Abstract
The influence of the four species of green sponges (Ephydatia muelleri, Heteromeyenia stepanowii, Spongilla fluviatilis, and Spongilla lacustris) on the occurrence of aquatic mycotal species in the water of three four water bodies of different trophy was investigated in this study. Seeds and snake exuviae were used as baits. For the measurement of the primary and extracellular production by symbiotic algae of green sponges and assimilation of those products by mycota, radioactive carbon (14C) was used. A total of 75 mycotal species were found to be growing on the baits. The fewest mycota were noted in the containers in water from oligotrophic Lake HaA„cza; the most in the containers with eutrophic water from River SupraA›l. More mycota were found to grow in the containers with green sponges (Sp) than in the controls (Co) in water from all water bodies. The mean ratio of Sp/Co in green sponges ranged from 2.30 (E. muelleri) to 4.80 (H. stepanowii); in brown colonies (without symbiotic algae) it was 0.90. Mean value of 14C fixation (primary production) in symbiotic algae of Spogilla fluviatilis was 5.67 mg C g-1 dry weight sponge per hour. The effect of green sponges on the abundance of aquatic mycotal species is caused by dissolved organic matter produced during photosynthesis by symbiotic zoochlorellae, a symbionts of green sponges and excreted into the water environment (S. fluviatilis excreted mean 12.8% of carbon fixation). Those excreted organic substances serve as nutrients for aquatic mycota. The mean value of extracellular products assimilated by mycota was 4.96 mg C g-1 dry weight mycelium per hour. Key words: Sponges, symbiotic zoochlorellae, aquatic mycota, interactions, hydrochemistry.
Highlights
The distribution of plant and animal hydrobionts in water ecosystems of a lake type is very variable
Fewer mycotal species were observed in control containers in comparison to the containers with green sponges (Table 4)
The largest number of mycotal species was found in water from eutrophic River Supraśl (38) and smallest in water from oligomesotrophic lake Hańcza (15). 14 species of the mycota were found to grow only in control containers, 36 species in containers with green sponges, and 25 species were isolated in both - controls and sponges containing containers
Summary
The distribution of plant and animal hydrobionts in water ecosystems of a lake type is very variable. Of the limnological lake type, we observe the highest amount of hydrobionts species in litoral. That is why in such lake types the most variable interactions between the species occur (Carpenter, 1998). A dominating form of such interactions is allelopathic activity of some algae species- mainly of some submerged macrophytes (Gross et al, 1996). Important feeding interactions of a type predator-victim, such ones in which the extracellular.
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