Evidence of a planktonic food web response to changes in nutrient input dynamics in the Mar Menor coastal lagoon, Spain

Nutrient input dynamics in the Mar Menor coastal lagoon has recently changed as a consequence of changes in agricultural practises. An interannual comparison of the environmental variables and the planktonic biomass size-spectra was performed between 1988 and 1997. While nitrate concentration was low in 1988, the values in 1997 increased considerably. Since 1995, two alloctonous jellyfish species (Rhyzostoma pulmo and Cotylorhiza tuberculata) occurred in large numbers in summer time and reached peak abundance in summer of 1997. The size-spectra analysis comparison revealed that, in spite of changes in nutrient input that stimulated the growth of larger phytoplankton cells, there were no significant differences in the spectra slope which followed a similar seasonal trend in both years. However, the plankton biovolume considered under the size range compared (between 2 and 1000 mum diameter) was, paradoxically, always lower in 1997. Given that there were higher nutrient levels in 1997, this finding suggest a strong top-down control mechanism of size structure. Gut contents of jellyfishes showed their preference for large diatoms, tintinnids, veliger larvae and copepods, corroborating that size structure in these assemblages can be subject to top-down control. The implication of these results is that the feeding activities of large gelatinous zooplankton (jellyfishes) may play an important role controlling the consequences of eutrophication within the Mar Menor coastal lagoon.

Data and Resources

Cite as

Perez-Ruzafa A. Gilabert J. Gutierrez J.M. Fernandez A.I. Marcos C. y Sabah S. Evidence of a planktonic food web response to changes in nutrient input dynamics in the Mar Menor coastal lagoon Spain. Springer Nature, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020343510060

Clipboard Icon
Retrieved: 21 Jan 2025 09:29:48
RIS BibTeX

Metadata
Download
DCAT-AP/NTI-RISP

Basic information
Resource type Article
Date of creation 2024-11-05
Date of last revision 2025-01-21
Show changelog
Metadata identifier 34924575-747a-5019-8213-54c655ae4dc6
Metadata language Spanish
Themes (NTI-RISP)
High-value dataset category Earth observation and environment
ISO 19115 topic category biota
Keyword URIs
Bibliographic information
Name of the dataset creator Perez-Ruzafa, A., Gilabert, J., Gutierrez, J.M., Fernandez, A.I., Marcos, C. y Sabah, S.
Name of the dataset editor Springer Nature
Other identifier DOI: 10.1023/A:1020343510060
Identifier of the dataset creator
Email of the dataset creator angelpr@um.es
Website of the dataset creator
Provenance
Lineage statement
Metadata Standard
Version notes
Version