INVESTIGADORES
SERVETTO Natalia
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Trophic ecology of filter feeders under other food particles different than phytoplankton
Autor/es:
TATIÁN, MARCOS; LAGGER, CRISTIAN; DEMARCHI MILAGROS; QUARTINO, LILIANA; SAHADE, RICARDO; SERVETTO, NATALIA; TORRE, LUCIANA; VARELA, MERCEDES; MERCURI, GUILLERMO
Reunión:
Conferencia; Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).; 2010
Resumen:
A rich benthic community dominated by filter-feeders occupies the shallow areas of
Potter Cove, in spite of which may seem certain unfavorable conditions for their feeding
activities. These include high inorganic sedimentation (mainly during summer) and low
pelagic primary production. The intake of a wide spectrum of food particles was stated to be
the strategy for filter-feeders to maintain their high secondary biomass. For instance
macroalgal debris, were detected in the water-bottom interface year-round and used by filter
feeders: relatively high assimilation efficiencies were estimated in aquarium experiments,
when different sizes of particulate macroalgal fragments under different inorganic particulate
loads were tested in one clam and in two ascidian species. Estimated particle flux (feces)
produced by ascidians varied according to species, being the C:N ratio of feces relatively
high, as compared with other filter-feeding organisms. Experiments testing the intake of
macroalgal debris after some time of in situ degradation, reflects more accurately the real
particulate material that may be available to filter-feeders. In spite of the low rate of
degradation observed in macroalgae, the associated bacterial community could enrich the
organic and particularly the nitrogen content of both, the food for filter feeders and the feces
produced by these animals, allowing their re-utilization by other benthic fauna.