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Image Analysis of Faecal Material Grazed Upon by Three Species Of Copepods: Evidence For Coprorhexy, Coprophagy and Coprochaly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Thomas T. Noji
Affiliation:
A/S Pixelwerks, Strandkaien 18/20, PO Box 1008, 5001 Bergen, Norway
Kenneth W. Estep
Affiliation:
A/S Pixelwerks, Strandkaien 18/20, PO Box 1008, 5001 Bergen, Norway
Ferren Macintyre
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, 5024 Bergen-Nordnes, Norway
Fredrika Norrbin
Affiliation:
Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromso, Dramsvn 201 B, 9000 Tromsa, Norway

Extract

Experiments involving three species of copepods(Acartia clausi Giesbrecht 1889, Pseudocalanus elongatus Boeck 1872 and Calanusfinmarchicus Gunnerus 1765) incubated with freshly produced copepod faecal material were conducted and analyzed using automatic image analysis. For two species (A. clausi and C. finmarchicus) the bulk of faecal material was not ingested but was fragmented. This process, coprorhexy, was accompanied by a shift toward smaller particles in the particle size-spectrum. Increases in total volume of the faecal particles after incubation with these copepods led us to propose a process which we refer to as 'coprochaly', derived from the Greek xot/Vaoio,(a loosening, as of bandages). Coprochaly was promoted by manipulation of the faecal material by the copepods. For the third species (P.elongatus) coprorhexy and coprochaly were coupled with coprophagy (ingestion of faecal material). Calculations indicated that the combined effect of coprorhexy and coprochaly reduced sinking velocities of the faecal particles by up to 50%. These processes increase pelagic residency time of particles, increase substrate area for aerobic microbes and presumably enhance remineralization of particulate organic matter.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1991

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