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Feeding of Calanus finmarchicus and Oithona similis on the microplankton assemblage in the Irminger Sea, North Atlantic

Feeding of Calanus finmarchicus and Oithona similis on the microplankton assemblage in the Irminger Sea, North Atlantic
Feeding of Calanus finmarchicus and Oithona similis on the microplankton assemblage in the Irminger Sea, North Atlantic
The present investigation reviews published data on the feeding rates and prey selection of Oithona similis females, Calanus finmarchicus nauplii and females in the Irminger Sea in April/May and July/August 2002. Our aim was to examine how the feeding rates and prey selection of these three copepod stages respond to concomitant changes in microplankton community composition and prey abundance. Copepods typically ingested prey overall according to its ambient concentration although significant species and stage-specific differences in prey-type ingestion and selection were apparent. Despite being of comparable weight, the ingestion rates of C. finmarchicus nauplii were always higher than those of the O. similis females. Moreover, C. finmarchicus nauplii and O. similis females fed preferentially on diatoms and ciliates respectively, whereas adult female C. finmarchicus showed limited prey selectivity. Copepod grazing impact on total and on ciliates/dinoflagellates standing stock was <0.5 and <2%, respectively. We attribute this result to a combination of low grazing rates, low copepod abundance and low microplankton biomass, all of which are indicative of the non-bloom conditions under which these experiments were conducted. The differences in copepod feeding rates and prey selection we report reflect species and stage-specific eco-physiological adaptations, which may act as important driving forces for marine ecosystem structuring and functioning.
0142-7873
1095-1116
Castellani, Claudia
8a968ebe-01aa-4ec4-a26c-922e8c662c4a
Irigoien, Xabier
82dafcb7-8ca9-49f5-906c-36da504d50ed
Mayor, Daniel J.
a2a9c29e-ffdc-4858-ad65-3a235824a4c9
Harris, Roger P.
f7aab713-4af2-48c2-a34b-400767df67ad
Wilson, David
b183c158-f014-437e-bb70-29fb778cf003
Castellani, Claudia
8a968ebe-01aa-4ec4-a26c-922e8c662c4a
Irigoien, Xabier
82dafcb7-8ca9-49f5-906c-36da504d50ed
Mayor, Daniel J.
a2a9c29e-ffdc-4858-ad65-3a235824a4c9
Harris, Roger P.
f7aab713-4af2-48c2-a34b-400767df67ad
Wilson, David
b183c158-f014-437e-bb70-29fb778cf003

Castellani, Claudia, Irigoien, Xabier, Mayor, Daniel J., Harris, Roger P. and Wilson, David (2008) Feeding of Calanus finmarchicus and Oithona similis on the microplankton assemblage in the Irminger Sea, North Atlantic. Journal of Plankton Research, 30 (10), 1095-1116. (doi:10.1093/plankt/fbn074).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The present investigation reviews published data on the feeding rates and prey selection of Oithona similis females, Calanus finmarchicus nauplii and females in the Irminger Sea in April/May and July/August 2002. Our aim was to examine how the feeding rates and prey selection of these three copepod stages respond to concomitant changes in microplankton community composition and prey abundance. Copepods typically ingested prey overall according to its ambient concentration although significant species and stage-specific differences in prey-type ingestion and selection were apparent. Despite being of comparable weight, the ingestion rates of C. finmarchicus nauplii were always higher than those of the O. similis females. Moreover, C. finmarchicus nauplii and O. similis females fed preferentially on diatoms and ciliates respectively, whereas adult female C. finmarchicus showed limited prey selectivity. Copepod grazing impact on total and on ciliates/dinoflagellates standing stock was <0.5 and <2%, respectively. We attribute this result to a combination of low grazing rates, low copepod abundance and low microplankton biomass, all of which are indicative of the non-bloom conditions under which these experiments were conducted. The differences in copepod feeding rates and prey selection we report reflect species and stage-specific eco-physiological adaptations, which may act as important driving forces for marine ecosystem structuring and functioning.

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Published date: October 2008

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 63770
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/63770
ISSN: 0142-7873
PURE UUID: 80a08f13-6e40-4f31-bab0-853eaf1dec8d

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Date deposited: 30 Oct 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 11:42

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Contributors

Author: Claudia Castellani
Author: Xabier Irigoien
Author: Daniel J. Mayor
Author: Roger P. Harris
Author: David Wilson

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