Éditeur(s) : EDP Sciences
Résumé : The degree to which larvae of the invasive American slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata) and the Japanese oyster (Crassostrea gigas) may compete for food was examined during 2003 in the laboratory. Larval microalgae uptake, growth and mortality were compared for larvae fed each of six species of unicellular algae, ranging in length from 2 to 10 mu m. Tested diets included the two flagellates Tetraselmis chui (Prasinophyceae) and Isochrysis affinis galbana (T-ISO, Haptophyceae), one member of the Chlorophyceae (Nannochloris atomus), and three diatom species (Chaetoceros calcitrans forma pumilum, Chaetoceros gracilis, Skeletonema marino). We found that the limpet larvae ingested phytoplankton over a wider range of cell sizes and ate at higher rates on each diet than did the oyster larvae. For example, oyster larvae consumed 2216 cells h(-1) of N. atomus, while limpet larvae consumed the same phytoplankton cells at approximately twice that rate, 5159 cells h(-1), on the same diet. Larvae of both species grew more quickly on a mixture of flagellates than on any of the diatom alone (12 versus 7 mu m d(-1) for oyster larvae and 41 versus 28 mu m d(-1) for limpet larvae). Our results suggest that in the Bay of Mount Saint-Michel (France, Western Channel), where larvae of both species co-exist in the summer, intensive grazing by limpet larvae can potentially deplete phytoplankton concentrations to cause competition with oyster larvae, particularly for smaller sized phytoplankton species.
Compétition trophique chez les larves de mollusques marins Crepidula fornicata et Crassostrea gigas. En 2003, des expérimentations ont été menées en laboratoire pour évaluer la compétition trophique entre les larves de crépidules (Crepidula fornicata) et celles de l'huître japonaise (Crassostrea gigas). Les taux de consommation, de croissance et de mortalité sont comparés, en alimentant les larves de chaque mollusque avec six espèces d'algues unicellulaires, dont la taille varie de 2 à 10 μm, deux flagellées Tetraselmis chui (Prasinophycée) et Isochrysis affinis galbana (T-ISO, Haptophycée), une chlorophycée Nannochloris atomus, et trois diatomées : Chaetoceros calcitrans forma pumilum, Chaetoceros gracilis et Skeletonema marinoï. Contrairement aux larves d'huîtres, les larves de crépidules consomment toutes les cellules phytoplanctoniques quelles que soient leurs tailles, et ceci, à un taux plusélevé que celui des larves d'huîtres. Ainsi, une larve d'huître consomme 2216 cellules h−1 de N. atomus, tandis que la larve de crépidule en consomme 5159 cellules h−1, soit environ deux fois plus. Ces expériences mettent également en évidence que les larves des deux espèces grandissent plus vite quand elles sont nourries avec le mélange des algues flagellées plutôt qu'avec chacune des espèces de ces mêmes algues (12 contre 7 μm j−1 pour l'huître et 41 contre 28 μm j−1 pour la crépidule). Ainsi, en baie du Mont Saint-Michel (Manche ouest) où les larves des deux espèces apparaissent à la même période estivale, nos résultats suggèrent que la filtration des larves de crépidules abaisse notablement la concentration de phytoplancton, et tout spécialement celle des petites cellules algales, entraînant alors une compétition trophique avec les larves d'huîtres.
Aquatic Living Resources (0990-7440) (EDP Sciences), 2008-04 , Vol. 21 , N. 2 , P. 197-205

Droits : EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD 2008
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2008/publication-4703.pdf
DOI:10.1051/alr:2008025
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/4703/

Éditeur(s) : Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd
Résumé : Scientific fisheries surveys routinely identify a large diversity of commercial and non-commercial benthic megainvertebrates that could provide useful information for Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) descriptors. Species is obviously the basic taxonomic level to which most ecological studies and theories refer. Identification at this level of organization is indeed always preferred over any other taxonomic level. Nevertheless, aggregation of species to higher taxonomic levels may be unavoidable sometimes, since errors of identification are known or suspected to occur in many surveys. Using analyses of taxonomic sufficiency (identification of organisms at various taxonomic resolutions) and groups of morphospecies (taxa identified easily by non-experts on the basis of evident morphological traits), this study aims to quantify the loss of ecological information incurred by partial identification of benthic megafauna in bottom trawl surveys in order to put such data to good use. The analyses were conducted on five scientific surveys representing a large range of geographical areas (from 150 km2 to 150 000 km2) and environmental conditions. Results show that genus, family and, particularly, morphospecies are good surrogates for species identification in community analyses. We suggest that bottom trawl surveys can provide reliable megafauna data that may usefully complete those obtained by grab surveys. The use of morphospecies could lead to new strategies, combining different datasets to provide indicators for MSFD descriptors (e.g. D6).
Continental Shelf Research (0278-4343) (Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd), 2014-01 , Vol. 72 , P. 1-9

Droits : 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00162/27309/25538.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.csr.2013.10.015
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00162/27309/