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Selective feeding of Eurytemora affinis (Copepoda, Calanoida) in temperate estuaries: model and field observations
Tackx, M.L.M.; Herman, P.M.J.; Gasparini, S.; Irigoien, X.; Billiones, R.; Daro, M.H. (2003). Selective feeding of Eurytemora affinis (Copepoda, Calanoida) in temperate estuaries: model and field observations. Est., Coast. and Shelf Sci. 56(2): 305-311. dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0272-7714(02)00182-8
In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. Academic Press: London; New York. ISSN 0272-7714; e-ISSN 1096-0015
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors | Dataset 
    Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Open Marine Archive 53961 [ download pdf ]

Keywords
    Aquatic communities > Plankton > Phytoplankton
    Detritus
    Feeding > Artificial feeding > Selective feeding
    Water bodies > Coastal waters > Coastal landforms > Coastal inlets > Estuaries
    Eurytemora affinis (Poppe, 1880) [WoRMS]
    ANE, France, Gironde Estuary [Marine Regions]; ANE, Germany, Elbe Estuary [Marine Regions]; ANE, Netherlands, Westerschelde [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal; Brackish water
Author keywords
    Eurytemora affinis; Selective feeding; Phytoplankton; Detritus; Estuaries

Authors  Top | Dataset 
  • Tackx, M.L.M.
  • Herman, P.M.J.
  • Gasparini, S.
  • Irigoien, X.
  • Billiones, R.
  • Daro, M.H.

Abstract
    The copepod Eurytemora affinis generally lives under estuarine conditions, where the suspended particulate matter (SPM) is strongly dominated by non-living particles. This article investigates as to how far E. affinis is capable of feeding selectively on phytoplankton under these extreme circumstances. Selectivity for phytoplankton by E. affinis was studied from samples taken from the Westerschelde (Belgium/The Netherlands). Copepod clearance rates exerted on natural phytoplankton quantified from the gut pigment content were significantly higher than those exerted on total particulate matter, calculated from microscopic image analysis of total gut content and total particulate matter concentration in the water. In addition, gut pigment content data on adult E. affinis measured during spring in three European estuaries (the Gironde (France), the Westerschelde and the Elbe (Germany) were used to study the quantitative response of gut pigment content to varying ratios of phytoplankton to total SPM. A model, expressing maximum gut fluorescence as a function of body weight and gut fluorescence as a product of maximum gut fluorescence with the proportion of phytoplankton to total SPM in the feeding medium, satisfactory fitted the gut fluorescence observations made in the three estuaries. Over the range of phytoplankton-carbon/particulate organic carbon ratios observed in the three estuaries, gut fluorescence decreased with SPM concentration, but maximum gut fluorescence was reached when phytoplankton-carbon was >5% of particulate organic carbon. Limitation of selective feeding apparently only occurred under extremely high SPM loads, such as observed in the Gironde. Maximum gut fluorescence values corresponded exactly to those obtained previously for planktonic copepods in general, affirming the relationship with copepod size.

Dataset
  • OMES: Monitoring zooplankton in the Zeeschelde

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