Transport of diatom frustules by copepod fecal pellets to the sediments of Lake Michigan

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1977.22.1.0092· OSTI ID:7324104

Ferrante, J G; Parker, J I

Zooplankton fecal pellets expelled near the surface of lakes provide a mechanism for removal of diatoms to deeper water. Scanning electron micrographs show that copepod fecal pellets, collected from Lake Michigan, contained fractured specimens of 21 species of diatoms. Few intact diatoms were observed and many frustules were reduced to small fragments during ingestion by the copepods. The peritrophic membrane surrounding the pellets is composed of polysaccharides, one of which is chitin. This membrane is broken down by bacterial decomposition in 6 to 14 days as the pellets settle at an average velocity of 4.7 m d/sup -1/. As a result, pellets released near the surface in water more than 70 m deep do not transport diatom fragments directly to the sediment. In a large proportion of Lake Michigan the transport of diatoms to the sediments via pellets originating near the surface is unlikely, since about 60 percent of the lake is >70 m deep.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL
• OSTI ID: 7324104
• Journal Information: Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States), Journal Name: Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States) Vol. 22:1; ISSN LIOCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520100* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALGAE
AMINES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BIOMASS
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHITIN
COPEPODS
CRUSTACEANS
DECOMPOSITION
DEPTH
DIATOMS
DIMENSIONS
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FECES
GREAT LAKES
INGESTION
INTAKE
INVERTEBRATES
LAKE MICHIGAN
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
MICROORGANISMS
MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANKTON
PLANTS
POLYSACCHARIDES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SACCHARIDES
SEDIMENTS
SURFACE WATERS
VELOCITY
WASTES
ZOOPLANKTON