MEASUREMENT OF MEIOFAUNA GRAZING RATES ON MICROPHYTOBENTHOS - IS PRIMARY PRODUCTION A LIMITING FACTOR

被引:55
作者
BLANCHARD, GF [1 ]
机构
[1] IFREMER, CNRS, CTR RECH ECOL MARINE & AQUACULTURE HOUMEAU, NEUIL SUR MER, FRANCE
关键词
GRAZING; MEIOFAUNA; MICROPHYTOBENTHOS;
D O I
10.1016/0022-0981(91)90035-U
中图分类号
Q14 [生态学(生物生态学)];
学科分类号
071012 ; 0713 ;
摘要
Nematode and harpacticoid copepod grazing rates on microphytobenthos were measured in an oyster pond on the French Atlantic coast using a three-compartment model (sediment, microalgae and meiofauna). Undisturbed natural sediments were used in simulated in situ conditions. Total meiofauna grazing pressure (33.94-mu-g C . 10 cm-2 . h-1) slightly exceeded primary production (29.53-mu-g C . 10 cm-2 . h-1). Microbiota-meiofauna interactions (e.g., feeding preference and the assimilation: ingestion ratio) might explain such results and could be an alternative to the meiofaunal food limitation hypothesis. Despite a lower biomass, the grazing rate of nematodes (4.6 x 10(-3) . h-1) was almost twice as high as copepods (2.43 x 10(-3) . h-1). Other food sources are probably involved in C fluxes to meiofauna, particularly in copepod nutrition.
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页码:37 / 46
页数:10
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