IDEA   23902
INSTITUTO DE DIVERSIDAD Y ECOLOGIA ANIMAL
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
The glacier retreat in an Antarctic coastal ecosystem and its impact on the trophic ecology of filter feeders
Autor/es:
ALURRALDE G; MOVILLA, J; OREJAS, C; OLARIAGA, A; SCHLOSS, I; FUENTES VL; TATIÁN M
Lugar:
Nápoles
Reunión:
Congreso; 7th Tunicate Meeting.; 2013
Resumen:
In Potter Cove (King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica), the input of melting water from the retreatment of the surrounding glaciers, produces deep changes in the marine environment. Particular is the increase of suspended particulate material, mainly inorganic, which causes alterations in the filtration and respiration rates of filter feeders. Moreover, increases in the inorganic fraction could limiting the intake of organic particles by reducing the assimilation effectiveness of filtering organisms, and even produce high mortality levels. Aiming to understand the energy flow between the pelagic and benthic system in Potter Cove, the trophic ecology of two filter-feeding species was assessed during the last 2013 Antarctic summer campaign. The assimilation efficiency, biodeposition and seston depletion rate of krill, Euphausia superba and the Antarctic ascidian Cnemidocarpa verrucosa, both considered key for benthic-pelagic coupling and food webs, were studied under different diets and sediment concentrations. Preliminary results and the first conclusions obtained are communicated in the present contribution. This work was partially supported by ECLIPSE, a three years project by the TOTAL Foundation (France).