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- Title
The trophic biology of the holothurian Molpadia musculus at 3500m in the Nazaré Canyon (NE Atlantic).
- Authors
Amaro, T.; Bianchelli, S.; Billett, D. S. M.; Cunha, M. R.; Pusceddu, A.; Danovaro, R.
- Abstract
Megafaunal organisms play a key role in the deep-sea ecosystem functioning. At 3500m depth in the Nazaré Canyon, NE Atlantic, very high abundances of the infaunal holothurian Molpadia musculus were found. Sediment samples and holothurians were collected by ROV and experiments were conducted in situ in incubation chambers. The biochemical composition of the sediment (in terms of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids), the holothurians' gut contents and holothurians' faecal material were analysed. In the sediments, proteins were the dominant organic compound, followed by carbohydrates and lipids. In the holothurian gut contents, conversely, protein concentrations were higher than the other compounds and decreased significantly as the material passed through the digestive tract. About 33±1% of the proteins were digested already in the mid gut, with a final digestion rate equal to 67±1%. Carbohydrates and lipids were ingested in smaller amounts and digested with lower efficiencies (23±11% and 50±11%, respectively). As a result, biopolymeric C digestion rate was on average 62±3%. We also calculated that the entire holothurians' population could remove from the sediment about 0.49±0.13 g biopolymeric C and 0.13±0.03 gNm-2 d-1. These results suggest that the M. musculus plays a key role in the benthic tropho-dynamics and biogeochemical processes of the Nazaré Canyon.
- Subjects
ATLANTIC Ocean; SEA cucumbers; SEA cucumber populations; MARINE invertebrate populations; MARINE sediments; COASTAL sediments; PHYSIOLOGY
- Publication
Biogeosciences Discussions, 2010, Vol 7, Issue 2, p3061
- ISSN
1810-6277
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5194/bgd-7-3061-2010