L, Drobne D, Concetta Eliso M, Harbuzov Z, Grimaldi A, Guy-Haim T, Karahan A, Lynch I, Giulia Lionetto M, Martinez P, Mehennaoui K, Oruc Ozcan E, Pinsino A, Paz G, Rinkevich B, Spagnuolo A, Sugni M, Cambier S. A broad-taxa approach as an important concept in ecotoxicological studies and pollution monitoring. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:131-176. [PMID: 37698089 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic invertebrates play a pivotal role in (eco)toxicological assessments because they offer ethical, cost-effective and repeatable testing options. Additionally, their significance in the food chain and their ability to represent diverse aquatic ecosystems make them valuable subjects for (eco)toxicological studies. To ensure consistency and comparability across studies, international (eco)toxicology guidelines have been used to establish standardised methods and protocols for data collection, analysis and interpretation. However, the current standardised protocols primarily focus on a limited number of aquatic invertebrate species, mainly from Arthropoda, Mollusca and Annelida. These protocols are suitable for basic toxicity screening, effectively assessing the immediate and severe effects of toxic substances on organisms. For more comprehensive and ecologically relevant assessments, particularly those addressing long-term effects and ecosystem-wide impacts, we recommended the use of a broader diversity of species, since the present choice of taxa exacerbates the limited scope of basic ecotoxicological studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of (eco)toxicological studies, focusing on major aquatic invertebrate taxa and how they are used to assess the impact of chemicals in diverse aquatic environments. The present work supports the use of a broad-taxa approach in basic environmental assessments, as it better represents the natural populations inhabiting various ecosystems. Advances in omics and other biochemical and computational techniques make the broad-taxa approach more feasible, enabling mechanistic studies on non-model organisms. By combining these approaches with in vitro techniques together with the broad-taxa approach, researchers can gain insights into less-explored impacts of pollution, such as changes in population diversity, the development of tolerance and transgenerational inheritance of pollution responses, the impact on organism phenotypic plasticity, biological invasion outcomes, social behaviour changes, metabolome changes, regeneration phenomena, disease susceptibility and tissue pathologies. This review also emphasises the need for harmonised data-reporting standards and minimum annotation checklists to ensure that research results are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), maximising the use and reusability of data. The ultimate goal is to encourage integrated and holistic problem-focused collaboration between diverse scientific disciplines, international standardisation organisations and decision-making bodies, with a focus on transdisciplinary knowledge co-production for the One-Health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Rosner
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Loriano Ballarin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova, I-35121, Italy
| | - Stéphanie Barnay-Verdier
- Sorbonne Université; CNRS, INSERM, Université Côte d'Azur, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging Nice, 28 avenue Valombrose, Nice, F-06107, France
| | - Ilya Borisenko
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Embryology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya embankment 7/9, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Laura Drago
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova, I-35121, Italy
| | - Damjana Drobne
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, Ljubljana, 1111, Slovenia
| | - Maria Concetta Eliso
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, 80121, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Zoya Harbuzov
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
- Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, Department of Marine Biology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Koushy Ave., Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Annalisa Grimaldi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant, Varese, 3-21100, Italy
| | - Tamar Guy-Haim
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Arzu Karahan
- Middle East Technical University, Institute of Marine Sciences, Erdemli-Mersin, PO 28, 33731, Turkey
| | - Iseult Lynch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Maria Giulia Lionetto
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via prov. le Lecce -Monteroni, Lecce, I-73100, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina, 61, Palermo, I-90133, Italy
| | - Pedro Martinez
- Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
- Institut Català de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Kahina Mehennaoui
- Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, rue du Brill, Belvaux, L-4422, Luxembourg
| | - Elif Oruc Ozcan
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Biology, Cukurova University, Balcali, Saricam, Adana, 01330, Turkey
| | - Annalisa Pinsino
- National Research Council, Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Guy Paz
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Antonietta Spagnuolo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, 80121, Italy
| | - Michela Sugni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Sébastien Cambier
- Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, rue du Brill, Belvaux, L-4422, Luxembourg
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Ballentine WM, Dorgan KM. Locomotory Palp Function in Interstitial Annelids. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2023; 244:51-62. [PMID: 37167622 DOI: 10.1086/724580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe interstitial environment of marine sediments is a complex network of voids and pores that is inhabited by a diverse and abundant fauna. Animals living within these interstitial spaces show widespread functional adaptations to this environment and have developed many strategies for moving and navigating through small spaces. Interstitial annelids demonstrate a remarkable level of morphologic diversity, and some possess dexterous, filiform palps (tentacle-like appendages common across Annelida). The function(s) of these palps in interstitial spaces has not been closely examined, and we propose that they serve a sensory role in the navigation of interstitial spaces. We investigated the locomotory function of long, dexterous palps in three families of interstitial annelids to determine their role in interstitial navigation. We observed two species of protodrilids (Protodrilidae), Pharyngocirrus eroticus (Saccocirridae), and Protodorvillea recuperata (Dorvilleidae), as they moved through two transparent sand analogs: cyolite and glass beads. All four species of annelids consistently used their palps to probe the interstitial environment while locomoting, and the distance probed with their palps was greater than the distance traveled with their heads, indicating a sensory form of palp-based navigation. The functionality of palps as sensory organs in the interstitial environment raises interesting questions about interstitial navigation and how fauna without appendages map their surroundings. The discovery of this previously undocumented function was possible only through the direct observation of interstitial behavior and emphasizes the importance of developing new techniques to study these animals in more natural habitats.
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Broman E, Raymond C, Sommer C, Gunnarsson JS, Creer S, Nascimento FJA. Salinity drives meiofaunal community structure dynamics across the Baltic ecosystem. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:3813-3829. [PMID: 31332853 PMCID: PMC6852176 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Coastal benthic biodiversity is under increased pressure from climate change, eutrophication, hypoxia, and changes in salinity due to increase in river runoff. The Baltic Sea is a large brackish system characterized by steep environmental gradients that experiences all of the mentioned stressors. As such it provides an ideal model system for studying the impact of on-going and future climate change on biodiversity and function of benthic ecosystems. Meiofauna (animals < 1 mm) are abundant in sediment and are still largely unexplored even though they are known to regulate organic matter degradation and nutrient cycling. In this study, benthic meiofaunal community structure was analysed along a salinity gradient in the Baltic Sea proper using high-throughput sequencing. Our results demonstrate that areas with higher salinity have a higher biodiversity, and salinity is probably the main driver influencing meiofauna diversity and community composition. Furthermore, in the more diverse and saline environments a larger amount of nematode genera classified as predators prevailed, and meiofauna-macrofauna associations were more prominent. These findings show that in the Baltic Sea, a decrease in salinity resulting from accelerated climate change will probably lead to decreased benthic biodiversity, and cause profound changes in benthic communities, with potential consequences for ecosystem stability, functions and services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Broman
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- Baltic Sea CentreStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Caroline Raymond
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Christian Sommer
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental StudiesSödertörn UniversityHuddingeSweden
| | - Jonas S. Gunnarsson
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Simon Creer
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics LaboratorySchool of Natural SciencesBangor UniversityBangorUK
| | - Francisco J. A. Nascimento
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- Baltic Sea CentreStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
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Ollivier QR, Hammill E, Booth DJ, Madin EMP, Hinchliffe C, Harborne AR, Lovelock CE, Macreadie PI, Atwood TB. Benthic meiofaunal community response to the cascading effects of herbivory within an algal halo system of the Great Barrier Reef. PLoS One 2018. [PMID: 29513746 PMCID: PMC5841801 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Benthic fauna play a crucial role in organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling at the sediment-water boundary in aquatic ecosystems. In terrestrial systems, grazing herbivores have been shown to influence below-ground communities through alterations to plant distribution and composition, however whether similar cascading effects occur in aquatic systems is unknown. Here, we assess the relationship between benthic invertebrates and above-ground fish grazing across the 'grazing halos' of Heron Island lagoon, Australia. Grazing halos, which occur around patch reefs globally, are caused by removal of seagrass or benthic macroalgae by herbivorous fish that results in distinct bands of unvegetated sediments surrounding patch reefs. We found that benthic algal canopy height significantly increased with distance from patch reef, and that algal canopy height was positively correlated with the abundances of only one invertebrate taxon (Nematoda). Both sediment carbon to nitrogen ratios (C:N) and mean sediment particle size (μm) demonstrated a positive correlation with Nematoda and Arthropoda (predominantly copepod) abundances, respectively. These positive correlations indicate that environmental conditions are a major contributor to benthic invertebrate community distribution, acting on benthic communities in conjunction with the cascading effects of above-ground algal grazing. These results suggest that benthic communities, and the ecosystem functions they perform in this system, may be less responsive to changes in above-ground herbivorous processes than those previously studied in terrestrial systems. Understanding how above-ground organisms, and processes, affect their benthic invertebrate counterparts can shed light on how changes in aquatic communities may affect ecosystem function in previously unknown ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn R. Ollivier
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Edward Hammill
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Watershed Sciences and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States of America
| | - David J. Booth
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth M. P. Madin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i, Kane’ohe, HI, United States of America
| | - Charles Hinchliffe
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alastair R. Harborne
- Marine Spatial Ecology Laboratory and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Catherine E. Lovelock
- Global Change Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Peter I. Macreadie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Trisha B. Atwood
- Department of Watershed Sciences and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States of America
- Global Change Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
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El-Serehy HA, Al-Rasheid KA, Al-Misned FA, Al-Talasat AAR, Gewik MM. Microbial-meiofaunal interrelationships in coastal sediments of the Red Sea. Saudi J Biol Sci 2016; 23:327-34. [PMID: 27081356 PMCID: PMC4818335 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2016.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Revised: 12/31/2015] [Accepted: 01/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Population density and biomass of bacteria and meiofauna were investigated seasonally in the sediments of the north-western bank of Red Sea. Samples of sediments were collected seasonally from three different stations to determine microphytobenthic biomass (chlorophyll a), protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and total organic matter concentrations. These investigations revealed that microbial components tended to increase their dominancy, whereas sensitive meiofauna were extremely reduced during the entire study period. Thus a very low density of the total meiofauna (with an annual average of 109 ± 26 ind./10 cm(2)) was recorded whilst the benthic microbial population densities exhibited higher values (ranging from 0.31 ± 0.02 × 10(8) to 43.67 ± 18.62 × 10(8)/g dry sediment). These changes in the relative importance analysis of benthic microbial components versus meiofaunal ones seem to be based on the impact of organic matter accumulation on the function and structure of these benthic communities. Proteins, lipids and carbohydrates showed very low concentration values, and the organic matter mostly consisted of carbohydrates, reflecting lower nutritional values for benthic fauna in general and meiofauna in particular. The distribution of microbial and meiofaunal communities seems to be dependent on the quality of the organic matter rather than on its quantity. Total organic matter concentrations varied between 5.8 and 7.6 mg/g, with organic carbon accounting for only 32% of the total organic matter. Chlorophyll a attained very low values, fluctuating between 0.11 and 0.56 μg/g, indicating the oligotrophy of the studied area. The very low concentration of chlorophyll a in the Red Sea sediment suggests that the sedimentary organic matter, heterotrophic bacteria and/or protozoa constitute an alternative resource that is consumed by meiofauna when algae are less abundant. Protozoa, therefore, represent the "missing link in bacteria-meiofauna interaction in the Red Sea marine sediment ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed A. El-Serehy
- Marine Science Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- Corresponding author at: Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. Tel.: +966 11 4675758; fax: +966 11 4678514.Zoology DepartmentCollege of ScienceKing Saud UniversityRiyadh11451Saudi Arabia
| | - Khaled A. Al-Rasheid
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad A. Al-Misned
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohamed M. Gewik
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Population fluctuation and vertical distribution of meiofauna in the Red Sea interstitial environment. Saudi J Biol Sci 2015; 22:459-65. [PMID: 26150753 PMCID: PMC4487253 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2015.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2014] [Revised: 02/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition and distribution of the benthic meiofauna assemblages of the Egyptian coasts along the Red Sea are described in relation to abiotic variables. Sediment samples were collected seasonally from three stations chosen along the Red Sea to observe the meiofaunal community structure, its temporal distribution and vertical fluctuation in relation to environmental conditions of the Red Sea marine ecosystem. The temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and redox potential were measured at the time of collection. The water content of the sediments, total organic matters and chlorophyll a values were determined, and sediment samples were subjected to granulometric analysis. A total of 10 meiofauna taxa were identified, with the meiofauna being primarily represented by nematodes (on annual average from 42% to 84%), harpacticoids, polycheates and ostracodes; and the meiofauna abundances ranging from 41 to 167 ind./10 cm2. The meiofaunal population density fluctuated seasonally with a peak of 192.52 ind./10 cm2 during summer at station II. The vertical zonation in the distribution of meiofaunal community was significantly correlated with interstitial water, chlorophyll a and total organic matter values. The present study indicates the existence of the well diversified meiofaunal group which can serve as food for higher trophic levels in the Red Sea interstitial environment.
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Tahseen Q, Clark IM. Attraction and preference of bacteriophagous and plant-parasitic nematodes towards different types of soil bacteria. J NAT HIST 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.873088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Guilini K, Soltwedel T, van Oevelen D, Vanreusel A. Deep-sea nematodes actively colonise sediments, irrespective of the presence of a pulse of organic matter: results from an in-situ experiment. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18912. [PMID: 21526147 PMCID: PMC3079745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2010] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A colonisation experiment was performed in situ at 2500 m water depth at the
Arctic deep-sea long-term observatory HAUSGARTEN to determine the response of
deep-sea nematodes to disturbed, newly available patches, enriched with organic
matter. Cylindrical tubes,laterally covered with a 500 µm mesh, were
filled with azoic deep-sea sediment and 13C-labelled food sources
(diatoms and bacteria). After 10 days of incubation the tubes were analysed for
nematode response in terms of colonisation and uptake. Nematodes actively
colonised the tubes,however with densities that only accounted for a maximum of
2.13% (51 ind.10 cm−2) of the ambient nematode
assemblages. Densities did not differ according to the presence or absence of
organic matter, nor according to the type of organic matter added. The fact that
the organic matter did not function as an attractant to nematodes was confirmed
by the absence of notable 13C assimilation by the colonising
nematodes. Overall, colonisationappears to be a process that yields reproducible
abundance and diversity patterns, with certain taxa showing more efficiency.
Together with the high variability between the colonising nematode assemblages,
this lends experimental support to the existence of a spatio-temporal mosaic
that emerges from highly localised, partially stochastic community dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Guilini
- Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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AILLLER WILLIAMA, LEE JOHNJ. Biological Interactions and the Realized Niche ofEuplotes vannusfrom the Salt Marsh Aufwuchs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1977.tb01005.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Caramujo MJ, Van der Grinten E, Admiraal W. Trophic interactions between benthic copepods and algal assemblages: a laboratory study. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005. [DOI: 10.1899/05-019.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Small-scale spatial distribution of marine meiobenthos: the effects of decaying macrofauna. Oecologia 1992; 90:37-42. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00317806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/1991] [Accepted: 11/15/1991] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Foraminifera may structure meiobenthic communities. Oecologia 1989; 81:354-360. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00377083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/1989] [Accepted: 06/22/1989] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Evidence that sediment type influences the horizontal and vertical distribution of nematodes at a deep-sea site. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1987. [DOI: 10.1016/0198-0149(87)90120-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Gerlach SA. Food-chain relationships in subtidal silty sand marine sediments and the role of meiofauna in stimulating bacterial productivity. Oecologia 1978; 33:55-69. [PMID: 28309266 DOI: 10.1007/bf00376996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/1977] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
From bibliographic data the biomass correlations (organic dry weight) are constructed for the subsurface layer of a hypothetical 30 m deep silty sand station: 200 μg/ml macrofauna (including 120 μg/ml subsurface deposit feeders), 50 μg/ml meiofauna, 20 μg/ml Foraminifera, 1 μg/ml Ciliata and Flagellata, and 100 μg/ml bacteria. ATP-biomass is discussed.Meiofauna and Foraminifera contribute with 30 and 12% to the living biomass in the sediment, and it is assumed that their contribution to the food of deposit-feeding macrofauna is of a similar percentage. This is corroborated by productivity estimations.Bacteria are the main food of deposit feeding macrofauna, meiofauna, and microfauna. From different calculations it becomes evident that the productivity of bacteria in the sediment is far below figures achieved in experimental cultures: the conclusion is that sediment bacteria, in general, do not live under good environmental conditions.A rather large part of the bacterial population in the sediment seems to be in the stationary phase of life, and only a fraction of the total population exhibits high metabolic rates and rapid duplications. Only these active bacteria are of importance for the breakdown of relatively refractive organic matter in the sediment.In soft bottom marine sediments where the input of organic matter is higher than the remineralization rate, benthic animals stimulate by their activities and by nutrient cycling the decomposition of detritus via bacteria. Though meiofauna, in principle, feeds upon the same food resource as macrofauna, there is no real competition for food, because meiofaunal animals by their activities and by excreting metabolic end products induce a bacterial productivity which would not be there without them, and feed on it. There are a few examples where more specialized interactions exist between benthic animals and bacteria; these interactions have been termed "gardening". They could be highly important in the benthic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian A Gerlach
- Institut für Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, D-2850, Bremerhaven 1, Federal Republic of Germany
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