Abstract
A compartmental model of energy flux through a continental shelf ecosystem is presented which examines the potential for significant energy flow through detritus microorganisms, and dissolved material to terminal consumers. A number of assumptions are examined which have bearing on the outcome of the modeling exercise. Evidence is reviewed that primary production may be substantially higher than the usual 14C method indicates. If this were the case there would be great latitude possible for the other assumptions inherent in the models but for the present it is assumed that current estimates of photosynthesis in the sea are approximately correct. Evidence is presented that the input of primary detritus (new plant material) is a significant one, although relatively little of it is present in samples of particulate matter. Secondary detritus, principally fecal material, takes many forms and is involved in both benthic and pelagic food webs. The observations that bacteria mediate the utilization of detritus by metazoans, but that there are very few bacteria on detritus particles, are not necessarily in contradiction. However, little is known about the rate of growth of bacteria on particles and the frequency with which particles pass through the guts of detritivores. Similar information is also lacking about the population of free-living bacteria in the water.
Since there is little agreement about the significance of energy flux through detritus, dissolved material, and microorganisms, a model was constructed so that all, one, or none of them could move a major fraction of the energy fixed by primary; production. If the steps in such a model are assumed to be trophic levels, and the ecological efficiency of transfer of energy is assumed to be 10% per trophic level, such an anastomosing model will not carry enough energy to the terminal consumers. If we accept the proposition that the compartments in such a model do not fit the concept of trophic levels, and if we use existing data on gross growth efficiencies to estimate the efficiency of transfer of energy between the compartments, any of the several pathways can be a major energy conduit. However, large changes in energy flux from one pathway to another result in changes in the amount of energy available to various terminal consumer groups. The results indicate that either conventional assumptions about ecological assimilation efficiency are low by a factor of 2–3, or current measurements of photosynthesis are low by a factor of 5–10. While this modeling exercise in no way proves that alternative energy pathways are important in real continental shelf ecosystems, it shows that there is no underlying reason why they may not be. Situations in the real world are described which may result in shifts of energy flux from direct consumption of phytoplankton by grazers to consumption of microorganisms which are growing on detritus and dissolved materials.
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Pomeroy, L.R. (1979). Secondary Production Mechanisms of Continental Shelf Communities. In: Livingston, R.J. (eds) Ecological Processes in Coastal and Marine Systems. Marine Science, vol 10. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9146-7_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9146-7_9
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