Richness and composition of epipelic diatoms inferred through analysis of Crassostrea corteziensis (Hertlein, 1951) gut contents
Diatom taxa found in the guts of benthic mollusks reflect those in their immediate habitat. This study aimed to show that the gut contents of Crassostrea corteziensis allow us to infer the richness and species composition of epipelic diatoms. Thus, we tested the null hypothesis that the richness and species composition of diatoms in gut contents of C. corteziensis and sediments would be similar. To achieve this, diatoms from sediments (SE) and oysters gut contents (GC) were collected in an estuarine system. Diatom frustules in both samples were cleaned by acid digestion, mounted in Pleurax, and inspected under a compound microscope with phase contrast illumination. A total of 182 diatom taxa were identified, with 163found in SE and 155 in GC. During the rainy season, 136 diatoms taxa were recorded in GC, with 24 not found in SE, planktonic and freshwater taxa stand out. In the dry season, 139 taxa were recorded in GC and 25 were not found in SE, planktonic and marine taxa were prominent. The specific composition for SE and GC was significantly different in both seasons. Overall, evidence does not support the proposed hypothesis. However, the fact that oysters consumed ≈ 77 % of the diatoms available in SE, which was complemented with phytoplanktonic species, allows us to consider the GC as an alternative for making inferences on diatom flora in estuarine systems.
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Bogotá - Facultad de Ciencias - Instituto de Ciencias Naturales
2023
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| Online Access: | https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/cal/article/view/106337 |
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