Differential ingestion of zooplankton by four species of bivalves (Mollusca) in the Mali Ston Bay, Croatia

• Published in: Marine biology 2012-04, Vol.159 (4), p.881-895
• Main Authors: Peharda, Melita, Ezgeta-Balić, Daria, Davenport, John, Bojanić, Natalia, Vidjak, Olja, Ninčević-Gladan, Živana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal behavior; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquaculture; Arca noae; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bivalvia; Carnivory; Content analysis; Copepoda; Distribution; Food and nutrition; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastropoda; Ingestion; Invertebrates; Larvae; Life Sciences; Marine; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Marine biology; Microbiology; Mollusca; Mollusks; Mytilus galloprovincialis; Natural environment; Ocean floor; Oceanography; Original Paper; Plankton; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Zoology; Zooplankton
• ISSN: 0025-3162; 1432-1793
• DOI: 10.1007/s00227-011-1866-5

This study provides information about differences in composition of ingested zooplankton amongst bivalve species coexisting in the same area in a period from May 2009 to December 2010. The study was conducted at the Mali Ston Bay (42°51′ N, 17°40′ E)—the most important bivalve aquaculture area in the eastern Adriatic Sea. Stomach content analysis was performed on cultured species— Ostrea edulis and Mytilus galloprovincialis , and commercially important bivalve species from their natural environment— Modiolus barbatus and Arca noae . Results confirmed carnivory in bivalves, both from natural and cultured populations, but cultured species had higher numbers of zooplankters than those living on the seabed. The most abundant taxa were bivalve larvae, followed by tintinnids, copepods, unidentified eggs and gastropod larvae. Recorded numbers of bivalve larvae in M. galloprovincialis stomach were the highest so far reported and show that mussels impact the availability of natural spat.