IR Home
MEPS
Home
Editors
Forthcoming
Information
Subscribe
Journals
Home
MEPS
AME
CR
DAO
ESEP
Search
Subscribe
Book Series
EE Books
Top Books
ESEP Books
Order
EEIU Brochures
(pdf format)
Discussion Forums
Home
Research
Endangered Species Programs
Institutions
International Ecology Institute
Eco-Ethics International Union
Foundation
Otto Kinne Foundation
 | |
MEPS 192:195-202 (2000)
|
Abstract
|
Consumption of picoplankton by the bivalve larvae of Japanese pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii
Yuji Tomaru1,*, Zen'ichiro Kawabata2, Shin-ichi Nakano3
1Department of Environmental Conservation Sciences, The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Ehime University, Tarumi 3-5-7, Matsuyama 790-8566, Ehime, Japan
2Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsuka 509-3, Kamitanakami-Hirano-cho, Otsu 520-2113, Shiga, Japan
3Department of Environmental Conservation, Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University, Tarumi 3-5-7, Matsuyama 790-8566, Ehime, Japan
*E-mail: tomaruy@agr.ehime-u.ac.jp
ABSTRACT: We examined grazing on bacteria and algal picoplankton (APP) by the larvae of Pinctada fucata martensii, using fluorescently labeled bacteria (FLB) and algae (FLA). Ingestion of both FLB and FLA by the larvae indicated that bacteria and
APP serve as food sources for the larvae. With natural assemblages of bacteria and APP, the clearance rates of bacteria by the larvae (70 to 200 µm) ranged between 0.08 and 0.12 µl larva-1 h-1, and those of APP between 0.12 and 1.5
µl larva-1 h-1. Grazing pressure on natural populations of bacteria and APP by the larvae was estimated as <\ 0.01% d-1 in Uchiumi Bay, suggesting that these larvae play a minor role in the consumption of picoplankton.
KEY WORDS: Pearl oyster larvae · Clearance rate · Picoplankton
Published in MEPS Vol.
192
(2000) on January 31
Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599.
Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 2000
|
