Sand-dollar mellita quinquiesperforata (Leske) burrow trails: sites of harpacticoid disturbance and nematode attraction

Reidenauer, Jeffrey A.

doi:10.1016/0022-0981(89)90165-2

Cited by 22 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Positive or negative effects of other macrofauna species on meiofauna in sediments have been reported by e.g. Federle et al (1983), Dye & Lasiak (19861, Warwick et al (1986), Dobbs & Guckert (1988, DePatra & Levin (1989) and Reidenauer (1989).…”

Section: Effect Of Macrofaunamentioning

confidence: 72%

Meiofauna of an experimental soft bottom ecosystem - effects of macrofauna and cadmium exposure

Sundelin¹,

Elmgren²

1991

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The effects of macrofauna (the amphipod Pontoporeia affinis) and of exposure to cadmium at 0 (control) and ca 5, 50 and 150 pg 1-' on a meiofauna population were studied in s m d , flow-through laboratory microcosms. Meiofauna was derived from a soft sediment benthos community, typical below the therrnochne in the northern Baltic proper (salinity 6 to 8 %). In a first expenment (265 d) subadult amphipods were added, while in a second experiment (460 d) both juveniles and subadults were included. After 265 d at natural field amphipod densities total meiofauna abundance was lower than in control experiments without amphipods. This was due mostly to lower nematode abundance, but also to fewer ostracods. In contrast, non-nematode meiofauna, in particular Turbellaria and harpacticoids, increased in the presence of amphipods. Effects of cadmium exposure on the meiofauna could thus be due either to drect toxicity, or to changes in macrofauna1 abundance or activlty caused by cadmium. Sedlment cadmium concentration was a highly significant function of cadmium concentration in the Input water. Dose-response relationships with sediment cadmium concentration as the Independent variable were significantly negative in the presence of amphipods at 105 d for the abundance of nonnematode meiofauna and Turbellaria and for the biomass of non-nematode meiofauna and of total meiofauna, and at 265 d for ostracod abundance, harpacticoid abundance, total meiofauna biomass and biomass of non-nematode meiofauna. At 265 d in the absence of amphipods, a significant negative dose-response relationship was found for nematode abundance and a positive relationship for turbellanan abundance. Significant negative dose-response relationships were also obtained in the second experiment (460 d , with amphlpods) for total meiofauna abundance and biomass, non-nematode biomass, nematode abundance, ostracod abundance and turbellarian abundance. Overall, ostracods were found particularly sensitive to cadmium exposure, while Turbellana and monothalamous Forarmnifera sometimes increased in cadmium-dosed microcosms, presumably due to reduced competition or predation. The microcosm system tested was found suitable for long-term experiments, and could maintain a near-natural density of meiofauna and P, affinis for over 1 yr. Such long-term experiments demonstrated effects of cadmium even at a concentrahon as low as 6 pg 1 -l , in the presence of sediment.

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Section: Effect Of Macrofaunamentioning

confidence: 72%

Meiofauna of an experimental soft bottom ecosystem - effects of macrofauna and cadmium exposure

Sundelin¹,

Elmgren²

1991

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Numerous studies indicate that predation and sediment disturbance caused by individual species can affect associated macrobenthic and meiobenthic community structure and diversity (e.g. Reise 1977, 1979, White et al 1980, Caste1 1984, Warwick et al 1986, 1990a, Reidenauer 1989, Hall et al 1991, 61af-sson & Elmgren 1991, Posey et al 1991, dlafsson et al 1993, Aarnio et al 1998, Austen & Widdi.combe 1998. These individual species can have disproportionate effects on community structure in relation to their abundance or biomass.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of biological disturbance on diversity and structure of meiobenthic nematode communities

Austen¹,

Widdicombe²,

Villano-Pitacco³

1998

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Benthic mesocosm experiments have shown that subtidal macrofauna species with contrasting feedlng behaviour and mobility can alter the structure of natural subtidal meiobenthic nematode assemblages. Test macrofauna species were the bivalves Nuculoma tenuis (subsurface-deposit feeder) and Abra alba (surface-deposiWsuspension feeder) at 3 different densities and the heart urchin Brissopsis lyrifera (subsurface burrowing deposit feeder) at a single density. a and P nematode diversity were affected by disturbance of different intensities in the bivalve treatments in a way that is consistent with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis regardless of type of disturbance. These measures of community structure did not differentiate between contrasting types of disturbance. Multivariate community analysis indicated that the species response in the assemblage was more sensitive to the type of disturbance than the intensity of disturbance. Differential responses of the nematode species did not reflect their depth distribution in natural field sediment and the likely depth at which the test macrofauna species were active. Nor was the response simply a predator-prey interaction with certain species targeted by the predator; the interactions appear to be more complex. Our experimental results suggest that patches of sediment which are dominated by hlgh abundances or biomass of one or a few species, a situat~on which is encountered in the field, are important in maintaining regional diversity. These patches will create a heterogeneous mosaic of communities with different diversities and different species compositions

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“…The main physical impacts of sand dollars on sediments include size-sorting of sediment grains (Bell & Frey 1969), extensive reworking of surficial sediments (Salsman & Tolbert 1965, Stanley & James 1971, Sisson et al 2002 and an increase in the zone of oxidized sediments (Findlay & White 1983). Biologic impacts include significant alterations to infaunal community structure including population impacts on foraminifera (Findlay & White 1983), harpacticoid copepods (Creed & Coull 1984, Reidenauer 1989 and nematodes (Creed & Coull 1984), as well as the microbial community (Findlay & White 1983). The present study indicates that Mellita tenuis impacts the community by sorting sediments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…m -2 ; Salsman & Tolbert 1965) in nearshore sediments around the world. While often considered relatively immobile, this can be a misconception as some species may move through sediments at 1 to 15 cm h -1 (Findlay & White 1983) and may disrupt up to 14% of the upper sediment surface per hour (Reidenauer 1989). Despite the potential that sand dollars have to impact nearshore environments, this topic has received relatively little attention.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of sand grain crushing in the sand dollar Mellita tenuis (Echinoidea: Echinodermata)

Challener¹,

Miller²,

Furbish³

et al. 2009

Aquat. Biol.

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Sand dollars in the genus Mellita have been postulated to use their teeth to crush sediments comprised of quartz. If so, sand dollars may have a greater impact on nearshore siliciclastic environments than generally thought. The present study compared the size distributions of quartz grains in the guts and immediate habitat of the common sand dollar Mellita tenuis in summer and winter in Port Saint Joseph Bay, Florida. In both seasons, sand dollars had significantly greater frequencies of the smaller size classes of grains in their guts. The hypothesis that sand dollars crushed quartz sand grains with their teeth was evaluated using light microscopy. We compared the degree of angularity of ingested grains with those collected from surrounding sediments. Among 6 individuals examined (3 in summer and 3 in winter), only half (2 in summer and 1 in winter) had guts containing more angular grains than those in the surrounding sediments. A comparison of more angular grains isolated from sand dollar guts with artificially broken grains using scanning electron microscopy indicated that gut-derived grains lacked freshly broken surfaces. In a laboratory study, after 72 h of feeding upon quartz sediments with the smallest size classes (< 250 µm) removed, sand dollar guts were full but contained only trace amounts of sediments < 250 µm. We conclude that the smaller size classes of grains found in the guts of M. tenuis are not the result of grain breakage. Rather, grains are selected pre-or post-ingestion, perhaps to optimize the surface to volume ratio of particles so as to maximize ingestion of microbial films that coat sand grains.

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Sand-dollar mellita quinquiesperforata (Leske) burrow trails: sites of harpacticoid disturbance and nematode attraction

Cited by 22 publications

References 20 publications

Meiofauna of an experimental soft bottom ecosystem - effects of macrofauna and cadmium exposure

Meiofauna of an experimental soft bottom ecosystem - effects of macrofauna and cadmium exposure

Effects of biological disturbance on diversity and structure of meiobenthic nematode communities

Evaluation of sand grain crushing in the sand dollar Mellita tenuis (Echinoidea: Echinodermata)

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