Species-specific decomposition rates of beach-cast wrack in Barkley Sound, British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

The fate of subtidally drifting macrophytal detritus after its deposition ashore was studied based on short-term mass loss effects and species composition of beach-cast detritus. Different species of macroalgae and seagrass varied in both physical and microbial decay, as well as faunal decomposition rates. Their preferred status as food for detritivorous amphipods also varied. Thus, beach-cast detritus changed in species composition during detritus aging. Estimated turnover rates, based on daily input rates and mass loss rates, ranged from <1 d for Nereocystis luetkeana, Macrocystis integrifolia and Ulva spp. to roughly 30 d for Fucus spp. and Phyllospadix spp. Thus, the dynamics of nutrient fluxes within the marine-terrestrial ecotone depends not only on the spatial distribution and amount of beach-cast detritus, but also on its species composition.KEY WORDS: Marine-terrestrial ecotone · Beach-cast wrack · Decomposition · Macroalgae · Seagrass · Talitrid amphipods Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

Associations in ephemeral systems: the lack of trophic relationships between sandhoppers and beach wrack

“…Griffiths et al 1983, Adin & Riera 2003, Dugan et al 2003, Crawley et al 2009). There is also some debate as to the role of talitrids in wrack decomposition, with some studies suggesting low sandhopper impact (Inglis 1989, Jędrzejczak 2002) and others suggesting a higher influence, depending on wrack age and species (Mews et al 2006). Historically, stable isotope analysis has helped to distinguish between ingested and assimilated material (Fry & Sherr 1984) and the application of mixing models (e.g.…”

Annual cycle of wrack supply to sandy beaches: effect of the physical environment

“…, Marsden 1991, Dugan et al 2003, Orr et al 2005. Following deposition on the beach as wrack, drift materials are subjected to a variety of processes, including in situ consumption by beach herbivores, microbial degradation, desiccation and export by tides and currents (Griffiths & Stenton-Dozey 1981, Inglis 1989, Jȩ drzejczak 2002, Orr et al 2005, Mews et al 2006. These processes are dependent on the species composition of the wrack (Orr et al 2005, Mews et al 2006.…”

Decomposition dynamics of the wrack of different origin in the black sea sandy littoral

“…Interest in this issue doesn't fall down currently [8]. It is shown that a full range of organisms from bacteria to macrofauna takes part in the process of wrack decomposition.…”

“…Other utilizers of detritus and dissolved OM: crustaceans, insects, birds, etc., including predators [15,16] also populate the decaying algae. The dynamics of food flows in coastal ecotone depends not only on the number of wrack, but also on the constituent species [8].…”

“…Species abundance was low -on average 1.3-2.4 species per sample. Stick-slip nature of the quantitative development of flagellated from their absence to relatively high numbers (8,480 ind.·cm -3 ) was noted. The highest figures were registered on the 35th day of the experiment ( Fig.…”