Abstract
Serological methods utilizing taxon-specific antibodies were used to identify trophic connections in a salt marsh of South Carolina (U. S. A.). The incorporation of meiofauna within the benthic invertebrate food web was detected with these methods when microscopial examinations of predator stomachs revealed nothing but amorphous material and detritus. Measurements of soluble prey proteins in both predator guts and surficial sediments provided data to quantify the trophic connections. Difficulties with data interpretation limit the utility of serological methods for quantifying predation in the field.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bell, S. S., 1980. Meiofauna-macrofauna interactions in h high salt marsh habitat. Ecol. Monogr. 50: 487–505.
Berg, J., 1979. Discussion of methods of investigating the food of fishes, with reference to a preliminary study of the prey of Gobiusculus flavescens (Gobbiidae). Mar. Biol. 50: 262–273.
Bio-Rad Protein Assay, 1979. Bio-Rad Laboratories Bulletin 1069 EG, February. Richmond, California, 6 pp.
Boreham, P. F. L. & C. E. Ohiagu, 1978. The use of serology in evaluating invertebrate prey-predator relationships: a review. Bull. ent. Res. 68: 171–194.
Bregnballe, F., 1961. Plaice and flounder as consumers of the microscopic bottom fauna. Medd. danm. Fisk. Havunders., N. S., 3: 133–182.
Briggs, K. B., K. R. Tenore & R. B. Hanson, 1979. The role of microfauna in detrital utilization by the polychaete, Nereis succinea (Frey and Leuckart). J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 36: 225–234.
Coull, B. C., 1973. Estuarine meiofauna: a review: trophic relationships and microbial interactions. In L. H. Stevenson & R. R. Colwell (eds.), Estuarine Microbial Ecology. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia: 499–512.
Coull, B. C. & S. S. Bell, 1979. Perspectives of marine meiofaunal ecology. In R. J. Livingston (ed.), Ecological processes in coastal and marine ecosystems. Plenum Press, N. Y.: 189–216.
Coull, B. C. & M. A. Palmer, (this volume). Field experimentation in meiofaunal ecology.
Cullen, D. J., 1973. Bioturbation of superficial marine sediments by interstitial meiofauna. Nature (Lond.) 242: 323–324.
Dagg, M. J., 1974. Loss of prey body contents during feeding by an aquatic predator. Ecology 55: 903–906.
Davies, R. W., F. J. Wrona & R. P. Everett, 1978. A serological study of prey selection by Nephelopsis obscura Verrill (Hirudinoidea). Can. J. Zool. 56(4): 587–591.
Dempster, J. P., 1967. The control of Pieris rapae with DDT. I. The natural mortality of the young stages of Pieris. J. appl. Ecol. 4: 485–500.
Feller, R. J., 1982. Empirical estimates of carbon production for a meiobenthic harpacticoid copepod. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 39: 1435–1443.
Feller, R. J., 1984. Dietary immunoassay of Ilyanassa obsoleta, the eastern mud snail. Biol. Bull. 166: 96–102.
Feller, R. J., G. L. Taghon, E. D. Gallagher, G. E. Kenny & P. A. Jumars, 1979. Immunological methods for food web analysis in a soft-bottom benthic community. Mar. Biol. 54: 61–74.
Fenchel, T. M., 1978. The ecology of micro- and meiobenthos. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 9: 99–121.
Gerlach, S. A., 1978. Food-chain relationships in subtidal silty sand marine sediments and the role of meiofauna in stimulating bacterial productivity. Oecologia 33: 55–69.
Hayward, B. J. & R. Augustin, 1957. Quantitative gel diffusion methods for assay of antigens and antibody. Int. Arch. Allergy 11: 192–205.
Heip, C & N. Smol, 1975. On the importance of Protohydra leuckarti as a predator of meiobenthic populations. 10th eur. Symp. mar. Biol. 2: 285–296.
Hynes, H. B. N., 1950. The food of freshwater sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus and Pygosteus pungitius), with a review of methods used in studies of the food of fishes. J. anim. Ecol. 19: 36–58.
Kenny, G. E. & H. M. Foy, 1975. Detection and quantification of circulating polysaccharide in pneumococcal pneumonia by immunoelectroosmophoresis (counterelectrophoresis) and rocket electrophoresis. In Microbiology 1975. Am. Soc. Microbiol., Wash., D.C.: 97–102.
Kiritani, K. & J. P., Dempster, 1973. Different approaches to the quantitative evaluation of natural enemies. J. appl. Ecol. 10: 323–330.
Lasserre, P., J. Renaud-Mornant & J. Castel, 1975. Metabolic activities of meiofaunal communities in a semi-enclosed lagoon. Possibilities of trophic competition between meiofauna and mugilid fish. 10th eur. Symp. mar. Biol., Ostend, Belgium, 2: 393–414.
Lee, J. J., K. R. Tenore, J. H. Tietjen & C. Mastropaolo, 1976. An experimental approach toward understanding the role of meiofauna in a detritus based marine food web. In C. E. Cushing Jr. (ed.), Radioecology and Energy Resources. Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc., Stroudsburg, Penna: 140–147.
Mansi, W., 1958. Slide gel diffusion precipitin test. Nature 181: 1289–1290.
McIntyre, A. D., 1971. Control factors on meiofauna populations. Thalassia jugosl. 7: 209–215.
Murray, R. A. & M. G. Soloman, 1978. A rapid technique for analysing diets of invertebrate predators by electrophoresis. Ann. appl. Biol. 90: 7–10.
Reise, K., 1979. Moderate predation on meiofauna by the macrobenthos of the Wadden Sea. Heggoländer wiss. Meeresunters. 32: 453–465.
Sibert, J., T. J. Brown, M. C. Healy, B. A. Kask & R. J. Naiman, 1977. Detritus- based food webs: exploitation by juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta). Science 196: 649–650.
Staarup, B. J., 1970. On the ecology of turbellarians in a sheltered brackish shallow-water bay. Ophelia 7: 185–216.
Tenore, K. R., 1977. Food chain pathways in detritial feeding benthic communities: a review, with new observations on sediment resuspension and detrital recycling. In B. C. Coull (ed.), Ecology of Marine Benthos. Belle W. Baruch Libr. mar. Sci. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, S.C.: 37–53.
Tietjen, J. H. & J. J. Lee, 1977. Feeding behavior of marine nematodes. In B. C. Coull (ed.), Ecology of Marine Benthos. Belle W. Baruch Libr. mar. Sci. University of Carolina Press, Columbia: 21–35.
Verbruggen, R., 1975. Quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods: a literature survey. Clin. Chem. 21: 5–43.
Williams, C. A. & M. W. Chase (eds.), 1971. Methods in Immunology and Immunochemistry, 3. Reactions of antibodies with soluble antigens. Academic Press. N. Y.: 515 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Feller, R.J. Serological tracers of meiofaunal food webs. Hydrobiologia 118, 119–125 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00031794
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00031794