Details zur Publikation

Kategorie Textpublikation
Referenztyp Zeitschriften
DOI 10.3390/microorganisms10010182
Lizenz creative commons licence
Titel (primär) Morpho-functional traits reveal differences in size fractionated phytoplankton communities but do not significantly affect zooplankton grazing
Autor Titocci, J.; Bon, M.; Fink, P. ORCID logo
Quelle Microorganisms
Erscheinungsjahr 2022
Department ASAM; FLOEK
Band/Volume 10
Heft 1
Seite von art. 182
Sprache englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/1/182/s1
Keywords food web interactions; selectivity; freshwater zooplankton; phytoplankton; size fractionation; traits; geometrical shapes; community structure
Abstract The recent emergence of approaches based on functional traits allows a more comprehensive evaluation of the role of functions and interactions within communities. As phytoplankton size and shape are the major determinants of its edibility to herbivores, alteration or loss of some morpho-functional phytoplankton traits should affect zooplankton grazing, fitness and population dynamics. Here, we investigated the response of altered phytoplankton morpho-functional trait distribution to grazing by zooplankton with contrasting food size preferences and feeding behaviors. To test this, we performed feeding trials in laboratory microcosms with size-fractionated freshwater phytoplankton (3 size classes, >30 µm; 5–30 µm and <5 µm) and two different consumer types: the cladoceran Daphnia longispina, (generalist unselective filter feeder) and the calanoid copepod Eudiaptomus sp. (selective feeder). We observed no significant changes in traits and composition between the controls and grazed phytoplankton communities. However, community composition and structure varied widely between the small and large size fractions, demonstrating the key role of size in structuring natural phytoplankton communities. Our findings also highlight the necessity to combine taxonomy and trait-based morpho-functional approaches when studying ecological dynamics in phytoplankton-zooplankton interactions.
dauerhafte UFZ-Verlinkung https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=25603
Titocci, J., Bon, M., Fink, P. (2022):
Morpho-functional traits reveal differences in size fractionated phytoplankton communities but do not significantly affect zooplankton grazing
Microorganisms 10 (1), art. 182 10.3390/microorganisms10010182