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Response of the benthic foraminiferal community to a simulated short-term phytodetritus pulse in the abyssal North Pacific

Response of the benthic foraminiferal community to a simulated short-term phytodetritus pulse in the abyssal North Pacific
Response of the benthic foraminiferal community to a simulated short-term phytodetritus pulse in the abyssal North Pacific
Foraminifera are an important faunal element of the abyssal ecosystem and largely depend on deposited particulate organic matter from the photic zone to sustain their metabolism for growth and reproduction. However, their role in the carbon cycle in deep-sea sediments is insufficiently studied. We investigated benthic foraminifera at Station M (4000 m depth) in the Northeast Pacific and assessed the response of individual species to a simulated phytodetritus pulse during an in situ feeding experiment. Sediments were incubated for 4 d with 13C-labeled diatoms (Thalassiosira weissflogii) applied to the sediment surface. The living foraminiferal community (>0.063 mm) of the upper 3 cm contained >100 species and was strongly dominated by a few taxa of soft-walled saccamminids. Population density of the entire living foraminiferal community was highest at the sediment surface (mean ± SD = 279 ± 72 ind. 10 cm?3 in background and 13C-incubated cores) and decreased gradually with depth. Large differences were observed in the uptake of the algal material among species and between depth levels. During the experiment, 0.82 mg C m?2 were ingested, mainly by calcareous (~60%) and agglutinated (~40%) foraminifera. Uptake was highest at the sediment surface and 3 to 5 times less in deeper sediment horizons. Despite clear signs of vitality and a strong representation in the foraminiferal community, none of the soft-walled species showed a noticeable response to the offered algal material. We conclude that soft-walled foraminifera may not be important to the short-term phytodetrital matter cycling at the abyssal sea floor.
Deep sea, North Pacific, In situ feeding experiment, ?13C, Isotopic labeling, Benthic foraminifera, Carbon remineralization, Soft-walled saccamminid
129-142
Enge, A.J.
e4a3340e-388f-48e9-bb53-104b60a8c9ba
Nomaki, H.
d8358e43-14a1-4b0a-a943-ed5773845364
Ogawa, N.O.
d3b513b5-da9b-4522-a0a6-c324fbd8af2b
Witte, U.
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Moeseneder, M.M.
50eb77b6-21c8-497f-8f99-7bbc8c043fb7
Lavik, G
f3246491-e083-440c-98ca-d73a204965d2
Ohkouchi, N
adf46ddb-fc1a-448b-96a9-83fd7a6907a4
Kitazato, H
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Kučera, M
45e4b2c0-6731-49b1-813e-5c08a2ef8e9c
Heinz, P
ce0556ca-64ef-4c19-b1ec-2e717ce8782d
Enge, A.J.
e4a3340e-388f-48e9-bb53-104b60a8c9ba
Nomaki, H.
d8358e43-14a1-4b0a-a943-ed5773845364
Ogawa, N.O.
d3b513b5-da9b-4522-a0a6-c324fbd8af2b
Witte, U.
11050d87-974b-4596-8545-68dcc675704e
Moeseneder, M.M.
50eb77b6-21c8-497f-8f99-7bbc8c043fb7
Lavik, G
f3246491-e083-440c-98ca-d73a204965d2
Ohkouchi, N
adf46ddb-fc1a-448b-96a9-83fd7a6907a4
Kitazato, H
6aebf911-23f9-4b70-af58-1fddae122ce2
Kučera, M
45e4b2c0-6731-49b1-813e-5c08a2ef8e9c
Heinz, P
ce0556ca-64ef-4c19-b1ec-2e717ce8782d

Enge, A.J., Nomaki, H., Ogawa, N.O., Witte, U., Moeseneder, M.M., Lavik, G, Ohkouchi, N, Kitazato, H, Kučera, M and Heinz, P (2011) Response of the benthic foraminiferal community to a simulated short-term phytodetritus pulse in the abyssal North Pacific. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 438, 129-142. (doi:10.3354/meps09298).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Foraminifera are an important faunal element of the abyssal ecosystem and largely depend on deposited particulate organic matter from the photic zone to sustain their metabolism for growth and reproduction. However, their role in the carbon cycle in deep-sea sediments is insufficiently studied. We investigated benthic foraminifera at Station M (4000 m depth) in the Northeast Pacific and assessed the response of individual species to a simulated phytodetritus pulse during an in situ feeding experiment. Sediments were incubated for 4 d with 13C-labeled diatoms (Thalassiosira weissflogii) applied to the sediment surface. The living foraminiferal community (>0.063 mm) of the upper 3 cm contained >100 species and was strongly dominated by a few taxa of soft-walled saccamminids. Population density of the entire living foraminiferal community was highest at the sediment surface (mean ± SD = 279 ± 72 ind. 10 cm?3 in background and 13C-incubated cores) and decreased gradually with depth. Large differences were observed in the uptake of the algal material among species and between depth levels. During the experiment, 0.82 mg C m?2 were ingested, mainly by calcareous (~60%) and agglutinated (~40%) foraminifera. Uptake was highest at the sediment surface and 3 to 5 times less in deeper sediment horizons. Despite clear signs of vitality and a strong representation in the foraminiferal community, none of the soft-walled species showed a noticeable response to the offered algal material. We conclude that soft-walled foraminifera may not be important to the short-term phytodetrital matter cycling at the abyssal sea floor.

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Published date: 2011
Keywords: Deep sea, North Pacific, In situ feeding experiment, ?13C, Isotopic labeling, Benthic foraminifera, Carbon remineralization, Soft-walled saccamminid
Organisations: Marine Biogeochemistry

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Local EPrints ID: 202781
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/202781
PURE UUID: fcc6c305-afde-4637-b074-af89f7a78881

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Date deposited: 09 Nov 2011 10:38
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 04:25

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Contributors

Author: A.J. Enge
Author: H. Nomaki
Author: N.O. Ogawa
Author: U. Witte
Author: M.M. Moeseneder
Author: G Lavik
Author: N Ohkouchi
Author: H Kitazato
Author: M Kučera
Author: P Heinz

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