Naslov
Trophic relationships of ciliated protozoa developed under different saprobic conditions in the periphyton of the Sava river

Autori
Primc, Biserka

Izvornik
Periodicum biologorum (0031-5362) 90 (1988), 3; 349-353

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
ciliates; periphyton; trophic structure

Sažetak
Ciliates as algivorous, bacteriovorous, carnivorous, and omnivorous organisms are connected by food chains to the other members of the benthic community. The aim of this work was to analyse the trophic structure and relationships amongst ciliates in the periphyton communities of the Sava River. Two types of periphyton communities were studied according to their saprobic level: periphyton in oligosaprobic and in alpha-mesosaprobic zones. Taking into account the most frequent and abundant species, a schematic reconstruction of trophic relationships of ciliates is given. Ciliates have a complex network of interacting feeding relationships at various trophic levels. In both types of the periphyton communities studied, the greatest number of species belongs to the category of primary con¬sumers. The number of species and their population density increases with higher trophic levels. Ciliates are included in »the grazing food chain« and in »the detritus food chain«. Changes in the trophic structure with an increasing saprobic level are manifested in a decreased percentage of algi¬vorous and increased number of bacteriovorous species. With changes in the trophic structure, trophic relationships also alter, and with this the functional status of the species within the community. In ecological terms, bacterio¬vorous and omnivorous forms have the greatest trophic importance in the periphyton of the Sava.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija

POVEZANOST RADA