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Environmental Factors Affecting the Trophic Ecology of Benthic Suspension Feeders

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Environmental Factors Affecting the Trophic Ecology of Benthic Suspension Feeders Sergio Rossi Heras Environmental factors affecting the trophic ecology of benthic suspension feeders Environmental Environmental factors affecting the trophic ecology of benthic suspension feeders Sergio Rossi Heras Environmental factors affecting the trophic ecology of benthic suspension feeders Factores ambientales que afectan la ecología trófica de los suspensívoros bentónicos Tesis Doctoral Universitat de Barcelona Facultat de Biologia, Departament d’Ecologia Programa de doctorado: Ecología. Bienio: 1996-1998 Environmental factors affecting the trophic ecology of benthic suspension feeders Memoria presentada por Sergio Rossi Heras para optar al título de Doctor en Ciencias Biológicas en el Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universitat de Barcelona, bajo la dirección del Doctor Josep María Gili Sardà Sergio Rossi Heras Barcelona Diciembre 2001 El Director de Tesis Dr. Josep María Gili Sardà Investigador del CMIMA (CSIC) A Rosanna CONTENTS Agradecimientos .................................................................................................... 9 Introducción general .............................................................................................. 15 General introduction .............................................................................................. 23 Temporal variability of near-bottom seston concentration and composition in a warm temperate sea over an annual cycle ...................................................... 31 Short-time-scale cycles of near bottom seston composition: comparison of early and late spring conditions in a warm temperate sea ................................ 49 Biochemical characteristics of sedimenting POM available to north-western Mediterranean benthic communities: a seasonal and geographical comparison ................................................................................ 63 Activity rhythms in six temperate species of passive suspension feeders: observations at different time and space scales related to environmental conditions....................................................................................... 79 Spatial and temporal variability in the diet and prey capture rates of a passive benthic suspension feeder: Leptogorgia sarmentosa , a case study ... 107 The “memory” of the Protein-Carbohydrate-Lipid seasonal balance in two sessile marine invertebrates: A new approach to understand the bentho-pelagic coupling processes .................................................................. 129 Conclusions............................................................................................................ 149 Conclusiones .......................................................................................................... 157 References.............................................................................................................. 165 Resumen de la Tesis............................................................................................... 185 Agradecimientos La tesis doctoral que aquí se presenta tiene un problema obvio de entrada: ¿cómo es posible que una sola persona haya podido hacer todas esas cosas y no esté en tratamiento médico agudo por agotamiento físico y mental? Hay truco. Ha sido un privilegio (y una enorme ventaja) el poder contar con la ayuda de una serie de personas que de una manera u otra me han ido soportando durante estos cinco años y medio... La primera víctima obvia ha sido mi mujer, Rosanna, a quien dedico esta tesis por el sen- cillo hecho de estar siempre allí, de creer en lo que hacía y de armarse de paciencia cuando he tenido que hacer campañas, estancias fuera o un crucero oceanográfico de dos meses (dejándola con una criatura de un año). A ti Livia, también tengo que agradecerte el haber- me dado alegría (excepto a la hora de cenar!!!) y un giro completo a mi vida. A Clara y Carmen, que nos han ayudado a educar a nuestra hija durante ese lapso de tiempo (todo el día...) en el que no veíamos a Livia. Mi padre Fernando y mi madre Plácida, mi hermano Marco mi hermana Silvia y su marido Lincoln, mi suegra Claudia y su familia, observán- dome desde diferentes ángulos, me han apoyado y dado ánimos en todo momento. Mis amigos íntimos también han estado allí: Daido y Eva (os quiero mucho pareja!), Toni (con una novela compartida a punto de acabarse...y otra en marcha), Cristina (siempre nos hemos entendido muy bien y me has ayudado mucho), Enrique (entre todos, esto empie- za a parecer una mafia chaval!), Ana (tu entusiasmo y fe mueven auténticas montañas), Ricardo (aunque nos veamos poco, parece como si acabásemos de quedar el día anterior), Marta y Ernest (por esos momentos compartidos) o Gemma y Quim (a ver cuando volve- mos al agua!!). Elisabetta es otra persona que ha tenido que aguantar mis neuras (aparte de trabajar como una loca en algo que espero que se publique antes de que la especie estudia- da se extinga); todavía recuerdo el día que llegaste, miraste en el interior del despacho de Josep-María y te fuiste; al rato llegó el habitante usual del despacho y yo le pregunté: “Tenemos estudiantes de BUP ahora?” La experiencia de tener estudiantes de la Universidad, de Erasmus, de programas de colaboración con Universidades extranjeras o de Cursos de Doctorado se lo debo a Joandomènec Ros y a Josep-María Gili. A vosotras/os, estudiantes, aparte el enorme traba- jo que habéis realizado (cientos de pólipos, decenas de muestras de bioquímica, imágenes de gorgonias, contajes de zooplancton...) y que quedará plasmado en una serie de trabajos que espero tengan salida algún día, debo agradeceros momentos muy divertidos y charlas muy animadas, consejos prácticos y vuestra enorme capacidad de trabajo. Siempre se me ha tomado el pelo porque la imagen de Sergio caminando como una locomotora y dos estu- diantes femeninas detrás con una gradilla llena de probetas era frecuente por los pasillos del antiguo ICM, pero ¿Qué culpa tengo yo de que las mujeres sean mucho más curiosas en cuestiones biológicas que los hombres? Helena Pardell fue la primera estudiante (de FP) que estuvo mirando contenidos estomacales de gorgonia, con paciencia religiosa; después vino “la polaca”, Susanne Wisniowska, que miro zooplancton (la muestra entera, sin hacer ali- cuotas!) y Serena Zaccara (durante el verano del 98, ya habíamos aprendido lo de las ali- cuotas). Dos alemanes que hablaban un perfecto castellano vinieron a hacer cosas de repro- ducción y contenidos estomacales (Anngret Lieb y Alfonso Cugat), y con ellos compartí unas cuantas inmersiones de trabajo y de placer en las Medes y Banyuls. Sonia Solorzano fue la primera estudiante que vino de la Autónoma de Barcelona, pero a ella le siguieron Judith Guixà (fallecida en un accidente de coche poco después de acabar el período de prác- ticas, siempre te recordaré), Ana Gálbez y Anna Espasa, todas ellas con ganas de trabajar, AGRADECIMIENTOS 11 entender y discutir. Manel Cascante (uno de los pocos estudiantes masculinos!) hizo de todo, obligando a su timidez a dejar paso a las innumerables preguntas que tenía sobre el trabajo desarrollado por el equipo. En esa época también entró Elisabet Reyes, que procesó innumerables muestras de lípidos, proteínas y carbohidratos, con una capacidad de trabajo fuera de lo común y un sentido del humor genial. Dos italianas se aplicaron a fondo en hacer un trabajo riguroso y a disfrutar del buen ambiente del departamento, Laura Cerasi y Marta Micheli, con las que volví a hablar italiano hasta que se cansaron de mi masacre ligüística y prefirieron esforzarse con el castellano. Cristina Roldán también estuvo padeciendo el mirar reproducción de gorgonias con la lupa, así como Ero Jiménez y Ana Romero pade- cieron mirando contenidos estomacales de una gorgonia que no comía nada. Y Áurea Peralba, que llegó en Febrero y en Junio ya había hecho zooplancton, contenidos estoma- cales, densidad de pólipos y pesos secos de un ciclo Ártico de alimentación (por duplica- do!). Todas vosotras (y vosotros) nos habéis facilitado muchísimo el trabajo, y a mi me habéis dado la oportunidad de soltaros el rollo de qué estaba haciendo y por qué lo estaba haciendo mientras compartíamos laboratorio. Marta Ribes y Rafel Coma han orientado parte de las bases de esta tesis y ha sido de gran ayuda en la toma de una serie de buenas decisiones que luego han revertido en un tra- bajo bien encauzado (como por ejemplo aconsejarme que no eligiese Eunicella como gor- gonia central de mi tesis...); ambos han sido clave, especialmente en la parte inicial del pro- yecto, donde habían de definirse unos objetivos y darle forma a una serie de campañas. Por otro lado, Imma Llobet se encargó desde el principio de la parte del zooplancton, optimi- zando el método en los momentos en que podía escaparse de su trabajo. Francesc Pagés, con un humor tendente a lo más puramente británico, me ha ayudado en innumerables ocasio- nes a responder preguntas que no lograba enmarcar correctamente (y otras que me servirán en un futuro próximo...eh?). Pep Gasol, aunque no sea muy consciente, ha sido de una gran ayuda en muchos aspectos, especialmente por una serie de charlas y consejos que compar- timos en el Polastern y más allá. Gracias también a Ana Sabatés, por haber creído en algu- nas de mis ideas y haberlas puesto en práctica, y por haberme enseñado a ser más realista en algunas de las propuestas que hemos discutido. Covadonga Orejas ha sido una compa- ñera maravillosa que me ha enseñado muchas cosas sobre cómo comportarse en campañas en alta mar, y Nuria
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