ABSTRACT: Nematodes living on an intertidal mudflat of the Marennes-Oléron Bay (France) were assayed for delta¹³C and delta¹⁵N ratios together with their potential food resources between July 1992 and May 1993. Results suggest that nematodes do not exploit all the components of the sedimented organic matter (SOM) pool at the same rate. Furthermore, based on coefficients of average trophic enrichment found in the literature for both C and N, the enrichment of nematodes in ¹³C and their depletion in ¹⁵N relative to SOM suggest that microphytobenthos constitutes their main food source in this particular environment.

KEY WORDS: Nematodes · Microphytobenthos · Food sources · Stable isotope ratios

Published in MEPS Vol. 142 (1996) on October 24
ISSN: 0171-8630. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1996