Interactions between bivalves and zooplankton: competition or intraguild predation? Implications for biomanipulation in subtropical shallow lakes

Abstract

Zooplankton and bivalves are the main consumers of phytoplankton in shallow lakes; however, knowledge regarding trophic interactions between them is scarce. Competition for resources appears to be an obvious direct interaction, but the scheme may be more complex. Bivalves can consume all or only part of the zooplankton, constituting an intraguild predation module. In the present study we investigated the interaction between bivalves and zooplankton and its effects on phytoplankton grazing and community structure using an experimental approach in an aquarium. Two bivalve species were considered, namely Diplodon parallelopipedon (native) and Corbicula fluminea (non-native), in addition to a natural zooplankton community dominated by small-sized zooplankton. The findings indicate that phytoplankton consumption by the zooplankton is substantially less than that by the bivalves. Under the experimental conditions, the bivalves actively consumed small-sized zooplankton (rotifers and nauplii), but no consumption of medium-sized individuals (cladocerans and copepods) was observed. The differential consumption may have implications on the size and structure of zooplankton, favouring an average larger-sized community. Thus, phytoplankton may be negatively affected both directly by consumption and indirectly because of the resulting structure of the zooplankton community. The main results of the study are also discussed from the perspective of biomanipulation techniques in tropical and subtropical regions.

Effects of the Filter-Feeding Benthic Bivalve Corbicula fluminea on Plankton Community and Water Quality in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Mesocosm Study

“…One possible mechanism for reducing rotifer abundance is the direct effects of the bivalves by consuming rotifers. Some studies showed that bivalves could effectively prey on microzooplankton, including rotifer species [66][67][68] supporting this possibility. However, we could not rule out the indirect effects of bivalves on rotifers via the decrease in small phytoplankton.…”

Grazing impacts on phytoplankton in South American water ecosystems: a synthesis

“…) demonstrated that C. fluminea showed no taxonomic preferences for phytoplankton in an assemblage composed by diatoms, chlorophytes, and cryptophytes. More recently, Marroni et al (2016), in an experiment performed in Uruguay, reported a filtration rate for this bivalve of 106.8 ml g DW h -1 in a phytoplankton assemblage dominated by Euglenophyceae, Chlorophyceae, and filamentous cyanobacteria. However, no effective selection of phytoplankton was reported.…”

Effects of temperature and food availability on the filtration and excretion rates of Diplodon parallelopipedon (Hyriidae)

“…Considering all the available evidence, the use of D. parallelopipedon in biomanipulation techniques could be considered taking into account the exhibited responses to temperature and phytoplankton biomass conditions. Moreover, previous studies show that D. parallelopipedon is a filter feeder capable of consuming a wide range of particles, from green algae to filamentous Planktothrix agardhii (Marroni et al, 2014) and even small zooplankton (rotifers and nauplii) (Marroni et al, 2016). However, the desired positive effects can be jeopardized if floating controlling species are present which growth can be boosted by using the nutrients remineralized by bivalves, thus more laboratory and mesocom experiments will be necessary to understand these complex bivalve-phytoplankton interactions and consequently the whole ecosystem response, particularly in the presence of a natural, more diverse phytoplankton community.…”

“…D. parallelopipedon can consume a wide range of particles, from the small alga Ankistrodesmus sp. to filaments of cyanobacteria Planktothrix agardhii, with the potential to exert strong control over phytoplankton (Marroni et al, 2014(Marroni et al, , 2016. Nonetheless, at higher temperatures bivalves are stressed and their filtration rate declines slightly while, simultaneously, nutrient remineralization is increased.…”