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Sources of suspended organic matter and selective feeding by zooplankton in an estuarine mangrove ecosystem, as traced by stable isotopes
Bouillon, S.; Mohan, P.C.; Sreenivas, N.; Dehairs, F.A. (2000). Sources of suspended organic matter and selective feeding by zooplankton in an estuarine mangrove ecosystem, as traced by stable isotopes. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 208: 79-92. dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps208079
In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. Inter-Research: Oldendorf/Luhe. ISSN 0171-8630; e-ISSN 1616-1599
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
    Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Open access 98270 [ download pdf ]
Keywords
    Angiosperms > Dicotyledons > Euphorbiales > Euphorbiaceae > Excoecaria > Excoecaria agallocha
    Aquatic communities > Plankton > Phytoplankton
    Aquatic communities > Plankton > Zooplankton
    Chemical elements > Nonmetals > Carbon
    Detritus
    Feeding > Artificial feeding > Selective feeding
    Spermatophyta > Angiosperms > Dicotyledons > Lamiales > Verbenaceae > Avicennia
    Suspended organic matter
    Temporal variations > Periodic variations > Seasonal variations
    Water bodies > Inland waters > Wetlands > Swamps > Mangrove swamps
    Algae
    Marine/Coastal; Brackish water
Author keywords
    selective feeding; mangroves; zooplankton; suspended organic matter; phytoplankton; stable isotopes
Authors  Top 
  • Bouillon, S.
  • Mohan, P.C.
  • Sreenivas, N.
  • Dehairs, F.A.
Abstract
    Between January 1995 and August 1996, suspended matter and zooplankton were sampled at different locations in a mangrove ecosystem located in the Gautami Godavari Estuary and adjacent Kakinada Bay (Andhra Pradesh, India). Suspended matter was sampled at 13 different stations, and was found to have a highly variable carbon stable isotope composition, with delta 13C values ranging overall between -30.94 and -19.18 ppt, and a highly variable elemental (C:N) composition. Our data suggest that the phytoplankton component has a seasonally and spatially variable delta 13C signature, which is surpressed by the terrestrial signal but may at times fall in the same range as the delta 13C of the allochtonous matter. It is argued that the phytoplankton delta 13C decreases after the onset of the monsoon rains, most likely due to the 13C-depletion of the DIC pool caused by the microbial respiration of the allochtonous organic matter. At each of the 4 sites selected for concurrent zooplankton sampling, the zooplankton showed a much wider range of delta 13C than did the suspended matter, with overall delta 13C values between -30.14 and -16.45 ppt. In addition, spatial differences in average delta 13C were much more pronounced for zooplankton than for total suspended matter. These data indicate that zooplankton feed on a component of the suspended matter pool, which has more pronounced seasonal and spatial delta 13C variations than the total suspended matter. Thus, despite the large amounts of terrestrial and mangrove detritus present in the water column, the locally produced phytoplankton appears to be a more important carbon source for the zooplankton.
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