Grazing by Talorchestia longicornis on an algal mat in a new England salt marsh

Abstract

Grazing experiments using 14C and an analysis of fecal pellets and gut contents established that the gammaridean amphipod, Talorchestia longicornis Say, ingests blue-green algae on algal mats in a Massachusetts salt marsh. This grazing had a measurable effect on the lower algal mat, where the density of T. longicornis was high. Exclusion of amphipods resulted in increases in chlorophyll a content, carbon incorporation, and nitrogen fixation. This effect was not seen on the upper mat where T. longicornis was less abundant. The assimilation efficiency of T. longicornis feeding on a diet consisting mainly of blue-green algae was surprisingly high (67 %) considering that blue-green algae are usually considered as a poor quality food for herbivores. The population of T. longicornis seems to be annual, with growth of the overwintered juveniles in spring and early summer.