Sulfide detoxification and tolerance in Nereis (Hediste) diversicolor and Nereis (Neanthes) virens (Annelida. Polychaeta)

ABSTRACT-The behavioural response (ventilation rate, duration of ventilation bursts, length of pauses between ventilation bursts) of 3 closely related nereid polychaetes (Nereis virens, N. diversicolor and N. succinea) to various levels of sulfide exposure was investigated during spring and summer of 1992. The response to HS-was species specific. N. virens reacted strongly to HS-by increasing the duration of ventilation bursts. Duration of rest periods was affected less severely while ventilation fa~led to show any significant vanation. The behavioural response of N. diversicolor did not show much variation under HS-exposure. The only significant response was a decreased duration of rest periods at high HS-concentration. The type of reaction displayed by N. succinea was similar to the response of N. virens, although less pronounced. N. diversicolor removed most HS-from the burrow in less than 10 rnin due to the generally high ventilation rate of this species. The slow removal of H S by the other 2 species is caused by a slower response and lower ventilation rate. The shape of the H S efflux curve indicated that changes in the response during exposure are important in N. virens and substantiate a possible toxic effect of HS-N. diversicolor displayed the fastest recuperation following HS-exposure (restored ventilation behaviour). For all species, time of recuperation increased with increasing sulfide concentration.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural response of three nereid polychaetes to injection of sulfide inside burrows

Miron¹,

Kristensen²

1993

“…The only species that seem to benefit from algal cover are the tubificid oligochaetes and Nereis diversicolor. N. diversicolor is known to be tolerant to hypoxia and sulfide (Vismann 1990), and so are tubificid oligochaetes (Dubilier et al 1994), which, in addition, exhibit opportunistic life history traits. Although not increasing in abundance, they were Important to community structure by the end of the experiment.…”

Section: Population Responses To Algal Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population responses of coastal zoobenthos to stress induced by drifting algal mats

Norkko¹,

Bonsdorff²

1996

174

In the large archipelago area of the northern Baltic Sea, increasing occurrences of drifting benthic macroalgae have been recorded in the subtidal zone. Their role as a structuring factor on the zoobenthic community has been altered from inducing occasional small-scale disturbances to inducing large-scale mortality of macrobenthic populations. A controlled field experiment was conducted on a sandy bottom in order to test for temporal responses of benthlc invertebrate populations to severe stress imposed by the algal mats. Algae corresponding to amounts recorded in the field were enclosed In netbags and attached to the bottom. Population abundance of the zoobenthic species under algae were compared w~t h control plots for 5 ivk with weekly sanipl~ng. Mass~ve die-offs of benthic populatlons were recorded in both the experiment and under natural occurrences of drift algal mats. The community dominants in abundance (mudsnails Hydrobia spp.) and biomass (bivalve Macoma balthica) exhibited strong population reductions after 9 d of algal stress. Within 5 wk, populat~on crashes were recorded for the sedentary po1ychaett.s Manayunkia aestuanna and Pygosplo elegans, ivh~le populations of the errant polychaete Nereis diverslcolor and tubificid oligochaetes remained stable under the algal mats. Initial short-term recovery after the algae were removed was rapid and do~nlnated by Hydrobia spp. The strong negative effects on key species such as M. balthica may have severe effects on entire food-web dynamics in Baltic coastal ecosystems.

“…However, there is little work on the direct role of sulfide in the distribution patterns or population dynamics of benthic animals. Recently, Vismann (1990) showed that different capacities of HS-detoxification could explain the distribution of the nereids Nereis virens and N. diversicolor in the same area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing the distribution of nereid polychaetes: the sulfide aspect

Miron¹,

Kristensen²

1993

A study of the spatial distribution of 3 species of nereid polychaetes (Nereis wrens N d~verslcolorand N succjnea) was conducted during fall 1991 in Danish estuarine waters Results from fleld data (Kertemlnde Fjord/Kertlnge Nor and Norsminde Fiord) suggested that pore water sulfide (HS-) acts on the dlstnbution of these species N virens was conflned to low-sulfidic areas (<50 uM) while N succ~nea was found in hlgh-sulfldic sedlnlents (from 50 to 2000 PM) N diverslcolor on the other hand, showed a broader distrlbutlon w~t h respect to pore water sulflde Complementary tank experiments Indicated that all 3 specles preferred non-sulfid~c sediments In allopatry, whereas N diversicolor was excluded from the non-sulfldlc compartment of tanks In sympatry with each of the other 2 species Mortality rates Indicated that N virens was the least sulfide-tolerant species whereas the other species showed some sort of adaptation with respect to pore water sulfide Tank expenments and coexistence coefficients from field data indicated that interspecific competltlon IS an important determinant of nereid dlstnbution patterns particularly for populations of N diversicolor Field data and results from laboratory tank experiments suggest that N succlnea is closely associated wlth mussel beds