Do microbial or biochemical settlement cues on the sediment surface mediate larval settlement of Polydora cornuta and Streblospio benedicti (Polychaeta, Spionidae)?

Distinctive, patchy abundance patterns of spionid polychaetes i.e. Polydora cornuta and Streblospio benedicti with indirect larval development were found in sediments of tidal flats in the German Wadden Sea. These patterns were not explicable through grain size or other sediment parameters. This led to the hypotheses that active site selection and initial settlement of larvae were triggered by sediment associated microbial cues of i.e. biofilms. This thesis addressed the first time questions about different biofilm components e.g. diatoms, bacteria or their epipolysaccharides or halogenated metabolites as potential settlement cues for soft sediment settlers. In single-choice and multiple-choice assays this hypothesis was tested with larvae of P. cornuta and S. benedicti obtained from laboratory stock cultures which provide a sufficient amount of larvae. Larvae of both species were able to accept or reject sediments in different sediment qualities.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Oldenburg

Year

2007

Author dc:creator

• Esser, Ferdinand

• [Keine Schlagwörter von Autor/in vergeben.]

Repository record source_url

http://oops.uni-oldenburg.de/19

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oops.uni-oldenburg.de:19