Wukovits Julia, Bukenberger Patrick, Enge Annekatrin Julie, Gerg Maximillian, Wanek Wolfgang, Watzka Margarete, Heinz Petra
Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Biol Open. 2018 Apr 13;7(4):bio030056. doi: 10.1242/bio.030056.
is a common and abundant benthic foraminifer in intertidal mudflats. Benthic foraminifera are primary consumers and detritivores and act as key players in sediment nutrient fluxes. In this study, laboratory feeding experiments using isotope-labeled phytodetritus were carried out with collected at the German Wadden Sea, to investigate the response of to varying food supply. Feeding mode (single pulse, constant feeding; different incubation temperatures) caused strong variations in cytoplasmic carbon and nitrogen cycling, suggesting generalistic adaptations to variations in food availability. To study the influence of intraspecific size to foraminiferal carbon and nitrogen cycling, three size fractions (125-250 µm, 250-355 µm, >355 µm) of specimens were separated. Small individuals showed higher weight specific intake for phytodetritus, especially for phytodetrital nitrogen, highlighting that size distribution within foraminiferal populations is relevant to interpret foraminiferal carbon and nitrogen cycling. These results were used to extrapolate the data to natural populations of living in sediment cores, demonstrating the impact of high abundances of small individuals on phytodetritus processing and nutrient cycling. It is estimated that at high abundances of individuals in the 125-250 µm size fraction, populations can account for more than 11% of phytodetritus processing in intertidal benthic communities.
是潮间带泥滩中一种常见且数量丰富的底栖有孔虫。底栖有孔虫是初级消费者和碎屑食性动物，在沉积物养分通量中起着关键作用。在本研究中，使用同位素标记的植物碎屑进行了实验室摄食实验，实验对象是在德国瓦登海采集的[有孔虫名称未给出]，以研究[有孔虫名称未给出]对不同食物供应的反应。摄食模式（单脉冲、持续摄食；不同的孵化温度）导致细胞质碳和氮循环出现强烈变化，这表明[有孔虫名称未给出]对食物可利用性的变化具有普遍适应性。为了研究种内大小对有孔虫碳和氮循环的影响，将[有孔虫名称未给出]标本分成了三个大小等级（125 - 250 µm、250 - 355 µm、>355 µm）。较小的个体对植物碎屑表现出更高的重量比摄入量，尤其是对植物碎屑中的氮，这突出表明有孔虫种群内的大小分布与解释有孔虫的碳和氮循环有关。这些结果被用于将数据外推到沉积物岩心中生活的[有孔虫名称未给出]的自然种群，证明了大量小个体对植物碎屑处理和养分循环的影响。据估计，在125 - 250 µm大小等级的个体数量较多时，[有孔虫名称未给出]种群在潮间带底栖群落的植物碎屑处理中可占超过11%。
