Flatworm mucus as the base of a food web
Abstract Background By altering their habitats, engineering species can improve their own fitness. However, the effect of this strategy on the fitness of coexisting species or on the structure of the respective food web is poorly understood. In this study, bacteria and bacterivorous nematodes with s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2019-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-019-0231-2 |
| _version_ | 1818903687229079552 |
|---|---|
| author | Benjamin Wilden Nabil Majdi Ute Kuhlicke Thomas R. Neu Walter Traunspurger |
| author_facet | Benjamin Wilden Nabil Majdi Ute Kuhlicke Thomas R. Neu Walter Traunspurger |
| author_sort | Benjamin Wilden |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background By altering their habitats, engineering species can improve their own fitness. However, the effect of this strategy on the fitness of coexisting species or on the structure of the respective food web is poorly understood. In this study, bacteria and bacterivorous nematodes with short (Caenorhabditis elegans) and long (Plectus acuminatus) life cycles were exposed to the mucus secreted by the freshwater flatworm Polycelis tenuis. The growth, reproduction, and feeding preferences of the nematodes in the presence/absence of the mucus were then determined. In addition, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to examine the structural footprint of the mucus and the mucus colonization dynamics of bacteria and protozoans. Results Mucus exposure resulted in a greater reproductive output in P. acuminatus than in C. elegans. In a cafeteria experiment, both nematode species were attracted by bacteria-rich patches and were not deterred by mucus. CLSM showed that the flatworms spread a layer of polysaccharide-rich mucus ca. 15 µm thick from their tails. Subsequent colonization of the mucus by bacteria and protozoans resulted in an architecture that progressively resembled a complex biofilm. The presence of protozoans reduced nematode reproduction, presumably due to competition for their bacterial food supply. Conclusion Animal secretions such as mucus may have broader, community-level consequences and contribute to fueling microbial food webs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:55:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-db3e61d8f44c44179e45f4e3ab551a37 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6785 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:55:30Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-db3e61d8f44c44179e45f4e3ab551a372022-12-21T20:05:59ZengBMCBMC Ecology1472-67852019-03-011911910.1186/s12898-019-0231-2Flatworm mucus as the base of a food webBenjamin Wilden0Nabil Majdi1Ute Kuhlicke2Thomas R. Neu3Walter Traunspurger4Department of Animal Ecology, University of BielefeldDepartment of Animal Ecology, University of BielefeldDepartment River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre of Environmental ResearchDepartment River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre of Environmental ResearchDepartment of Animal Ecology, University of BielefeldAbstract Background By altering their habitats, engineering species can improve their own fitness. However, the effect of this strategy on the fitness of coexisting species or on the structure of the respective food web is poorly understood. In this study, bacteria and bacterivorous nematodes with short (Caenorhabditis elegans) and long (Plectus acuminatus) life cycles were exposed to the mucus secreted by the freshwater flatworm Polycelis tenuis. The growth, reproduction, and feeding preferences of the nematodes in the presence/absence of the mucus were then determined. In addition, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to examine the structural footprint of the mucus and the mucus colonization dynamics of bacteria and protozoans. Results Mucus exposure resulted in a greater reproductive output in P. acuminatus than in C. elegans. In a cafeteria experiment, both nematode species were attracted by bacteria-rich patches and were not deterred by mucus. CLSM showed that the flatworms spread a layer of polysaccharide-rich mucus ca. 15 µm thick from their tails. Subsequent colonization of the mucus by bacteria and protozoans resulted in an architecture that progressively resembled a complex biofilm. The presence of protozoans reduced nematode reproduction, presumably due to competition for their bacterial food supply. Conclusion Animal secretions such as mucus may have broader, community-level consequences and contribute to fueling microbial food webs.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-019-0231-2Ecological engineeringMucus structureConfocal microscopyAquatic ecologyNiche construction |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin Wilden Nabil Majdi Ute Kuhlicke Thomas R. Neu Walter Traunspurger Flatworm mucus as the base of a food web BMC Ecology Ecological engineering Mucus structure Confocal microscopy Aquatic ecology Niche construction |
| title | Flatworm mucus as the base of a food web |
| title_full | Flatworm mucus as the base of a food web |
| title_fullStr | Flatworm mucus as the base of a food web |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flatworm mucus as the base of a food web |
| title_short | Flatworm mucus as the base of a food web |
| title_sort | flatworm mucus as the base of a food web |
| topic | Ecological engineering Mucus structure Confocal microscopy Aquatic ecology Niche construction |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-019-0231-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT benjaminwilden flatwormmucusasthebaseofafoodweb AT nabilmajdi flatwormmucusasthebaseofafoodweb AT utekuhlicke flatwormmucusasthebaseofafoodweb AT thomasrneu flatwormmucusasthebaseofafoodweb AT waltertraunspurger flatwormmucusasthebaseofafoodweb |