Bacterial exopolymer utilization by a harpacticoid copepod: A methodology and results

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Limnology and Oceanography; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1990.35.5.1039· OSTI ID:6004234

Decho, A W; Moriarty, D J.W. ^[1]

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1. C.S.I.R.O. Marine Labs., Cleveland (Australia)

Exopolymer mucus secretions of bacteria and diatoms are potential foods for benthic animals. These secretions are coincidently ingested by animals during consumption of microbial cells and sediments. The utilization of microbial secretions was investigated with exopolymer derived from a marine bacterium (pseudomonas sp.) from seagrass beds and a harpacticoid copepod Laophonte sp. from the same habitat. A new technique was developed to examine ingestion, absorption, and absorption efficiencies of these bacterial secretions by consumers. Exopolymer mucus (from the bacterium in stationary phase) was labeled with {sup 14}C, collected, purified, and bound onto bacterium-sized beads. The exopolymer slime coating mimicked the coatings associated with many marine bacteria. Results from feeding experiments where the coated beads were mixed with sediment demonstrated that the mucus-exopolymer secretions of bacteria were ingested and utilized by Laophonte sp. Absorption efficiencies, determined directly, were > 80% in the presence of other food resources, indicating that exopolymer is potentially a highly labile C resource for this animal.

• OSTI ID: 6004234
• Journal Information: Limnology and Oceanography; (United States), Vol. 35:5; ISSN 0024-3590
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BENTHOS
FOOD CHAINS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
INGESTION
SECRETION
ABSORPTION
BACTERIA
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
COPEPODS
DIATOMS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
FEEDING
FOOD
SEDIMENTS
ALGAE
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMOPHYCOTA
CRUSTACEANS
GEOCHEMISTRY
INTAKE
INVERTEBRATES
KINETICS
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
PLANTS
REACTION KINETICS
540210* - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)