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Carbon flux of trophic-functional groups within the colonization process of biofilm-dwelling ciliates in marine ecosystems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2016

Zhongwen Yang ,
Yuping Xu ,
Guangjian Xu  and
Henglong Xu
Zhongwen Yang
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Yuping Xu
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
Guangjian Xu
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
Henglong Xu*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
*
Correspondence should be addressed to:H. Xu, Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China email: henglongxu@126.com
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Abstract

Biofilm-dwelling ciliates are a primary component of a biofilm, and play an important role in the functioning of microbial food webs by mediating carbon and energy flux into benthos from plankton. The carbon flux of biofilm-dwelling ciliates was studied at different trophic-functional levels within the colonization process in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China from May to June 2015. Samples were collected, using a glass slide method, at the time intervals of 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28 days from depths of 1 and 3 m. The carbon biomass of both total ciliates and all trophic-functional groups increased following the logistic growth curve model. During the whole colonization period, the bacterivores and non-selectives were generally the primary contributor to the carbon flux in young samples (<14 days), while the algivores and raptors predominated mature samples (14–28 days) at both depths. In terms of mature samples, however, the non-selectives and algivores were the primary contributors at a depth of 1 m, while the raptors accounted for primary contributions to the carbon flux at a depth of 3 m. Although the times to 50% maximum carbon biomasses were generally ranged 24 days at both depths, the maximum carbon biomasses were significantly higher at depth of 3 m than at 1 m. These results may provide useful information for ecological research on carbon flux from plankton to benthos in marine ecosystems.

Keywords

biofilm-dwelling ciliatestrophic-functional groupcolonization dynamicsartificial substratumcarbon fluxmarine ecosystem
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 96 , Issue 6 , September 2016 , pp. 1313 - 1318
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2016 

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