Feeding selectivities and food niche separation of Acartia clausi, Penilia avirostris (Crustacea) and Doliolum denticulatum (Thaliacea) in Blanes Bay (Catalan Sea, NW Mediterranean)

Abstract

Selectivity-size spectra, clearance and ingestion rates and assimilation efficiencies of Acartia clausi (Copepoda), Penilia avirostris (Cladocera) and Doliolum denticulatum (Doliolida) from Blanes Bay (Catalan Sea, NW Mediterranean) were evaluated in grazing experiments over a wide range of food concentrations (0.02-8.8 mm 3 L -1 plankton assemblages from Blanes Bay, grown in mesocosms at different nutrient levels). Acartia clausi reached the highest grazing coefficients for large algae >70 μm (longest linear extension), P. avirostris for intermediate food sizes between 15 and 70 μm, and D. denticulatum for small sizes from 2.5 to 15 μm. Penilia avirostris and D. denticulatum acted as passive filler-feeders. Acartia clausi gave some evidence for a supplementary raptorial feeding mode. Effective food concentration (EFC) decreased linearly with increasing nutrient enrichment for D. denticulatum and followed domed curves for A. clausi and for P. avirostris with maximum values at intermediate and high enrichment levels, respectively. Clearance rates of crustacean species showed curvilinear responses with narrow modal ranges to increasing food concentration. Clearance rates of D. denticulatum increased abruptly and levelled into a plateau at low food concentrations. Mean clearance rates were 13.9, 25.5 and 64.1 mL ind. -1 day -1 , respectively. No clearance could be detected for A. clausi at food concentrations <0.1 mm 3 L -1 and for P. avirostris at food concentrations <0.02 mm 3 L -1 . Ingestion rates indicate a rectilinear functional response for A. clausi and for P. avirostris and showed a sigmoidal curve for D. denticulatum. Mean ingestion rates were 1.3, 2.8 and 7.7 μg C μg C ind . -1 day -1 , respectively. Conversion of ingested carbon to tissue was 30-80% for the investigated crustaceans and 20-50% for doliolids. Food niche calculations suggest that food niche separation may explain the coexistence of the three species in summer in Blanes Bay.