4 Switching Between Deposit and Suspension
Feeding in Coastal Zoobenthos
H. U. RnSGARD and P. KAMERMANS
This chapter, consisting of an overview followed by two sub chapters each
dealing with a specific example, attempts to provide current insight into
possible switching between deposit and suspension feeding in coastal
zoobenthos. The examples are two common inhabitants of shallow waters, the
polychaete Nereis diversicolor and the bivalve Macoma balthica. The examples
describe different aspects, such as adaptations needed for true suspension
feeding, conditions that may favour switching between suspension and
deposit feeding, and relative time spent on suspension feeding.
4.1 Overview
H. U. RnSGARD
Feeding mode is a term used to describe the mechanism of food transport
from the surroundings into the organism. One may distinguish between four
feeding modes. Suspension feeders or filter feeders extract their food from
suspended particles in the sea and rely principally upon phytoplankton for
nourishment. A suspension-feeding benthic animal strains food particles
either passively or it creates a feeding current directed towards a filter. Deposit
or detritus feeders utilise mainly the living components of the ingested sediment, i. e. bacteria, fungi, micro algae and the microfauna, whereas the predominant amount of dead organic matter (detritus) is not digested but
primarily utilised by microbial decomposers (Fenchel et al.1975; Fenchel and
Finlay 1995). Surface deposit feeders take their food from the sediment surface, and subsurface deposit feeders (,burrowers') seek nourishment below the
sediment surface.
Classification of feeding types into deposit feeders and suspension feeders
is frequently used, although it has become clear that some organisms are
capable of using more than one of these feeding methods. It can be a problem
Ecological Studies, Vol. 151
K. Reise (ed.) Ecological Comparisons
of Sedimentary Shores
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2001
Feeding in Coastal Zoobenthos
H. U. RnSGARD and P. KAMERMANS
This chapter, consisting of an overview followed by two sub chapters each
dealing with a specific example, attempts to provide current insight into
possible switching between deposit and suspension feeding in coastal
zoobenthos. The examples are two common inhabitants of shallow waters, the
polychaete Nereis diversicolor and the bivalve Macoma balthica. The examples
describe different aspects, such as adaptations needed for true suspension
feeding, conditions that may favour switching between suspension and
deposit feeding, and relative time spent on suspension feeding.
4.1 Overview
H. U. RnSGARD
Feeding mode is a term used to describe the mechanism of food transport
from the surroundings into the organism. One may distinguish between four
feeding modes. Suspension feeders or filter feeders extract their food from
suspended particles in the sea and rely principally upon phytoplankton for
nourishment. A suspension-feeding benthic animal strains food particles
either passively or it creates a feeding current directed towards a filter. Deposit
or detritus feeders utilise mainly the living components of the ingested sediment, i. e. bacteria, fungi, micro algae and the microfauna, whereas the predominant amount of dead organic matter (detritus) is not digested but
primarily utilised by microbial decomposers (Fenchel et al.1975; Fenchel and
Finlay 1995). Surface deposit feeders take their food from the sediment surface, and subsurface deposit feeders (,burrowers') seek nourishment below the
sediment surface.
Classification of feeding types into deposit feeders and suspension feeders
is frequently used, although it has become clear that some organisms are
capable of using more than one of these feeding methods. It can be a problem
Ecological Studies, Vol. 151
K. Reise (ed.) Ecological Comparisons
of Sedimentary Shores
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2001