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Short-term interactions between phytoplankton and intertidal seagrass vegetation in a coastal lagoon (Bassin d’Arcachon, SW France)

  • COASTAL LAGOON ECOSYSTEMS
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Abstract

We experimentally simulated the temporality of the interactions between intertidal seagrasses and phytoplankton in the context of nutrient enrichment from continental origin. Phytoplankton development was retarded after 1-day exposure to intertidal Zostera noltii Hornemann vegetation samples, with respect to control treatments. This was not explained by resource competition and we hypothesized a direct interference between seagrass leaves and phytoplankton. After separation from the vegetation in 5-day incubations, the final yield of large phytoplankton, mainly diatoms and haptophytes, was determined by nutrient loading. In contrast, Synechococcus-like cells (SYN), phototrophic picoeukaryotes and nanophytoplankton decreased after day 3, most likely due to grazing control. A second experiment was designed to test the pelagos–benthos coupling in more detail. Therefore, we compared the effect of aboveground biomass of Z. noltii alone with the effect of the entire vegetation including the sediment. This experiment did not provide unequivocal support for our initial hypothesis on direct interference competition between Z. noltii leaves and phytoplankton. Surprisingly, we found a spectacular decrease of SYN, phototrophic picoeukaryotes and nanophytoplankton in treatments with Z. noltii vegetation including the sediment, which could be attributed to benthic grazing by suspension feeders.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the European Union “Environment & Climate” Programme (ROBUST project, contract N° ENV4-CT96-218) and by the Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development (MEDD, Paris), contract LITEAU, LT 99064. Isabelle Auby and Danièle Maurer (both IFREMER, Arcachon) are kindly acknowledged for commenting on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Evelyne Buffan-Dubau

    Present address: EcoLab—Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement—UMR 5245 (CNRS-UPS-INPT), Université Paul Sabatier, Bât. 4R1, 31062, Toulouse cedex 9, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. “Ecologie des systèmes marins côtiers (Ecosym)”. UMR 5119, Université Montpellier 2, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, Université Montpellier 1, Place Eugène Bataillon, Case 093, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 05, France

    Rutger de Wit & Marc Troussellier

  2. UMR 5805 “Environnements et Paléoenvironnements Océaniques et Côtiers”, CNRS & Université Bordeaux 1, 2, rue du Pr. Jolyet, 33120, Arcachon, France

    Rutger de Wit, Evelyne Buffan-Dubau & Emmanuelle Lemaire

  3. CNRS, UMS 2348, Observatoire Océanologique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, 66651, Banyuls sur mer, France

    Claude Courties

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  1. Rutger de Wit
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Correspondence to Rutger de Wit.

Additional information

Guest editors: R. de Wit, N. Mazouni & P. Viaroli / Research and Management for the Conservation of Coastal Lagoon Ecosystems: South – North Comparisons

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de Wit, R., Troussellier, M., Courties, C. et al. Short-term interactions between phytoplankton and intertidal seagrass vegetation in a coastal lagoon (Bassin d’Arcachon, SW France). Hydrobiologia 699, 55–68 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1153-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1153-6

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