Modification of benthic food web structure by recovering seagrass meadows, as revealed by trophic markers and mixing models

The role of benthic macrofauna in the trophic transfer of mercury in a low-diversity temperate coastal ecosystem (Puck Lagoon, southern Baltic Sea)

“…This was confirmed by the concentrations of Hg TOT in benthic micro-organisms forming the basic diet of grazers (epiphyton), which were higher than, for example, those measured in SPM—the main dietary component for filter organisms (Table 3 ). Additionally, as shown by studies conducted in the Puck Lagoon by Jankowska et al ( 2018 ), an important source of food for grazers, along with microphytobenthos, may also be sedimentary organic matter (FLSM), in which concentrations were close to those measured in epilithic algae (Table SII ). It may also be related to the form of Hg in the examined food sources—about 90% of Hg accumulated in benthic flora of the Puck Lagoon is in bioavailable labile form, while in the case of surface sediments only a half of Hg can be introduced to the trophic chain (Jędruch, unpublished).…”

“…The carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of suspended particulate matter (particulate organic matter, POM), sediments (sediment organic matter, SOM) and benthic organisms were expressed with the standard δ unit notation, given in parts per thousand (‰), according to the following equation: where X is the stable isotope ratio of δ 13 C or δ 15 N, R is the ratio of 13 C/ 12 C for carbon or 15 N/ 14 N for nitrogen for sample and for standard reference material (Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB) for δ 13 C and air for δ 15 N) (Khan et al 2015 ). Data pertaining to the δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in selected ecosystem components used in this study were taken from a simultaneous research project being conducted by the authors (Jędruch et al 2017 ), as well as from literature (Hansson et al 1997 ; Riera et al 1999 ; Attrill et al 2009 ; Nordstöm et al 2009 ; Sokołowski 2009 ; Kolb et al 2010 ; Riera 2010 ; Olsen et al 2011 ; Prado et al 2013 ; Karlson et al 2015 ; Jankowska et al 2016 ; Jankowska 2017 ; Jankowska et al 2018 ). The majority of literature data were obtained from the Puck Lagoon and at similar time as this study (Table SI ).…”

“…Even in the relatively poor in species Puck Lagoon, the benthic organisms have diversified functional properties (related to morphological, physiological, or behavioural aspects) and consequently varied feeding habits (e.g. consumption of suspended or sediment organic matter, plankton, microphytobenthos, live and dead animal tissues) (Jankowska et al 2018 ). Thus, bottom fauna can accumulate Hg originating from many sources.…”

Global Systematic Review of Methodological Approaches to Analyze Coastal Shelf Food Webs

“…Specifically, they do not degrade during digestion like other dietary nutrients, and they are stored in animal bodies in fat reservoirs, accumulating over time and representing the dietary intake over long periods of time (Iverson, 2009). In the studies of this review, fatty acid analysis has been used in two main ways: either looking for differences or changes in fatty acid composition and thus making inferences about differences or changes in diets of consumers (Koussoroplis et al, 2011;McMeans et al, 2015;Jankowska et al, 2018), or using fatty acid biomarkers to identify predator-prey relationships (McLeod and Wing, 2009;Kürten et al, 2013;McMeans et al, 2013).…”

Mercury in the Diatoms of Various Ecological Formations

“…Primary production of phytoplankton in oceans is estimated at 30–60% of total primary production on Earth (Cloern et al 2014 ) and exceeds the production of tropical forests. Contemporary studies conducted in the Puck Lagoon emphasise that herbivorous fish and benthic organisms tend to feed more on the microscopic organisms, which form biofilm on plants (epiphyton) or other submerged elements (epilithon), than on macrophytobenthos (Jankowska et al 2016 ).…”