Biomass-specific respiration rates of benthic meiofauna: Demonstrating a novel oxygen micro-respiration system

Moodley, Leon; Steyaert, M.; Epping, Eric; Middelburg, Jack J.; Vincx, Magda; Avesaath, P. van; Moens, Tom; Soetaert, Karline

doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2007.12.025

Cited by 21 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…going from oxic to suboxic conditions. For oxic conditions [230 µmol O 2 l −1 ], the respiration rates (R max _day (100%), Table 1) have already been reported in [30] and fall within the range reported for meiofauna at similar temperature [18]–[23]. During the incubation, [O 2 ] slowly drops in the micro-chambers due to respiration.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 78%

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Meiofauna Metabolism in Suboxic Sediments: Currently Overestimated

et al. 2013

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Oxygen is recognized as a structuring factor of metazoan communities in marine sediments. The importance of oxygen as a controlling factor on meiofauna (32 µm-1 mm in size) respiration rates is however less clear. Typically, respiration rates are measured under oxic conditions, after which these rates are used in food web studies to quantify the role of meiofauna in sediment carbon turnover. Sediment oxygen concentration ([O2]) is generally far from saturated, implying that (1) current estimates of the role of meiofauna in carbon cycling may be biased and (2) meiofaunal organisms need strategies to survive in oxygen-stressed environments. Two main survival strategies are often hypothesized: 1) frequent migration to oxic layers and 2) morphological adaptation. To evaluate these hypotheses, we (1) used a model of oxygen turnover in the meiofauna body as a function of ambient [O2], and (2) performed respiration measurements at a range of [O2] conditions. The oxygen turnover model predicts a tight coupling between ambient [O2] and meiofauna body [O2] with oxygen within the body being consumed in seconds. This fast turnover favors long and slender organisms in sediments with low ambient [O2] but even then frequent migration between suboxic and oxic layers is for most organisms not a viable strategy to alleviate oxygen limitation. Respiration rates of all measured meiofauna organisms slowed down in response to decreasing ambient [O2], with Nematoda displaying the highest metabolic sensitivity for declining [O2] followed by Foraminifera and juvenile Gastropoda. Ostracoda showed a behavioral stress response when ambient [O2] reached a critical level. Reduced respiration at low ambient [O2] implies that meiofauna in natural, i.e. suboxic, sediments must have a lower metabolism than inferred from earlier respiration rates conducted under oxic conditions. The implications of these findings are discussed for the contribution of meiofauna to carbon cycling in marine sediments.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Detailed methodology can be found in [30], but briefly consists of the following. The micro-chambers had a very small built-in fluorescent oxygen sensor spot (Presens, Germany), where oxygen acts as a dynamic fluorescence quencher of a luminophore in a polymer matrix.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meiofauna Metabolism in Suboxic Sediments: Currently Overestimated

et al. 2013

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“…Moreover, both within (Moens et al. 1999) and across (Moodley et al. 2008) trophic and taxonomic groups of meiofauna, measured respiration rates indeed exhibit a strong proportionality to biomass.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Respiration partitioning in contrasting subtidal sediments: seasonality and response to a spring phytoplankton deposition

et al. 2010

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Biomass and respiration rates of bacteria, nematodes and macrobenthos were estimated in relation to the deposition of the spring phytoplankton bloom at two contrasting sites in the Southern North Sea: one with fine-grained sediment close to the coastline and another with highly permeable sediments. Sediment community oxygen consumption (SCOC) was also measured. Bacterial biomass was relatively similar at both stations, whereas nematode and macrobenthic biomass were higher in fine-grained sediment. In fine sediments, bacterial biomass increased quickly after deposition of the phytoplankton bloom, whereas the response of nematodes and macrobenthos was delayed. In coarser sediments, nematodes and macrobenthos also showed a fast response in terms of density and biomass. Respiration in permeable sediments was mainly dominated by bacteria at all periods of the year. Hence, nematode and macrobenthic respiration did not contribute strongly to SCOC. This is in contrast to the patterns observed in finer sediments, where both macrofauna and nematodes were important oxygen consumers as well. Macrobenthos contributed more to total SCOC than did nematodes in winter. However, shortly after the arrival of phytodetritus at the sea floor, nematodes and macrobenthos contributed equally to the total SCOC, indicating that all benthic size classes should be taken into account when investigating marine benthic respiration rates

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“…Having said that, ex situ feeding experiments are feasible, and controls for indirect label uptake are possible, whereas developments in polarographic electrode and particularly optode technology now allow accurate measurements of respiration on batches of only a small number of specimens (Moens et al 1996, Moodley et al 2008. This is certainly not the case.…”

Section: Marine Nematodes and Energy Flowmentioning

confidence: 99%