Experimental evidence for the role of bioturbation by the marine nematode Diplolaimella dievengatensis in stimulating the mineralization of Spartina anglica detritus

Alkemade, Rob; Wielemaker, A.; Jong, Sa de; Sandee, A.J.J.

doi:10.3354/meps090149

Cited by 65 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Remineralization processes in the sediment mainly involve bacteria (Poremba 1994), but meiofauna also play an important role (Findlay & Tenore 1982, Ingham et al 1985, Alkemade et al 1992, Giere 1993.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deep-sea meiofauna communities in Antarctica:structural analysis and relation with the environment

Vanhove¹,

Wittoeck²,

Desmet³

et al. 1995

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deep-sea meiofauna communities in Antarctica:structural analysis and relation with the environment

Vanhove¹,

Wittoeck²,

Desmet³

et al. 1995

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Nematodes may influence an important ecosystem function like the bacterial breakdown of organic matter through bioturbation and irrigation (Pike et al, 2001), thereby enhancing nutrient and/or oxygen fluxes (Alkemade et al, 1992;Aller and Aller, 1992), bacterivory (De Mesel et al, 2003) or the provision of optimal growth conditions for bacteria in their mucus trails (Moens et al, 2005;Riemann and Helmke, 2002). Here, we investigated the variation in nematode taxon (genus) and functional diversity along longitudinal (reaching from the Galicia Bank in the Northeast Atlantic to the eastern Mediterranean Basin) and bathymetric (1200-1900-3000 m) gradients within deep-sea sediments.…”

Section: E Pape Et Al: Diversity and Function Of Deep-sea Nematodesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unravelling the environmental drivers of deep-sea nematode biodiversity and its relation with carbon mineralisation along a longitudinal primary productivity gradient

Pape¹,

Bezerra²,

Jones

et al. 2013

Biogeosciences

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Alongside a primary productivity gradient between the Galicia Bank region in the Northeast Atlantic and the more oligotrophic eastern Mediterranean Basin, we investigated the bathymetric (1200–3000 m) and longitudinal variation in several measures for nematode taxon (Shannon–Wiener genus diversity, expected genus richness and generic evenness) and functional diversity (trophic diversity, diversity of life history strategies, biomass diversity and phylogenetic diversity). Our goals were to establish the form of the relation between diversity and productivity (measured as seafloor particulate organic carbon or POC flux), and to verify the positive and negative effect of sediment particle size diversity (SED) and the seasonality in POC flux (SVI), respectively, on diversity, as observed for other oceanographic regions and taxa. In addition, we hypothesised that higher taxon diversity is associated with higher functional diversity, which in turn stimulates nematode carbon mineralisation rates (determined from biomass-dependent respiration estimates). Taxon diversity related positively to seafloor POC flux. Phylogenetic diversity (measured as average taxonomic distinctness) was affected negatively by the magnitude and variability in POC flux, and positively by SED. The latter also showed an inverse relation with trophic diversity. Accounting for differences in total biomass between samples, we observed a positive linear relation between taxon diversity and carbon mineralisation in nematode communities. We could, however, not identify the potential mechanism through which taxon diversity may promote this ecosystem function since none of the functional diversity indices related to both diversity and nematode respiration. The present results suggest potential effects of climate change on deep-sea ecosystem functioning, but further also emphasise the need for a better understanding of nematode functions and their response to evolutionary processes

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“…The enzymes Leucine-aminopeptidase and β-glucosidase play key roles in this process (Danovaro et al 2002). Nematodes can stimulate or slow down bacterial activity (Findlay and Tenore 1982;Alkemade et al 1992Alkemade et al , 1993Mamilov et al 2000;De Mesel et al 2003;Urban-Malinga et al 2008) as well as affect bacterial assemblage composition (De Mesel et al 2004) and may thus play a key role in decomposition processes and nutrient regulation (Abrams and Mitchell 1980;Yeates and Coleman 1982;Freckman 1988;Neher 2001). Different nematode species belonging to the same functional group and even to the same family can have distinct influences on decomposition processes and can thus not be considered functionally redundant (De Mesel et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Cryptic diversity and ecosystem functioning: a complex tale of differential effects on decomposition

et al. 2016

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Marine ecosystems are experiencing accelerating population and species loss. Some ecosystem functions are decreasing and there is growing interest in the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The role of cryptic (morphologically identical but genetically distinct) species in this biodiversity-ecosystem functioning link is unclear and has not yet been formally tested. We tested if there is a differential effect of four cryptic species of the bacterivorous nematode Litoditis marina on the decomposition process of macroalgae. Bacterivorous nematodes can stimulate or slow down bacterial activity and modify the bacterial assemblage composition. Moreover, we tested if interspecific interactions among the four cryptic species influence the decomposition process. A laboratory experiment with both mono- and multispecific nematode cultures was conducted, and loss of organic matter and the activity of two key extracellular enzymes for the degradation of phytodetritus were assessed. L. marina mainly influenced qualitative aspects of the decomposition process rather than its overall rate: an effect of the nematodes on the enzymatic activities became manifest, although no clear nematode effect on bulk organic matter weight loss was found. We also demonstrated that species-specific effects on the decomposition process existed. Combining the four cryptic species resulted in high competition, with one dominant species, but without complete exclusion of other species. These interspecific interactions translated into different effects on the decomposition process. The species-specific differences indicated that each cryptic species may play an important and distinct role in ecosystem functioning. Functional differences may result in coexistence among very similar species.

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Experimental evidence for the role of bioturbation by the marine nematode Diplolaimella dievengatensis in stimulating the mineralization of Spartina anglica detritus

Cited by 65 publications

References 15 publications

Deep-sea meiofauna communities in Antarctica:structural analysis and relation with the environment

Deep-sea meiofauna communities in Antarctica:structural analysis and relation with the environment

Unravelling the environmental drivers of deep-sea nematode biodiversity and its relation with carbon mineralisation along a longitudinal primary productivity gradient

Cryptic diversity and ecosystem functioning: a complex tale of differential effects on decomposition

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