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Physiological properties of the gut lumen of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea): adaptive to digesting lignocellulose?

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Abstract

Since any given trait of an organism is considered to represent either an adaptation to the environment or a phylogenetic constraint, most physiological gut characteristics should be adaptive in terms of optimizing digestion and utilization of the respective food source. Among the Crustacea, the taxon Oniscidea (Isopoda) is the only suborder that includes, and essentially consists of, species inhabiting terrestrial environments, feeding on food sources different from those of most other Crustacea (i.e., terrestrial leaf litter). Microelectrodes were used to assay physiological characteristics of the gut lumen from representatives of four families of terrestrial isopods: Trichoniscus pusillus (Trichoniscidae), Oniscus asellus (Oniscidae), Porcellio scaber (Porcellionidae), and Trachelipus rathkii (Trachelipodidae). Microsensor measurements of oxygen pressure (Clark-type oxygen microelectrodes) revealed that O2-consuming processes inside the gut lumen created steep radial oxygen gradients. Although all guts were oxic in the periphery, the radial center of the posterior hindgut was micro-oxic or even anoxic in the adults of the larger species. The entire gut lumen of all examined species was strongly oxidizing (Pt microelectrodes; apparent redox potential, Eh: +600–700 mV). Such conditions would allow for the coexistence of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms, with both oxidative and fermentative activities contributing to digestion. Although bacterial O2 consumption was also observed in the midgut glands (hepatopancreas), they remained entirely oxic, probably owing to their large surface-to-volume ratio and high oxygen fluxes across the hepatopancreatic epithelium into the gland lumen. Measurements with pH microelectrodes (LIX-type) showed a slight pH gradient from acidic conditions in the anterior hindgut to neutral conditions in the posterior hindgut of O. asellus, P. scaber and T. rathkii. By contrast, the pH in the hindgut lumen of T. pusillus was almost constant. We discuss to what extent these physiological characteristics may be adaptive to the digestion of terrestrial food sources that are rich in lignocellulose.

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Acknowledgements

The experiments described herein comply with the current laws of Germany.

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Author notes

  1. Martin Zimmer

    Present address: Zoologisches Institut – Limnologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Olshausenstr. 40, 24098, Kiel, Germany

  2. Andreas Brune

    Present address: Abteilung Biogeochemie, Max-Planck-Institut für terrestrische Mikrobiologie, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße, 35043, Marburg, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoologisches Institut – Terrestrische Ökologie, Albertus-Magnus-Universität, Weyertal 119, 50931, Koln, Germany

    Martin Zimmer

  2. Fachbereich Biologie – Mikrobielle Ökologie, Universität Konstanz, Fach M654, 78457, Konstanz, Germany

    Andreas Brune

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Correspondence to Martin Zimmer.

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Communicated by G. Heldmaier

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Zimmer, M., Brune, A. Physiological properties of the gut lumen of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea): adaptive to digesting lignocellulose?. J Comp Physiol B 175, 275–283 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-005-0482-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-005-0482-4

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