Effects of the feeding behaviour of Crassostrea gigas (Bivalve Molluscs) on biosedimentation of natural particulate matter

Some of the particulate matter found in bottom sediment comes from material rejected as pseudofaeces or produced as faeces by Crassostrea gigas . The amount of pseudofaeces rejected is proportional to the amount of seston for total seston values up to 4.6 mg/l. For this values up to pseudofaeces pro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hydrobiologia 1992-03, Vol.231 (2), p.85-91
Main Authors: Deslous-Paoli, J.M. (IFREMER, Sete (France)), Lannou, A.M, Geairon, P, Bougrier, S, Raillard, O, Heral, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Biological and medical sciences
COMPORTEMENT ALIMENTAIRE
CRASSOSTREA GIGAS
FAECES
FECES
FEEDING HABITS
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
GROSSEUR DES PARTICULES
HABITOS ALIMENTARIOS
HECES
Marine
MATERIA ORGANICA
MATIERE ORGANIQUE
ORGANIC MATTER
PARTICLE SIZE
Sea water ecosystems
SEDIMENTACION
SEDIMENTATION
Synecology
TAMANO DE LA PARTICULA
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Summary:Some of the particulate matter found in bottom sediment comes from material rejected as pseudofaeces or produced as faeces by Crassostrea gigas . The amount of pseudofaeces rejected is proportional to the amount of seston for total seston values up to 4.6 mg/l. For this values up to pseudofaeces production, the amount of faeces is mainly limitated by pseudofaeces production and reaches a constant mean value of 8.9 mg/l g/DW when seston concentration increases. The proportion of faeces versus pseudofaeces is over 1 when seston concentrations are below 10 mg/l, and remains less than 1 when seston concentrations are higher than 10 mg/l. The pseudofaeces show a lower organic content than the material trapped through the gills, as well as a lower percentage of proteins and lipids, suggesting a selection by the labial palps. On the contrary, an enrichment with labile carbohydrates is recorded in pseudofaeces, probably due to mucus agglutination of rejected particulate matter. The feeding of Crassostrea gigas can package and transform (agglutinate, change the organic content, change the biochemical composition) suspended matter, thus influencing both the quality and quantity of organic matter sedimentation.
ISSN:0018-8158
1573-5117
DOI:10.1007/bf00006500