@article{fdi:010087582,
  title = {{S}tructure of planktonic food web in the {G}ulf of {G}abes ({S}outheastern {M}editerranean) : potential importance of heterotrophic and mixotrophic microzooplankton},
  author = {{K}ousri, {K}. {M}. and {Z}ouari, {A}. {B}. and {M}eddeb, {M}. and {C}hkili, {O}. and {N}iquil, {N}. and {T}edetti, {M}arc and {P}agano, {M}arc and {S}ammari, {C}. and {K}hammeri, {Y}. and {H}assen, {M}. {B}. and {H}laili, {A}. {S}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he planktonic food web structure was investigated in a productive {M}editerranean gulf during spring and fall. {P}lankton communities, rates of primary production ({PP}), bacterial production ({BP}) and grazing by microzooplankton and mesozooplankton were examined in a station influenced by {S}aharan dust, {S}t1; a station located in the {B}oughrara {L}agoon, {S}t2; and a polluted station, {S}t3, close to a phosphate industrial site. {T}he high nutrient (12-17 mu {M}) and chlorophyll a ({C}hl a) concentrations (3.7-16.9 mg m(-3)) as well as the high rates of {PP} (1123-2638 mg {C} m(-2) d(-1)) and {BP} (128-1337 mg {C} m(-2) d(-1)), recorded throughout the sampling period, indicated the eutrophic character of the study site. {M}icrozooplankton and mesozooplankton mostly showed seasonal changes in their composition and grazing rates. {D}uring spring, {PP} was dominated by nano- and micro-sized fractions, but pico-, nano- and microphytoplankton contributed equally to {C}hl a. {H}eterotrophic and mixotrophic microzooplankton consumed significant proportions of the daily production for bacterioplankton (50-72%) and size-fractioned phytoplankton (25-86%), whereas herbivorous copepods grazed daily on 13-15% of {PP}. {T}hese trophic links suggested that the multivorous food web prevailed in spring. {D}uring fall, picophytoplankton, mainly {S}ynechococcus, dominated the {C}hl a and {PP} in {S}t1, where microbivorous microzooplankton (mainly mixotrophic dinoflagellates) grazed >= 50% of the production of bacterioplankton and picophytoplankton, while mesozooplankton, dominated by detritivorous copepods, removed only 5% of {PP}, suggesting a microbial food web. {I}n {S}t2 and {S}t3, {C}hl a and {PP} were dominated by large phytoplankton, which was substantially grazed by heterotrophic and mixotrophic microzooplankton (42-62% grazed d(-1)) and copepods (12-25% grazed d(-1)), indicating a carbon channeling throughout the herbivorous food web. {T}he seasonal and spatial change in the planktonic food web implies different efficiencies in the export of carbon. {E}ven in productive waters, picophytoplankton along with microzooplankton, including mixotrophic and heterotrophic organisms, significantly contribute to the ecological functioning of these systems and play a central role in structuring the carbon transfer pathway.},
  keywords = {{M}ixotrophic and heterotrophic microzooplankton ; {Z}ooplankton grazing ; {P}lanktonic food web ; {S}outheastern {M}editerranean ; {TUNISIE} ; {MEDITERRANEE} ; {GABES} {GOLFE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{A}quatic {S}ciences},
  volume = {85},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {61 [22 ]},
  ISSN = {1015-1621},
  year = {2023},
  DOI = {10.1007/s00027-023-00954-y},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010087582},
}