Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

CS05 Benthos: Ecology and Ecotoxicology

Date: Friday, February 16, 2001, Time: 9:00:00 AM

Location: Cimarron

Hymel, S, N, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, USA, shymel@lsu.edu

Carman, K, R, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, USA, zocarm@lsu.edu

SEASONAL INFLUENCE OF WATER COVER ON BENTHIC COPEPOD CONSUMPTION OF BENTHIC AND PLANKTONIC MICROALGAE

Benthic copepods are the dominant grazers of benthic microalgae (BMA) in Louisiana salt marshes. Some copepod species also consume planktonic microalgae (PMA) from overlying waters. In manipulative experiments, we tested the influence of water cover on consumption of BMA vs. PMA by several copepod taxa. Intact cores (10 cm2) were collected subtidally from a site near Cocodrie, LA and returned to the laboratory. Treatments consisted of (a) water entirely removed from the mud surface (exposed); (b) water removed and gently returned (unfiltered); and (c) water removed and returned after filtering out PMA (filtered). Grazing on in situ BMA and PMA was measured using a14-C-bicarbonate radiotracer method. Experiments were repeated every 3-6 mo., to elucidate seasonal influences upon grazing. Results indicate that water cover significantly influences feeding by Coullana sp., the most abundant benthic copepod, and that Coullana sp. obtains at least some of its nutrition from PMA.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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