Influence of environment factors on bacterial ingestion rate of the deposit-feeder Hydrobia ulvae and comparison with meiofauna
Résumé
Deposit feeders are able to process a considerable volume of sediment, containing large 9 quantities of associated bacteria. However, conclusions concerning the trophic role played by 10 benthic bacteria in marine sediments are still not fully elucidated. This study deals with 11 bacterivory by the gastropod Hydrobia ulvae, one of the most abundant deposit-feeding 12 species in intertidal mudflats in Western Europe. Ingestion rates of bacteria were determined 13 during grazing experiments using 15 N pre-enriched bacteria. Grazing experiments were 14 performed in order to measure effects of abiotic (temperature, salinity and luminosity) and 15 biotic (bacterial and algal abundances) factors on ingestion rates of bacteria by H. ulvae of an 16 intertidal mudflat (Brouage, Marennes-Oléron, France). The mean ingestion rate of bacteria 17 by H. ulvae was 1149 ngC ind-1 h-1. The general trend showed a temperature effect with an 18 optimum around 30°C, and the assimilation rate was significantly lower at 5°C. Bacterial 19 assimilation did not significantly differ between salinity 18 and salinity 31. Ingestion was the 20 same in light and in dark conditions. Results were compared with those of other grazing 21 experiments conducted simultaneously in similar conditions with two other grazers with 22 different size and feeding modes: the foraminifera Ammonia tepida and a nematode 23 community from the superficial sediment of the Brouage mudflat. Hydrobia ulvae and 24 nematodes presented a feeding behavior less influenced by environmental changes than A. tepida. Hydrobia ulvae ingested bacteria at a higher rate than smaller meiofaunal grazers and seemed to have a lower ability to selectively ingest diatoms than meiofaunal grazers.
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