In:
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Canadian Science Publishing, Vol. 34, No. 4 ( 1977-04-01), p. 563-567
Abstract:
The mineralization rate of detritus derived from carbon-14 labeled eelgrass, Zostera marina, was measured in the presence and absence of the polychaete Nephthys incisa and a mixed meiobenthic community dominated by nematodes. Oxidation rates (milligrams dry weight of eelgrass detritus per day) of fresh and 2 mo-old detritus were similar (ca. 20). However, the oxidation rate of 5 mo-old detritus was around 45 with only microbenthos and Nephthys, but 84 when both Nephthys and meiobenthos were present. The net incorporation rates (micrograms dry weight of detritus per milligram dry weight of worm per day) of labeled material by Nephthys cultured without meiobenthos for fresh, 2-, and 5-mo-old detritus was 0.08, 0.26, and 3.30, respectively. For Nephthys cultured with meiobenthos, the net incorporation rates of fresh and 2-mo-old detritus (0.07 and 0.19) were similar to those listed above with Nephthys but with 5-mo-old detritus was 7.2.The results illustrate the importance of the state of decomposition of detritus and the activity of meiobenthos on the availability of eelgrass detritus to Nephthys incisa. Key words: detritus, Zostera marina, Nephthys incisa, meiofauna–meiobenthos, net incorporation rate, oxidation rate, decomposition
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0015-296X
Language:
English
Publisher:
Canadian Science Publishing
Publication Date:
1977
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3036-3
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