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Carbon sources of Antarctic nematodes as revealed by natural carbon isotope ratios and a pulse-chase experiment

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Abstract

δ13C of nematode communities in 27 sites was analyzed, spanning a large depth range (from 130 to 2,021 m) in five Antarctic regions, and compared to isotopic signatures of sediment organic matter. Sediment organic matter δ13C ranged from −24.4 to −21.9‰ without significant differences between regions, substrate types or depths. Nematode δ13C showed a larger range, from −34.6 to −19.3‰, and was more depleted than sediment organic matter typically by 1‰ and by up to 3‰ in silty substrata. These, and the isotopically heavy meiofauna at some stations, suggest substantial selectivity of some meiofauna for specific components of the sedimenting plankton. However, 13C-depletion in lipids and a potential contribution of chemoautotrophic carbon in the diet of the abundant genus Sabatieria may confound this interpretation. Carbon sources for Antarctic nematodes were also explored by means of an experiment in which the fate of a fresh pulse of labile carbon to the benthos was followed. This organic carbon was remineralized at a rate (11–20 mg C m−2 day−1) comparable to mineralization rates in continental slope sediments. There was no lag between sedimentation and mineralization; uptake by nematodes, however, did show such a lag. Nematodes contributed negligibly to benthic carbon mineralization.

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Acknowledgments

The research presented in this paper was performed under the auspices of the Scientific Research Programme on Antarctica from the Belgian State—Prime Minister’s Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs (OSTC) and the concerted actions of Ghent University (BOF 01GZ0705). The authors thank the Alfred WegenerInstitute for Polar and Marine Research, the captain, crew members and chief scientists of the research vessel RV “Polarstern”, for help within the EASIZ II and EASIZ III campaigns. We are indebted to M. Vincx and W. Arntz for the provision of technical and logistic facilities. P. Dauby and F. Dehairs provided logistics and assistance for isotopic measurements. Caroline Luyten, Lee Hee-Joong, Karina Onton, Dirk Van Gansbeke, Danielle Schram, Bernard Timmerman and Annick Van Kenhove all helped in one way or another with analyses of environmental or meiobenthic data. Christine Van der heyden's help in the preparation of the figures is gratefully acknowledged. T.M. is a postdoctoral fellow with the Fund for Scientific Research—Flanders (FWO).

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  1. Biology Department, Marine Biology Section, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281/S8, Gent, 9000, Belgium

    Tom Moens, Sandra Vanhove, Ilse De Mesel, Bea Kelemen, Thierry Janssens, Ann Dewicke & Ann Vanreusel

  2. The International Polar Foundation, Tweestationsstraat 120A, Brussel, 1070, Belgium

    Sandra Vanhove

  3. IMARES, PO Box 77, 4400 AB, Yerseke, The Netherlands

    Ilse De Mesel

  4. Institute for Interdisciplinary Experimental Research, Molecular Biology Center, “Babes-Bolyai” University, Treboniu Laurian Street no. 42, Cluj-Napoca, 400271, Romania

    Bea Kelemen

  5. Department of Animal Ecology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Institute of Ecological Sciences, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thierry Janssens

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  1. Tom Moens
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Moens, T., Vanhove, S., De Mesel, I. et al. Carbon sources of Antarctic nematodes as revealed by natural carbon isotope ratios and a pulse-chase experiment. Polar Biol 31, 1–13 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0323-x

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