ISSN:
1573-5125
Keywords:
Marenzelleria cf. viridis
;
Polychaetes
;
food limitation
;
food selection
;
growth
;
gut passage time
;
food quality
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Phytoplankton 〈 20 µm was a principal dietary component of the larvae of Marenzelleria cf. viridis. Maximum ingested particle size increased as animal size increased, reaching a maximum diameter of 80 µm for larvae with 6 to 10 setigers. The larvae started ingesting particulate matter at the 1-setiger stage and were able selectively to ingest phytoplankton and polystyrene particles of various sizes. Larvae in the 6 to 10-setiger size group did not differ from those in the 11 to 17-setiger size group in respect of size selectivity for polystyrene particles. The gut passage time for Chlorella vulgaris was ≥ 20 min. The ingestion rate was limited by food concentrations even at concentrations much higher than those encountered in the natural biotope, saturation being reached at a concentration of 28.5 times 106 cells ml-1 (117.7 mg C l-1. The low maximum filtration rate of only 1.19 µl ind.-1 h-1 indicates that the filtering capacity of the larvae is low. The larvae are still capable of food uptake at 1 °C. Further experiments demonstrated that larval growth and survival were strongly dependent on both food concentration and quality. Larval growth was food-limited under biotope conditions of the Darss–Zingst Boddens and even more so under Baltic Sea conditions. The results indicate that Marenzelleria cf. viridis is a species adapted to eutrophic conditions prevailing in brackish waters.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1009947320273
