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- Title
Benthic cyanobacterial mats serve as a refuge and food for the amphipod Gammarus fasciatus.
- Authors
Lévesque, David; Cattaneo, Antonella; Hudon, Christiane
- Abstract
We investigated the ecological role of Lyngbya wollei (Farlow ex Gomont, comb. nov.) cyanobacterial mats in aquatic ecosystems, especially as a food source and shelter for the amphipod Gammarus fasciatus (Say). For this, we offered amphipods a choice between mats of L. wollei and either chlorophytes ( Spirogyra, Rhizoclonium) or an artificial mat made of acrylic wool in laboratory experiment. Moreover, we reconstructed in situ amphipod diet using a dual isotope mixing model (δC and δN). G. fasciatus consistently selected the substratum offering the best light refuge (Acrylic > Lyngbya = Rhizoclonium > Spirogyra). Neither the presence/absence of saxitoxins, nor the tissue elemental composition and epiphyte abundance exerted any significant effect on substratum choice. L. wollei and its epiphytes constituted 36 and 24%, respectively, of the in situ diet of G. fasciatus, whereas chlorophytes, macrophytes, and associated epiphytes represented a less important fraction of its diet. Benthic cyanobacterial mats should be considered a good shelter and food source for small omnivorous invertebrates such as amphipods.
- Subjects
GAMMARUS fasciatus; CYANOBACTERIA; AMPHIPODA; FOOD chains; SAXITOXIN
- Publication
Hydrobiologia, 2015, Vol 758, Issue 1, p171
- ISSN
0018-8158
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10750-015-2288-z