ISSN:
1432-1793
Quelle:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Thema:
Biologie
Notizen:
Abstract The role of the Mediterranean euphausiid Meganyctiphanes norvegica in the cycling of radiocerium (141Ce) was examined. When uptake of 141Ce occurs directly from the water, a “dynamic” population equilibrium is reached at a concentration factor of about 250. Molting was responsible for up to 99% loss of total body burden at first molt, and about 45% of the remaining activity at second molt, thus denying true longterm equilibrium to individual animals. Fecal pellets did not contain measureable 141Ce activity when the euphausiids accumulated the isotope from water, thus proving that surface adsorption was the key accumulating process from water. When radiocerium was taken in through ingestion of labelled Artemia, about 99% of the body burden was voided as fecal pellets. Excretion by this route was accelerated when euphausiids were fed non-radioactive Artemia during loss phase. Radioactive counts of the pellets confirmed that all ingested 141Ce was lost through defecation. When 141Ce was ingested as labelled phytoplankton, a substantial fraction of the total body burden occurred in the molts, which indicated that the phytoplankton lost 141Ce to the water and the radioactivity was subsequently adsorbed to outer surfaces of the euphausiids. Molts, fecal pellets, and freshly-killed euphausiids lost 141Ce to the water exponentially, the rates being similar to the exponential portions of the loss curves for live, non-molting individuals. It is suggested that M. norvegica, and probably other pelagic zooplankters, can greatly accelerate radiocerium transport to the ocean floor by packaging the isotope as fecal pellets. In coastal areas subject to low-level radioactive waste disposal, 141Ce might be ionic (or at least soluble) to a great extent, in which case euphausiids could take up the isotope rapidly and accelerate its vertical transport via molting.
Materialart:
Digitale Medien
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00381088
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