Feeding ecology of benthic filter-feeders at Potter Cove, an Antarctic coastal ecosystem

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Tatian, Marcos, Sahade, Ricardo Jose, Mercuri, Guillermo, Fuentes, Verónica Lorena, Antacli, Julieta Carolina, Stellfeldt, Alexia, Esnal, Graciela Beatriz
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer
• Subjects: ANTARCTICA; ASSIMILATION; CNEMIDOCARPA VERRUCOSA; COUPLING; FILTER-FEEDER; LATERNULA ELLIPTICA; PARTICLE FLUX; PYURA SETOSA; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1; Antarctic; Potter Cove; Argentino; Argentina; Marcos; Ricardo; Julieta; Antarc*; Antarctica; Dirección Nacional del Antártico; Instituto Antártico Argentino; Polar Biology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11336/99753

A rich benthic filter-feeding community is present at Potter Cove, South Shetland, in spite of some usually unfavorable conditions affecting their feeding ecology, such as low phytoplankton production in summer and high sedimentation rates. However, organic material that could fuel the benthic system, such as macroalgal fragments, was detected in the water-bottom interface year-round. Mean assimilation efficiency of several sizes of macroalgal particles under different inorganic particulate percentages varied between 26-51% in a clam, and 26-72% in two ascidian species. Estimated particle flux (feces) produced by ascidians varied according to species and abundance. The C:N ratio of feces was relatively high. Plasticity and profit from the available food sources contribute to the success of the filter-feeding community in Potter Cove. Fil: Tatian, Marcos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biologica y Ecologica. Cat.de Ecologia Marina; Argentina Fil: Sahade, Ricardo Jose. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biologica y Ecologica. Cat.de Ecologia Marina; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina Fil: Mercuri, Guillermo. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina Fil: Fuentes, Verónica Lorena. Alfred Wegener Institute; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Antacli, Julieta Carolina. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biologica y Ecologica. Cat.de Ecologia Marina; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico ...