Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning
EU Network of Excellence

 
Main Menu

· Home
· Contacts
· Data Systems
· Documents
· FAQ
· Links
· MarBEF Open Archive
· Network Description
· Outreach
· Photo Gallery
· Quality Assurance
· Register of Resources
· Research Projects
· Rules and Guidelines
· Training
· Wiki
· Worldconference

 

Register of Resources (RoR)

 People  |  Datasets  |  Literature  |  Institutes  |  Projects 

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Can field distributions of marine predacious nematodes be explained by sediment constraints on their foraging success?
Gallucci, F.; Steyaert, M.; Moens, T. (2005). Can field distributions of marine predacious nematodes be explained by sediment constraints on their foraging success? Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 304: 167-178. dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps304167
In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. Inter-Research: Oldendorf/Luhe. ISSN 0171-8630; e-ISSN 1616-1599
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Interspecific relationships > Predation
    Nematoda [WoRMS]
    ANE, Netherlands, Westerschelde, PaulinaSchor [Marine Regions]
Author keywords
    predation; nematode communities; top-down control; intertidal flat; sediment characteristics

Authors  Top 
  • Gallucci, F.
  • Steyaert, M., more
  • Moens, T., more

Abstract
    Factors controlling field distributions of benthic infauna remain poorly understood. Enoploides longispiculosus is a prominent predacious nematode in sandy sediments of the North Sea and adjacent estuaries. This study assesses the distribution of E. longispiculosus and of prey nematodes in an intertidal flat (the Paulina) relative to variation in sediment characteristics. Predator densities varied strongly, even between sites with only subtle differences in sediment composition. E. longispiculosus abundances were positively correlated with grain size, proportion of fine sand and emersion period during low tides, and negatively with silt, very fine sand content and prey densities. We then tested whether and how grain size, silt content and water content affected predation rates and prey selectivity in E. longispiculosus using microcosm experiments with 2 prey species. Each of these sediment characteristics per se strongly affected predation efficiency but not selectivity. Increases in silt fraction and decreases in grain size and water content strongly reduced predation rate. These effects compared exceptionally well with the range of silt contents and grain sizes in which E. longispiculosus is abundant on the Paulina tidal flat, suggesting that its field distribution is governed at least in part by sedimentary effects on foraging efficiency. Sediment water content also impacted predation rates; however, its effect did not follow a pattern predicted by field data on emersion time. Hence, even small shifts in sediment composition may strongly affect the activity of predacious nematodes, and both temporal and small-scale spatial variability in sediment characteristics likely affects predator-prey dynamics on tidal flats.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors 


If any information here appears to be incorrect, please contact us
Back to Register of Resources
 
Quick links

MarBEF WIKI

Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (EMBC)
Outreach

Science
Responsive Mode Programme (RMP) - Marie Nordstrom, copyright Aspden Rebecca

WoRMS
part of WoRMS logo

ERMS 2.0
Epinephelus marginatus Picture: JG Harmelin

EurOBIS

Geographic System

Datasets

 


Web site hosted and maintained by Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) - Contact data-at-marbef.org