Structure of phytal harpacticoid copepod assemblages and the influence of habitat complexity and turbidity

Hicks, Geoffrey R. F.

doi:10.1016/0022-0981(80)90151-3

Cited by 169 publications

(127 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…On the other hand, the presence of epiphytes can increase the habitat complexity, making it more attractive as providing food resources indirectly, making environments available for the development of the periphyton and favoring the accumulation of sediments (Hicks, 1980). Taking into account that the diet of some species of the genera Ampithoe and Cymadusa includes microalgae (Brawley & Adey, 1981;Norton & Benson, 1983) and detritus (Zimmerman et al, 1979), it would be possible that these amphipods are indirectly related to epiphytic algae.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of epiphytic algae and different species of Sargassum in the distribution and feeding of herbivorous amphipods

Jacobucci¹,

Pereira-Leite²

2014

lajar

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ABSTRACT. The presence of particular algal species can directly influence the distribution and abundance of mesoherbivores. The aim of this study was to answer the following questions: Do Sargassum beds of different localities show variation in the load of epiphytic algae? Do Sargassum beds of different localities show variation in the density of herbivore amphipods? Does the density of these amphipods in the same algal bed vary with epiphyte load? Are species of Sargassum and their epiphytes equally consumed by amphipods? The collections were carried out in three infralitoral algal beds in southeastern Brazil. Fronds of Sargassum were collected at each algal bed and the associated ampithoid and hyalid amphipods were separated, identified and counted. Sargassum fronds and epiphytes were identified, dryed and weighted. Experiments were carried out to determine the consumption of Sargassum species and epiphytes by amphipods. The weight of the epiphytes Hypnea musciformis and Dyctiopteris delicatula and the density of amphipods were different among sampling sites. There was a relationship between amphipod density and epiphyte weight at two sampling sites. The four amphipod species tested consumed algae, but showed different patterns of consumption. Despite consuming the epiphytes, the ampithoids preferentially feed on the three species of Sargassum, while Hyale nigra had a preference for Hypnea musciformis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of epiphytic algae and different species of Sargassum in the distribution and feeding of herbivorous amphipods

Jacobucci¹,

Pereira-Leite²

2014

lajar

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“…Next to oxygen, other physico-chemical aspects were altered inside the macrophytodetritus accumulation. Meiofauna are not known to directly assimilate dissolved nutrients (Mitwally and Fleeger, 2013;Siebers, 1982), but physico-chemical fluctuations influence their potential food sources (Atilla et al, 2005;Hall and Bell, 1988;Hicks, 1977Hicks, , 1980. Therefore, nutrient fluctuations would also presumably impact meiofauna indirectly by altering the habitat structure .…”

Section: Environmental Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal variability of meiofauna, especially harpacticoid copepods, in Posidonia oceanica macrophytodetritus accumulations

Mascart

Lepoint

Deschoemaeker

et al. 2015

Journal of Sea Research

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The overall aim of this study was (1) to assess the diversity and density of meiofauna taxa, especially harpacticoid copepod species, present within accumulated seagrass macrophytodetritus on unvegetated sand patches and (2) to elucidate the community structure of detritus-associated harpacticoid copepods in relation to natural temporal variability of physico-chemical characteristics of accumulations. This was investigated in a Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile seagrass ecosystem in the northwest Mediterranean Sea (Bay of Calvi, Corsica, 42°35′N, 8°43′E) using a triplicate macrophytodetritus core field sampling in two contrasting sites over the four seasons of 2011. Meiofauna higher taxa consisted of 50% Copepoda, of which 87% belonged to the Harpacticoida order. Nematoda was the second most abundant taxa. The copepod community displayed a wide variety of morphologically similar and ecologically different species (i.e. mesopsammic, phytal, phytal-swimmers, planktonic and parasitic). The harpacticoid copepod community followed a strong seasonal pattern with highest abundances and species diversity in May-August, revealing a link with the leaf litter epiphyte primary production cycle. Aside from the important role in sheltering, housing and feeding potential of macrophytodetritus, a harpacticoid community BEST analysis demonstrated a positive correlation with habitat complexity and a negative correlation with water movements and P. oceanica leaf litter accumulation.

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“…These accumulations thereby support high values of secondary production in the receiving communities (Vetter 1995;Mateo and Romero 1997). The structurally complex macrophytodetritus accumulations seem to facilitate the development of meiofaunal communities in coastal marshes (Sanmarti and Menendez 2007), mangrove forests (Torres-Pratts and Schizas 2007) and seagrass beds (Hicks 1980;Coull and Wells 1983;Mascart et al 2013). In terms of copepod community, connectivity between these accumulation and other adjacent habitats (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

How do harpacticoid copepods colonize detrital seagrass leaves?

et al. 2015

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An experiment was carried out investigating the colonization ability and specific pattern of copepods towards a provisional benthic habitat. Since copepods are known to disperse passively and actively, the experiment aimed to investigate the pool of colonizers of macrophytodetritus and the species-specific active colonization pathways. The experiment was performed in a Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica meadow on defaunated macrophytodetritus accumulations (mainly dead seagrass leaves) for two time intervals (24 h and 96 h). Active colonization by copepods, independently of their adjacent potential source pool habitat (bare sandy sediments, P. oceanica canopy, water column and macrophytodetritus) occurred within 24 h. Natural densities (as in the control treatments) were only reached by active colonization through the water column. Both neither diversities nor species composition of natural macrophytodetritus were ever reached by one single migratory pathway, therefore only a combination of interstitial migration and water column migration can explain the species occurrence under natural condition. Moreover, every potential adjacent source pool habitat, contributed species to the newly colonized macrophytodetritus. However, the main colonizers were mostly species with good swimming capabilities. The diverse pool of species present in the newly colonized macrophytodetritus underlines the complex communities and dispersion capabilities of copepods. Hence, macrophytodetritus possesses the potential ability to be a colonizer source pool for every adjacent habitat and thus behaves as a copepod hub for the entire seagrass ecosystem

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Structure of phytal harpacticoid copepod assemblages and the influence of habitat complexity and turbidity

Cited by 169 publications

References 64 publications

The role of epiphytic algae and different species of Sargassum in the distribution and feeding of herbivorous amphipods

The role of epiphytic algae and different species of Sargassum in the distribution and feeding of herbivorous amphipods

Seasonal variability of meiofauna, especially harpacticoid copepods, in Posidonia oceanica macrophytodetritus accumulations

How do harpacticoid copepods colonize detrital seagrass leaves?

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