Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-ws8qp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T16:21:38.865Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Observations on the Feeding Ecology of Estuarine Nematodes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Tom Moens
Affiliation:
Department of Morphology, Systematics and Ecology, Marine Biology Section, University of Gent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
Magda Vincx
Affiliation:
Department of Morphology, Systematics and Ecology, Marine Biology Section, University of Gent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium

Extract

Observations on living estuarine nematodes show that previous feeding type classifications do not accurately represent the trophic structure of an intertidal mudflat in the Westerschelde Estuary (Netherlands). A new scheme with six major nematode feeding guilds is proposed: (1) microvores; (2) ciliate feeders; and (3) deposit feeders sensu stricto are all nematodes without a distinct buccal armature. In the first two groups bacteria and protozoa, respectively are the major particulate food sources, while other items are included in the diet of the third. The three other categories are recognized among the nematodes with a buccal armature: (4) epigrowth feeders; (5) facultative predators; and (6) predators. Diatoms and other microalgae are an important particulate food for many epigrowth feeders. The importance of bacteria as a food source for these nematodes remains poorly documented. A strictly or mainly predatory behaviour has been described for only few species from the study area. Several nematodes, however, are facultative predators. The predatory strategy of Calyptronema maxweberi, as described in this paper, suggests the use of a paralysing or lethal secretion in prey capture, which, to our knowledge, is the first report for aquatic nematodes. Furthermore, the importance of sources other than particulate food in free-living aquatic nematodes is stressed. Our observations show that many aquatic nematodes are in fact opportunistic feeders, which may change feeding strategies in response to available food.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alongi, D.M. & Tietjen, J.H., 1980. Population growth and trophic interactions among free-living marine nematodes. In Marine benthic dynamics (ed. K.R., Tenore and B.C., Coull), pp. 151166. Columbia: University South Carolina Press.Google Scholar
Bett, B.J. & Moore, C.G., 1988. The taxonomy and biology of a new species Pontonema (Nematoda, Oncholaimidae) dominant in organically polluted sublittoral sediments around Scotland, with a review of the genus. Journal of Natural History, 22, 13631377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bongers, T., Alkemade, R. & Yeates, G.W., 1991. Interpretation of disturbance-induced maturity decrease in marine nematode assemblages by means of the Maturity Index. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 76, 135142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boucher, G., 1973. Premières données écologiques sur les nématodes libres marins d'une station de vase cótière de Banyuls. Vie et Milieu. Série B, 23, 69100.Google Scholar
Bouwman, L.A., 1983. Systematics, ecology and feeding biology of estuarine nematodes. BOEDE (Biologisch Onderzoek Ems-Dollard Estuarium). Publicaties en Verslagen 3.Google Scholar
Bouwman, L. A., Romeyn, K., Kremer, D.R. & Es, F.B. Van, 1984. Occurrence and feeding biology of some nematode species in estuarine communities. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 25, 287303.Google Scholar
Cheng, A.C., Lu, N.C., Briggs, G.M. & Stokstad, E.L.R., 1979. Effect of particulate materials on population growth of the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, New York, 160, 203207.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chia, F.S. & Warwick, R.M., 1969. Assimilation of labelled glucose from seawater by marine nematodes. Nature, London, 224, 720721.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cobb, N.A., 1932. Metoncholaimus pristiurus (ZUR STRASSEN); a nematode suitable for use in laboratory courses in zoology. journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, 20, 344354.Google Scholar
Decho, A.W., 1990. Microbial exopolymer secretions in ocean environments: their role(s) in food webs and marine processes. Oceanography and Marine Biology. Annual Review. London, 28, 73153.Google Scholar
Decho, A.W. & Lopez, G.R., 1992. Exopolymer microenvironments of microbial flora: multiple and interactive effects on trophic relationships. Limnology and Oceanography, 38, 16331645.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Decho, A.W. & Moriarty, D.J., 1990. Bacterial exopolymer utilization by a harpacticoid copepod: a methodology and results. Limnology and Oceanography, 35, 10391049.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deutsch, A., 1978. Gut structure and digestive physiology of two marine nematodes, Chromadorina germanica, Biitschli, 1874, and Diplolaimella sp. Biological Bulletin. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, 155, 317335.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferris, V.R. & Ferris, J.M., 1979. Thread worms (Nematoda). In Pollution ecology of estuarine environments (ed. C.W., Hart and S.L.H., Fuller), pp. 133. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Fitter, R. & Manuel, R., 1986, Collins field guide to freshwater life. London: Collins.Google Scholar
Grewal, P.S. & Wright, D.J., 1992. Migration of Caenorhabditis elegans (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) larvae towards bacteria and the nature of the bacterial stimulus. Fundamental and Applied Nematology, 15, 159166.Google Scholar
Heip, C., Smol, N. & Absillis, V., 1978. Influence of temperature on the reproductive potential of Oncholaimus oxyuris (Nematoda, Oncholaimdae). Marine Biology, 45, 255260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heip, C., Vincx, M. & Vranken, G., 1985. The ecology of marine nematodes. Oceanography and Marine Biology. Annual Review. London, 23, 399489.Google Scholar
Heip, C., Vincx, M., Smol, N. & Vranken, G., 1982. The systematics and ecology of free-living nematodes. Helminthological Abstracts Series B, Plant Nematology, 51, 131.Google Scholar
Hellwig-Armonies, M., Armonies, W. & Lorenzen, S., 1991. The diet of Enoplus brevis (Nematoda) in a supralittoral salt marsh of the North Sea. Helgoldnder Meeresuntersuchungen, 45, 357372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hopper, B.E. & Meyers, S.P., 1966. Observations on the bionomics of the marine nematode, Metoncholaimus sp. Nature, London, 209, 899900.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hopper, B.E. & Meyers, S.P., 1967. Population studies on benthic nematodes within a subtropical seagrass community. Marine Biology, 1, 8596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jennings, J.B. & Colam, J.B., 1970. Gut struture, digestive physiology and food storage in Pontonema vulgaris (Nematoda: Enoplida). Journal of Zoology, 161, 211221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jennings, J.B. & Deutsch, A., 1975. Occurrence and possible adaptive significance of β-glucuronidase and arylamidase (Leucine aminopeptidase) activity in two species of marine nematodes. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 52A, 611614.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jensen, P., 1981. Species distribution and a microhabitat theory for marine mud dwelling Comesomatidae (Nematoda) in European waters. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 22, 231241.Google Scholar
Jensen, P., 1982. Diatom-feeding behaviour of the free-living marine nematode Chromadorita tenuis. Nematologica, 28, 7176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jensen, P., 1986. Nematode fauna in the sulphide-rich brine seep and adjacent bottoms of the East Flower Garden, NW Gulf of Mexico. IV. Ecological aspects. Marine Biology, 92, 489503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jensen, P., 1987a. Feeding ecology of free-living aquatic nematodes. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 35, 187196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jensen, P., 1987b. Differences in microhabitat, abundance, biomass and body size between oxybiotic and thiobiotic free-living marine nematodes. Oecologia, 71, 564567.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jonge, V.N. De & Bouwman, L.A., 1977. A simple density separation technique for quantitative isolation of meiobenthos using the colloidal silica Ludox-TM. Marine Biology, 42, 143148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, J., 1993. The temporal variability of free-living nematodes in a brackish tidal flat of the Westerschelde with emphasis on the use of an ecological model. PhD thesis, State University of Gent, Belgium.Google Scholar
Lopez, G., Riemann, F. & Schrage, M., 1979. Feeding biology of the brackish-water Oncholaimid nematode Adoncholaimus thalassophygas. Marine Biology, 54, 311318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lorenzen, S., Prein, M. & Valentin, C., 1987. Mass aggregations of the free-living marine nematode Pontonema vulgare (Oncholaimidae) in organically polluted fjords. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 37, 2734.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meyers, S.P. & Hopper, B.E., 1966. Attraction of the marine nematode Metoncholaimus sp., to fungal substrates. Bulletin of Marine Science, 16, 142150.Google Scholar
Meyers, S.P. & Hopper, B.E., 1973. Nematological-microbial interrelationships and estuarine biodegradative processes. In Estuarine microbial ecology (ed. L.M., Stevenson and R.R., Colwell), pp. 484489. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.Google Scholar
Meyers, S.P., Hopper, B.E. & Cefalu, R., 1970. Ecological investigations of the marine nematode Metoncholaimus scissus. Marine Biology, 6, 4347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Montagna, P.A., 1984. Competition for dissolved glucose between meiobenthos and sediment microbes. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 76, 177190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nehring, S., 1992a. Die Vegetarier unter den freilebenden Nematoden. 1. Die Aufwuchsfresser. Mikrokosmos, 81, 135140.Google Scholar
Nehring, S., 1992b. Die Vegetarier unter den freilebenden Nematoden. 2. Die Depositfresser. Mikrokosmos, 81, 260266.Google Scholar
Nuß, B., 1985. Ultrastrukturuntersuchungen zur Nahrungsabsorption von Aquatischen Nematoden. Veröffentlichungen des Institut für Meeresforschungen in Bremerhaven, 21, 169.Google Scholar
Perkins, E.J., 1958. The food relationships of the microbenthos with particular reference to that found at Whitstable, Kent. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 13, 6477.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Platt, H.M. & Warwick, R.M., 1983. Free-living marine nematodes. Part I. British enoplids. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Prein, M., 1988. Evidence for a scavenging lifestyle in the free-living Nematode Pontonema vulgare (Enoplida, Oncholaimidae). Kieler Meeresforschungen, 6, 389394.Google Scholar
Rasmussen, E., 1973. Systematics and ecology of the Isefjord marine fauna (Denmark) with a survey of the ecology of the eelgrass (Zostera) vegetation and its communities. Ophelia, 11, 1495.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riemann, F., 1986. Berichte der Abteilungen: Nematodenkunde. Veröffentlichungen des Institut Meeresforschungen in Bremerhaven, 21, 195201.Google Scholar
Riemann, F., Ernst, W. & Ernst, R., 1990. Acetate uptake from ambient water by the free-living marine nematode Adoncholaimus thalassophygas. Marine Biology, 104, 453457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riemann, F. & Schrage, M., 1978. The mucus-trap hypothesis on feeding of aquatic nematodes and implications for biodegradation and sediment texture. Oecologia, 34, 7588.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Riemann, F. & Schrage, M., 1988. Carbon dioxide as an attractant for the free-living marine nematode Adoncholaimus thalassophygas. Marine Biology, 98, 8185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romeyn, K. & Bouwman, L.A., 1983. Food selection and consumption by estuarine nematodes. Hydrobiological Bulletin, 17, 103109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romeyn, K., Bouwman, L.A. & Admiraal, W., 1983. Ecology and cultivation of the herbivorous brackish-water nematode Eudiplogaster paramatus. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 12, 145153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sikora, J.P., Sikora, W.B., Erkenbrecher, C. W. & Coull, B.C., 1977. Significance of ATP, carbon and caloric content of meiobentic nematodes in partitioning benthic biomass. Marine Biology, 44, 714.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smol, N., Huys, R. & Vincx, M. 1991. A 4-years’ analysis of the meiofauna community of a dumping site for TiO2-waste off the Dutch coast. Chemistry and Ecology, 5, 197215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Surey-Gent, S.C., 1981. Distribution of Anoplostoma vivipanim (Nematoda) in Southampton Water sediments. Marine Biology, 62, 157160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thistle, D., Lambshead, P.J.D. & Sherman, K.M., 1995. Nematode tail-shape groups respond to environmental differences in the deep-sea. Vie et Milieu, 45, 107115.Google Scholar
Tietjen, J.H. & Lee, J.J., 1973. Life-history and feeding habits of the marine nematode Chromadora macrolaimoides Steiner. Oecologia, 12, 303314.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tietjen, J.H. & Lee, J.J., 1975. Axenic culture and uptake of dissolved organic substances by the marine nematode, Rhabditis marina Bastian. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 16, 685693.Google Scholar
Tietjen, J.H., Lee, J.J., Rullman, J., Greengart, A. & Trompeter, J., 1970. Gnotobiotic culture and physiological ecology of the marine nematode Rhabditis marina Bastian. Limnology and Oceanography, 15, 535543.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trotter, D.B. & Webster, J.M., 1984. Feeding preferences and seasonality of free-living marine nematodes inhabiting the kelp Macrocystis integrifolia. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 14, 151—157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vincx, M., 1989. Free-living marine nematodes from the southern bight of the North Sea. Academiae Analecta, Klasse Wetenschappen, 51, 3970.Google Scholar
Vincx, M. et al., 1994. Meiobenthos of the deep northeast Atlantic. Advances in Marine Biology, 30, 188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Von Thun, W., 1968. Antokolgische Untersuchungen anfreilebenden Nematoden des Brackwassers. PhD thesis, Universität Kiel.Google Scholar
Vranken, G. & Heip, C., 1985. Aspects of the life-cycle of free-living marine nematodes. In Progress in Belgian oceanographic research (ed. R., Van Grieken and R., Wollast), pp. 267278.: University of Antwerp.Google Scholar
Wieser, W., 1953. Die Beziehung zwischen Mundhöhlengestalt, Ernährungsweise und Vorkommen bei freilebenden marinen Nematoden. Eine skologisen-morphologische studie. Arkiv für Zoologie, 4, 439484.Google Scholar
Wieser, W., 1960. Benthic studies in Buzzards Bay. II. The meiofauna. Limnology and Oceanography, 5, 121137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yeates, G.W., 1970. Studies on laboratory cultures of dune sand nematodes. journal of Natural History, 4, 119136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yeates, G.W., 1987. Nematode feeding and activity: the importance of development stages. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 3, 143146.Google Scholar
Yeates, G.W., Bongers, T., De Goede, R.G.M., Freckman, D.W. & Georgieva, S.S., 1993. Feeding habits in soil nematode families and genera: an outline for soil ecologists. Journal of Nematology, 25, 315331.Google ScholarPubMed