Benthic Metabolism in Fluvial Sediments with Larvae of Lampetra sp.
1
Marine Research Institute, Klaipėda University, 92294 Klaipėda, Lithuania
2
Department of Chemistry, Life Science and Environmental Sustainability, Parma University, 43124 Parma, Italy
3
Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA) National Research Council, 28922 Verbania Pallanza, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Thomas Hein
Water 2021, 13(7), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13071002
Received: 11 March 2021
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Revised: 29 March 2021
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Accepted: 5 April 2021
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Published: 6 April 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Macrobiota in Aquatic Nutrient Cycling)
Lampreys spend their larval stage within fine sand fluvial sediments, where they burrow and act as filter feeders. Lamprey larvae (ammocoetes) can significantly affect benthic-pelagic coupling and nutrient cycling in rivers, due to high densities. However, their bioturbation, feeding and excretion activities are still poorly explored. These aspects were investigated by means of laboratory incubations of intact sediments added with ammocoetes and of animals alone. Oxygen respiration, nutrient fluxes and excretion rates were determined. Individual ammocoete incubations suggested that biomass-specific oxygen consumption and ammonium, reactive phosphorus and silica excretion were size-dependent, and greater in small compared to large individuals. The comparison of ammocoetes metabolic rates with rates measured in intact sediments revealed that ammocoetes activity decreases significantly when they are burrowed in sediments. Furthermore, results suggest that a major fraction of ammonium excreted by ammocoetes was assimilated by benthic microbes or microalgae to overcome in situ N-limitation. Alternatively, part of the excreted ammonium was oxidized and denitrified within sediments, as nitrate uptake rather increased along with ammocoetes density. Ammocoetes excreted reactive phosphorus and silica but such production was not apparent in bioturbated sediments, likely due to microbial or microalgal uptake or to immobilization in sediments.
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Keywords:
ammocoetes; sediments; bioturbation; metabolism; fluxes; engineering species
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MDPI and ACS Style
Nika, N.; Zilius, M.; Ruginis, T.; Giordani, G.; Bagdonas, K.; Benelli, S.; Bartoli, M. Benthic Metabolism in Fluvial Sediments with Larvae of Lampetra sp. Water 2021, 13, 1002. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13071002
AMA Style
Nika N, Zilius M, Ruginis T, Giordani G, Bagdonas K, Benelli S, Bartoli M. Benthic Metabolism in Fluvial Sediments with Larvae of Lampetra sp. Water. 2021; 13(7):1002. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13071002
Chicago/Turabian StyleNika, Nerijus, Mindaugas Zilius, Tomas Ruginis, Gianmarco Giordani, Kasparas Bagdonas, Sara Benelli, and Marco Bartoli. 2021. "Benthic Metabolism in Fluvial Sediments with Larvae of Lampetra sp." Water 13, no. 7: 1002. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13071002
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