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Ciliate epibiont effects on feeding, energy reserves, and sensitivity to hydrocarbon contaminants in an estuarine harpacticoid copepod

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Abstract

Although epibiotic protozoans are commonly observed on the chitinous exoskeleton of aquatic crustaceans, relatively little is known about their ecological significance. The significance of protozoan epibionts on benthic copepods has never been examined.Coullana sp., a meiobenthic harpacticoid copepod, is abundant in Louisiana salt marshes and has high incidence (∼50%) of ciliate epibionts. Field and laboratory grazing experiments indicated that ciliate epibionts did not hinderCoullana feeding on benthic or planktonic algae. Contrary to expectations,Coullana with high levels of ciliate epibionts (>8 ind−1) grazed at a significantly higher rate on14C-labeled benthic diatoms added to intact sediment cores than didCoullana with no epibionts.Coullana neutral lipids (examined using Nile Red, a hydrophobic fluorophore) were not significantly influenced by the presence of ciliate epibionts, suggesting that copepods are able to compensate for any additional energetic demands imposed by epibionts. Epibiont effects onCoullana susceptibility to hydrocarbon contaminants were measured by examining survivorship in diesel-spiked sediments. The presence of ciliate epibionts significantly decreased survivorship at relatively low PAH concentrations (12.8 ppm). While ciliate epibionts onCoullana do not dramatically alter total food acquisition or energy storage, they may cause stress, which in turn makesCoullana more susceptible to contaminants and possibly other natural stressors such as food limitation.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 70803-1725, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

    Gwyn L. Puckett & Kevin R. Carman

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  1. Gwyn L. Puckett
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Correspondence to Kevin R. Carman.

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Puckett, G.L., Carman, K.R. Ciliate epibiont effects on feeding, energy reserves, and sensitivity to hydrocarbon contaminants in an estuarine harpacticoid copepod. Estuaries 25, 372–381 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02695980

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