IR Home
AME
Home
Editors
Forthcoming
Information
Subscribe
Journals
Home
MEPS
AME
CR
DAO
ESEP
Search
Subscribe
Book Series
EE Books
Top Books
ESEP Books
Order
Discussion Forums
Home
Research
Endangered Species Programs
Institutions
International Ecology Institute
Eco-Ethics International Union
Foundation
Otto Kinne Foundation
| |
AME 29:29-38 (2002)
|
Abstract
|
![](../../../../images/hline.gif)
Structural changes in an aquatic microbial food web caused by inorganic nutrient addition
Kristina Samuelsson1,2, *, Johnny Berglund1,2, Pia Haecky2,3, Agneta Andersson1,2
1Marine Ecology, Dept. of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
2Umeå Marine Sciences Centre, Norrbyn, 910 20 Hörnefors, Sweden
3Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 4, 3000 Helsingör, Denmark
*E-mail: kristina.samuelsson@eg.umu.se
![](../../../../images/hline.gif)
ABSTRACT: Present theories regarding nutrient status of aquatic systems and plankton size structure, food web length and nutritional modes were tested in a microcosm experiment using water from the northern Baltic Sea. The different trophic levels
included were those of pico-, nano- and microplankton, representing bacteria, flagellates, ciliates and diatoms. Nutrient enrichment resulted in a higher biomass and changed size-structure of the organisms. The nutrient-enriched microcosms changed from a
picoplankton-dominated system to a microplankton-dominated system. In contrast, the nutrient-poor treatment remained at the pico- and nanoplankton levels. The increase in biomass within the enriched treatment resulted in a lengthening of the food chain to
include a firmly established ciliate community. In accordance to this, no shift to inedible or toxic species was observed. In the nutrient-poor treatment the ciliates were kept at very low population densities. Furthermore, a potentially mixotrophic
flagellate (Chrysochromulina sp.) was able to maintain a positive population growth in the nutrient-poor treatment, while specialised heterotrophic or autotrophic flagellates (Paraphysomonas imperforata Lucas and Plagioselmis prolonga
Butcher) decreased in numbers. In the nutrient enriched system the potential mixotrophic flagellate coexisted with specialised heterotrophic and autotrophic forms. A clear succession pattern of diatoms was observed, illustrating early and late
successional species within diatom populations.
KEY WORDS: Bacteria · Flagellates · Ciliates · Phytoplankton · Mixotrophy · Food web length · Nutrient status
Full text in pdf format
![](../../../../images/hline.gif)
Published in AME Vol.
29, No. 1
(2002) on September 3
Print ISSN: 0948-3055; Online ISSN: 1616-1564.
Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 2002
|