Diel Feeding Rhythm and Grazing Selectivity of Small-Sized Copepods in a Subtropical Embayment, the Northern South China Sea
Small marine copepods are key components of the pelagic food webs in Chinese coastal waters, but very few studies have addressed their trophodynamics, with even fewer studies addressing their diel feeding rhythms. In this study, the diel feeding rhythm and grazing selectivity of the copepod assembla...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.658664/full |
| _version_ | 1818670066507448320 |
|---|---|
| author | Xuejia He Ziyu Wang Ziqing Bai Liuyu Han Mianrun Chen |
| author_facet | Xuejia He Ziyu Wang Ziqing Bai Liuyu Han Mianrun Chen |
| author_sort | Xuejia He |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Small marine copepods are key components of the pelagic food webs in Chinese coastal waters, but very few studies have addressed their trophodynamics, with even fewer studies addressing their diel feeding rhythms. In this study, the diel feeding rhythm and grazing selectivity of the copepod assemblage in Daya Bay during September 30 to October 2, 2014, were studied based on gut pigment analysis. Small copepods (body length < 1.5 mm) including Paracalanus parvus, Temora turbinata, Acrocalanus gibber, Temora stylifera, Euterpe acutifrons, and Acrocalanus gracilis, accounted for 73.9–100% of the total copepod abundance. The copepod assemblage generally exhibited a diurnal feeding pattern, characterized by a higher gut pigment content and ingestion rate during the daytime, consistent with variation in the ambient Chl α concentration. Fifty-five percent of the phytoplankton standing stock per day was consumed by the copepod assemblage, wherein diatoms, prymnesiophytes, and cyanobacteria were the main prey items with average contributions of 19.4–32.9% to the gut pigment contents. The copepod assemblage showed a strong feeding preference for prymnesiophytes, a weak feeding preference for diatoms, and avoidance of cyanobacteria. These results suggest a strong top-down control on phytoplankton community, especially on small groups from small copepods in the Daya Bay ecosystem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T07:02:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-661193ad52eb4e7da68c88462da003da |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T07:02:12Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-661193ad52eb4e7da68c88462da003da2022-12-21T21:59:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452021-06-01810.3389/fmars.2021.658664658664Diel Feeding Rhythm and Grazing Selectivity of Small-Sized Copepods in a Subtropical Embayment, the Northern South China SeaXuejia He0Ziyu Wang1Ziqing Bai2Liuyu Han3Mianrun Chen4Research Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou, ChinaResearch Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou, ChinaResearch Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou, ChinaHaikou Marine Environment Monitoring Station of State Oceanic Administration, Haikou, ChinaSouth China Sea Institute of Planning and Environmental Research, SOA, Guangzhou, ChinaSmall marine copepods are key components of the pelagic food webs in Chinese coastal waters, but very few studies have addressed their trophodynamics, with even fewer studies addressing their diel feeding rhythms. In this study, the diel feeding rhythm and grazing selectivity of the copepod assemblage in Daya Bay during September 30 to October 2, 2014, were studied based on gut pigment analysis. Small copepods (body length < 1.5 mm) including Paracalanus parvus, Temora turbinata, Acrocalanus gibber, Temora stylifera, Euterpe acutifrons, and Acrocalanus gracilis, accounted for 73.9–100% of the total copepod abundance. The copepod assemblage generally exhibited a diurnal feeding pattern, characterized by a higher gut pigment content and ingestion rate during the daytime, consistent with variation in the ambient Chl α concentration. Fifty-five percent of the phytoplankton standing stock per day was consumed by the copepod assemblage, wherein diatoms, prymnesiophytes, and cyanobacteria were the main prey items with average contributions of 19.4–32.9% to the gut pigment contents. The copepod assemblage showed a strong feeding preference for prymnesiophytes, a weak feeding preference for diatoms, and avoidance of cyanobacteria. These results suggest a strong top-down control on phytoplankton community, especially on small groups from small copepods in the Daya Bay ecosystem.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.658664/fullDaya Baysmall copepoddiel feeding rhythmgrazing selectivitygut pigmentdiel vertical migration |
| spellingShingle | Xuejia He Ziyu Wang Ziqing Bai Liuyu Han Mianrun Chen Diel Feeding Rhythm and Grazing Selectivity of Small-Sized Copepods in a Subtropical Embayment, the Northern South China Sea Frontiers in Marine Science Daya Bay small copepod diel feeding rhythm grazing selectivity gut pigment diel vertical migration |
| title | Diel Feeding Rhythm and Grazing Selectivity of Small-Sized Copepods in a Subtropical Embayment, the Northern South China Sea |
| title_full | Diel Feeding Rhythm and Grazing Selectivity of Small-Sized Copepods in a Subtropical Embayment, the Northern South China Sea |
| title_fullStr | Diel Feeding Rhythm and Grazing Selectivity of Small-Sized Copepods in a Subtropical Embayment, the Northern South China Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diel Feeding Rhythm and Grazing Selectivity of Small-Sized Copepods in a Subtropical Embayment, the Northern South China Sea |
| title_short | Diel Feeding Rhythm and Grazing Selectivity of Small-Sized Copepods in a Subtropical Embayment, the Northern South China Sea |
| title_sort | diel feeding rhythm and grazing selectivity of small sized copepods in a subtropical embayment the northern south china sea |
| topic | Daya Bay small copepod diel feeding rhythm grazing selectivity gut pigment diel vertical migration |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.658664/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xuejiahe dielfeedingrhythmandgrazingselectivityofsmallsizedcopepodsinasubtropicalembaymentthenorthernsouthchinasea AT ziyuwang dielfeedingrhythmandgrazingselectivityofsmallsizedcopepodsinasubtropicalembaymentthenorthernsouthchinasea AT ziqingbai dielfeedingrhythmandgrazingselectivityofsmallsizedcopepodsinasubtropicalembaymentthenorthernsouthchinasea AT liuyuhan dielfeedingrhythmandgrazingselectivityofsmallsizedcopepodsinasubtropicalembaymentthenorthernsouthchinasea AT mianrunchen dielfeedingrhythmandgrazingselectivityofsmallsizedcopepodsinasubtropicalembaymentthenorthernsouthchinasea |