Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1007/s10750-022-05120-3
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Riparian detritus vs. stream detritus: food quality determines fitness of juveniles of the highly endangered freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera)
Author Grunicke, F.; Wagner, A.; von Elert, E.; Weitere, M.; Berendonk, T.
Source Titel Hydrobiologia
Year 2023
Department FLOEK
Volume 850
Page From 729
Page To 746
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10750-022-05120-3/MediaObjects/10750_2022_5120_MOESM1_ESM.eps
https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10750-022-05120-3/MediaObjects/10750_2022_5120_MOESM2_ESM.eps
Keywords Nutritional requirements; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Food quantity; Endangered species; Freshwater mussel
Abstract Detritus is an important energy source of stream food webs. Being a mix of allochthonous and autochthonous sources, it is often unknown, which components contribute to the growth of stream organisms. This study focussed on the comparison of two different detritus types (riparian detritus and stream detritus) with respect to food quality and effects on growth as a fitness parameter of juvenile freshwater pearl mussels (FPM). We performed feeding experiments with juvenile FPM under laboratory conditions using the two detritus types from four different natural sources each. Food quality was determined by analysing the fatty acid composition. Stream detritus (conditioned to stream environment including autochthonous microbes) resulted in significantly higher growth rates of juvenile FPM than predominately terrestrial-based riparian detritus indicating higher food quality. Significantly positive correlations were found between mussel growth and different groups of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). This suggests that especially trace substances such as long-chained n-3 PUFAs and a high ratio of n-3 to n-6 PUFAs enhance the food quality of stream detritus for juvenile FPM. These results highlight the importance of instream conditioning of detritus for the food mix in headwater streams and the importance of PUFAs for the development of juvenile FPM.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=25428
Grunicke, F., Wagner, A., von Elert, E., Weitere, M., Berendonk, T. (2023):
Riparian detritus vs. stream detritus: food quality determines fitness of juveniles of the highly endangered freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera)
Hydrobiologia 850 , 729 - 746 10.1007/s10750-022-05120-3