1. |
- Broms, F., et al.
(author)
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Effects of temperature and body size on the clearance rate of Oikopleura dioica
- 2003
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In: Journal of Plankton Research. - 0142-7873. ; 25:5, s. 573-577
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The effects of temperature and body size on the clearance rate of the appendicularian Oikopleura dioica were investigated. The clearance rate increased with the trunk length of the animals according to a power function with exponent 3.2 +/- 0.17 (range 2.9-3.8). The intercepts of the three regressions were significantly different with the highest rates at 20degreesC, corresponding to a Q(10), value of 1.78 (10-20degreesC).
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2. |
- Maar, M., et al.
(author)
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Trophodynamic function of copepods, appendicularians and protozooplankton in the late summer zooplankton community in the Skagerrak
- 2004
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In: Marine Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0025-3162 .- 1432-1793. ; 144:5, s. 917-933
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The study was carried out in the Skagerrak during late summer when population development in the pelagic cycle culminated in the yearly maximum in zooplankton biomass. The cyclonic circulation of surface water masses created the characteristic dome-shaped pycnocline across the Skagerrak. The large dinoflagellate Ceratium furca dominated the phytoplankton biomass. Ciliates and heterotrophic dinoflagellates were the major grazers and, potentially, consumed 43-166% of daily primary production. The grazing impact of copepods was estimated from specific egg production rates and grazing experiments. The degree of herbivory differed between species (14-85%), but coprophagy (e.g. feeding on fecal pellets) and ingestion of microzooplankton were also important. The appendicularian Oikopleura dioica was present in lower numbers than copepods, but cleared a large volume of water. The grazing impact of copepods and O. dioica was estimated to 57+/-24% and 12+/-12% of daily primary production, respectively. Sedimentation of organic material (30 m) varied between 169 and 708 mg C m(-2) day(-1), and the contribution from the mesozooplankton (copepod fecal pellets and mucus houses with attached phytodetritus of O. dioica) was 5-33% of this sedimentation. Recycling of fecal pellets and mucus houses in the euphotic zone was 59% and 36%, respectively. However, there was a high respiration of organic material by microorganisms in the mid-water column, and 34% of the sedimenting material actually reached the benthic community in the deep, central part of the Skagerrak.
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3. |
- Selander, Erik, 1973, et al.
(author)
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Effects of food concentration on the behaviour of Oikopleura dioica
- 2003
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In: Marine Biology. - 0025-3162. ; 142:2, s. 263-270
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Feeding behaviour of the pelagic tunicate Oikopleura dioica presented with a range of food concentrations (FC, 4-670 mug Cl-1) of the flagellate Isochrysis galbana was observed using video. Simultaneous bottle incubations provided clearance rate estimates. Tail beats per minute (TB), number of tail arrests or pauses (TA) and swimming speeds were recorded. TB decreased with increasing FC, from 521 to 355 min(-1), while TA increased from 17 to 35 min(-1). Aberrant behaviour with repeated TA was found if inlet filters were obstructed by larger particles or aquarium walls. Swimming speed was 1.0 0.4 mm s(-1), and the time spent swimming decreased with FC from 38 % to 11% of the time. Clearance rate decreased sharply with FC, from 4.3 to 0.11 ml ind(-1) h(-1), resembling a type II functional response with Michaelis-Menten parameters I-max = 113 mug C ind(-1) h(-1) and K-m = 27 mug Cl-1. Using TB, TA and a residual error term, a simple model to predict clearance rate from behavioural parameters was developed. Power functions of FC were fitted to each parameter, resulting in exponents of -0.047, -0.183 and -0.38, respectively. The error term includes passive clogging and food rejection at the mouth, and was according to the model the most important for shaping the functional response.
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4. |
- Tiselius, Peter, 1958, et al.
(author)
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Functional response of Oikopleura dioica to house clogging due to exposure to algae of different sizes
- 2003
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In: Marine Biology. - 0025-3162. ; 142:2, s. 253-261
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The functional response of the appendicularian Oikopleura dioica was investigated with a unialgal diet (Isochrysis galbana, 0-1,600 mug Cl-1) and with additions of specific concentrations of algae either smaller than the incurrent filter mesh size (Rhodomonas baltica, 90 mug Cl-1; Thalassiosira weissflogii, 60 mug Cl-1) or larger algae (Ceratium lineatum, 8 mug Cl-1; C. tripos, 52 mug C l(-1)). Clearance ranged from 0.13 to 3.3 ml mug C-1 h(-1) and followed a Michaelis-Menten curve corresponding to a maximum filtration rate (particles collected by both animal and house), FRmax = 164 ng C mug C-1 h(-1) and K-m = 64 mug C l(-1). Maximum pellet production was 9 pellets ind(-1) h(-1) and occurred at 100 mugC (-1). Pellet production was proportional to filtration rate below this level, but declined at higher concentrations. House production ranged from 0.5 to 5.5 houses ind(-1) day(-1) and the corresponding curve fit resulted in H-max = 4.6 houses ind(-1) day(-1) and K-m house = 32 mug Cl-1. Addition of edible small algae caused increased internal clogging of the houses, evidenced by significantly higher pigment concentrations in abandoned houses than in houses produced with I.. galbana as a single food. House production was not affected. In contrast, larger algae caused a significantly higher house production, but the algae were not collected on the houses. Increased levels of edible algae will not have negative effects on O. dioica at ecologically realistic concentrations. Ambient bloom concentrations of larger algae may, however, have a negative effect on the growth of O. dioica populations, owing to the compensatory increased house production.
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6. |
- Vargas, C. A., et al.
(author)
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Importance of copepods versus appendicularians in vertical carbon fluxes in a Swedish fjord
- 2002
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In: Marine Ecology-Progress Series. - 0171-8630. ; 241, s. 125-138
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We examined and quantified the contributions of copepods and appendicularians to the vertical flux of carbon during autumn and spring in Gullmar Fjord (west coast of Sweden). Faecal pellet-production rate was determined for major copepod and appendicularian species. In addition, house-production rates were estimated for the appendicularian Oikopleura dioica. Vertical flux of pigments, faecal carbon and appendicularian houses were measured using short-term (24 h) deployments of sediment traps at 2 depths (15 and 30 m). Copepods dominated the community biomass in both spring and autumn and their pellets dominated the faecal carbon flux. O. dioica houses with attached detritus were an important component of the biogenic carbon flux in October (15.3 mg C m(-2) d(-1)), equalling the contribution from copepods at 15 m and 50% of the flux at 30 m. At that time, we observed a loss rate of 70% d(-1) of the houses produced in the water column. In the spring, although Fritillaria borealis dominated the appendicularians, its houses did not appear to contribute to the biogenic flux. Our results suggest that oikopleurids and fritillariids may not operate equivalently in biogeochemical cycles. Because of the significant contribution of appendicularians to carbon fluxes, they should be incorporated in future flow models of coastal oceans.
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