Trophic relationships of deep-sea calanoid copepods from the benthic boundary layer of the Santa Catalina Basin, California
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
1-1-1986
Abstract
Benthopelagic zooplankton were collected and preserved in situ in the benthic boundary layer of the Santa Catalina Basin, using a multiple sampling opening-closing net system attached to the DSRV Alvin. Gut content analysis performed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the majority of benthopelagic calanoid copepods examined were predominantly detritivores. They had ingested detritus and associated bacteria, including metal-precipitating bacteria; no attached enteric bacteria were observed in the copepods' guts. The gut particles indicated generalized feeding and qualitatively resembled material present in the environment at the time of collection, i.e. suspended particles, large fecal pellets, particles from the surface layer of the sediment, and phaeodia of phaeodarian radiolarians. TEM was necessary for identifying some of the amorphous material in copepod guts as either digested tissue or detrital material; some of the amorphous material was unidentifiable even with the resolution of TEM. TEM was also essential for detecting metal-precipitating bacteria and their capsules from the copepod guts and from particles in the water. Because they ingest metal-precipitating bacteria, detritivorous copepods may influence the distribution of metals in the ocean. © 1986.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Deep Sea Research Part A, Oceanographic Research Papers
Volume
33
Issue
7
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Gowing, Marcia M., and Karen F. Wishner. "Trophic relationships of deep-sea calanoid copepods from the benthic boundary layer of the Santa Catalina Basin, California." Deep Sea Research Part A, Oceanographic Research Papers 33, 7 (1986). doi: 10.1016/0198-0149(86)90008-7.