"In vitro" evaluation of the bacterivore potential of three Cladoceran species occurring in tropical and subtropical regions.

Cladocerans occupy an important position among the bacterial consumers in freshwater food webs, being relatively non-selective filter feeders that can exert a strong impact on microbial populations. We evaluated the bacterivory potential of three cladocerans species of subtropical and tropical occurrence (Ceriodaphnia silvestrii, Daphnia gessneri and Ceriodaphnia cornuta) at different life stages, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by the quantification of their bacterial consumption rates using fluorescently labeled bacteria (FLB). All species showed filter mesh sizes sufficiently narrow to retain bacteria. The largest distance between setules was found in primiparous C. cornuta, and the smallest in neonate D. gessneri. The lowest ingestion (IR) and removal (RR) rates were observed in primiparous C. silvestrii and the highest values were observed in adults of D. gessneri. We conclude that bacteria may be considered an important food supplement, particularly for neonates who presented smaller intersetular distances and higher filtration rates than the other life stages.

The importance of protozoan bacterivory in a subtropical environment (Lobo-Broa Reservoir, SP, Brazil).

This study evaluated the importance of heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF) and ciliates bacterivory in a mesotrophic subtropical environment (Lobo-Broa Reservoir, Brazil) by the quantification of their ingestion rates. The in situ experiments using fluorescently labelled bacteria (FLB) were carried out bimonthly over one year (three surveys in the dry season and three in the rainy one) at the sub-surface of two sampling points that have different trophic degrees. The ingestion rates for both ciliates and HNF were higher in the meso-eutrophic region (point 2) due to the higher water temperatures, which accelerate the metabolism of protozoans and the higher bacteria densities. Concerning total protozoan bacterivory, the HNF had the greatest grazing impact on bacterial community, especially the HNF <5 µm. The data showed that HNF grazing, in addition to regulating the bacteria abundance, also induced changes to the bacterial community structure, such as increasing size and numbers of bacterial filaments. The ciliates were also important to the system bacterivory, especially in point 2, where there were high densities and ingestion rates. The protozoan bottom-up control was more important in the dry season and the top-down control was more important in the rainy season, so, these two forces are equally important to the bacterial abundance regulation in this reservoir in an annual basis.

Seasonal variation of the protozooplanktonic community in a tropical oligotrophic environment (Ilha Solteira reservoir, Brazil).

The seasonal variation of the protozooplanktonic community (ciliates and testate amoebae) was studied in a tropical oligotrophic reservoir in Brazil, which was under the influence of two contrasting climatic seasons (rainy/warm and dry/cold). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of these climatic changes on physical, chemical and biological variables in the dynamic of this community. The highest mean density of total protozoans occurred in the rainy/warm season (5683.2 ind L-1), while the lowest was in the dry/cold (2016.0 ind L-1). Considering the seasonal variations, the protozoan groups that are truly planktonic, such as the oligotrichs (Spirotrichea), predominated in the dry season, whereas during the rainy season, due to the material input and resuspension of sediment, sessile protozoans of the Peritrichia group were the most important ones. The dominant protozoans were Urotricha globosa, Cothurnia annulata, Pseudodifflugia sp. and Halteria grandinella. The highest densities of H. grandinella were associated with more oxygenated and transparent water conditions, while the highest densities of C. annulata occurred in sites with high turbidity, pH and trophic state index (TSI). The study demonstrated that density and composition of protozooplanktonic species and groups of the reservoir suffered seasonal variation due to the environmental variables (mainly temperature, turbidity, water transparency, dissolved oxygen and TSI) and the biological variables (e.g. morphological characteristics, eating habits and escape strategies from predation of the species).

"In vitro" evaluation of the bacterivore potential of three Cladoceran species occurring in tropical and subtropical regions / Avaliação "in vitro" do potencial baterívoro de três espécies de Cladocera de ocorrência tropical e subtropical

Abstract Cladocerans occupy an important position among the bacterial consumers in freshwater food webs, being relatively non-selective filter feeders that can exert a strong impact on microbial populations. We evaluated the bacterivory potential of three cladocerans species of subtropical and tropical occurrence (Ceriodaphnia silvestrii, Daphnia gessneri and Ceriodaphnia cornuta) at different life stages, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by the quantification of their bacterial consumption rates using fluorescently labeled bacteria (FLB). All species showed filter mesh sizes sufficiently narrow to retain bacteria. The largest distance between setules was found in primiparous C. cornuta, and the smallest in neonate D. gessneri. The lowest ingestion (IR) and removal (RR) rates were observed in primiparous C. silvestrii and the highest values were observed in adults of D. gessneri. We conclude that bacteria may be considered an important food supplement, particularly for neonates who presented smaller intersetular distances and higher filtration rates than the other life stages.

Resumo Dentre os diversos consumidores de bactérias nas teias alimentares de ambientes dulcícolas, os cladóceros ocupam uma posição relevante, sendo filtradores relativamente não seletivos que podem exercer forte impacto na redução populacional microbiana. Avaliamos o potencial bacterívoro de três espécies de cladóceros de ocorrência tropical e subtropical (Ceriodaphnia silvestrii, Ceriodaphnia cornuta e Daphnia gessneri) em diferentes fases de vida, através do estudo microscópico de suas estruturas filtradoras e da quantificação de suas taxas de ingestão em experimentos de bacterivoria utilizando-se bactérias marcadas fluorescentemente (FLB). As espécies estudadas mostraram ter uma rede de malhas filtradoras suficientemente estreitas para reter bactérias. A maior distância entre as sétulas foi encontrada em primíparas de C. cornuta, e a menor em neonatos de D. gessneri. As menores Taxas de Ingestão (TI) e Remoção (TR) foram observadas em primíparas de C. silvestrii e as maiores em adultas de D. gessneri. Concluímos que as bactérias podem ser consideradas um importante suplemento alimentar, principalmente para neonatos, que apresentaram pequenas distâncias intersetulares e altas taxas de ingestão comparadas aos outros estágios de vida.