Scott G. Gransden
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THE RELATIVE EFFECTS OF FOOD CONCENTRATION AND PREDATION IN CONTROLLING TROPICAL CILLATE POPULATIONS A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Graduate Studies of The University of Guelph by SCOTT G. GRANSDEN In partial filfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science August, 1997 O Scott G. Gransden, 1997 National Library Bibliothèque nationale of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. nie Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, Ioaq distribute or seIi reproduire, prêter, disîribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT TEE RELATIVE EFFECTS OF FOOD CONCENTRATION AND PREDATION IN CONTROLLING TROPICAL CILIATE POPULATIONS Swtt G. Gransden Advisor: University of Guelph, 1997 Dr. Denis Lynn The effects of food concentration and predation on the regulation of tropical planktonic ciliate communities were assessed. Ciliate abundances, biomasses, and growth rates were estimated foiiowing nuhient and predator manipulations at 2 tropical sites of different trophic status. Initial ciliate abundances and biomasses were higher at the eutrophic Kingston Harbour station than at the oligotrophic Discovery Bay station. Following in sinr manipulations at toth sites, it was found that the ciliates at Discovery Bay were food regulated while the ciliates of Kingston Harbour were regulated by their predators. Size Fractionation incubations at Kingston Harbour revealed that the greatest predation pressures were acting upon the ciliates in the 600 pm treatments and were lowest upon the ciliates in the 45 prn treatments. Thus, this tropical ciliate community is apparently regulated by bottom-up controi at the oligotrophic Discovery Bay site, and by top-down control at the eutrophic Kingston Harbour site. A great number of people have ben instrumental in my having completed this body of work. The person to whom 1 owe the greatest thanks is my advisor Dr. Denis Lynn, who through years of guidance, dedication, support and patience has seen this project corne to hition. Great thanks aiso goes out to the other members of my advisory cornmittee, Dr. W.D. Taylor (University of Waterloo), and Dr. J.C. Rcff (University of Guelph). Thanks to Russ Hopcroft, Phillipe Archarnbault, Darcy Lombard and the staff at Port Royal and Discovery Bay Marine Labs for field assistance. Many thanks to the people who I have worked with over the years in the Iab: Penny Humby, Cheryl Jerome, Andrew Yasindi, Connie Krawczyk and mostiy André-Denis Wright who has throughout the yean been a gdfriend and a great help. Thanks to Greg Humphreys for technical assistance over the years. Thanks also to my friends in Guelph who once in a while took me dnnking and many many thanks to those who took me a lot! It also foliows then that the staff of the Library Lounge and Shakespeare's Arms aiso deserve much thanks. Thanks to my farnily, Paul and Donna Boivin, and Ginny Meurs, your continued support throughout the years has been greatly influencial and beneficial. Thanks to Dave Klotz (Noociles) for being the best fnend anyone could ever have. And last but by no means the Ieast, special thanh to my wife Paulette for al1 of your support, love, and understanding. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ....................................... 1 Composition of Plankton .............................. 1 Planktonic Food Chab and the Microbial Food Web ............ 2 The Ciliated Protozoa ................................6 Ciliates as Preàatom ...... .. ......................... 6 Picoplankton .............................. 9 Nanopiankton ............................. 9 Ciliates as Prey ....................................10 The Ecosystem Concept ...............................11 TopDown vs Bottom-Up ..............................15 Togdown ...................................15 Bottom-up .................................. -17 Bo# Botîom-up and Topdown ......................19 Fresh Water vs Marine Ecosystems ........................20 Hypothesis. .......................................21 Discovery Bay ....................................-24 mge Kingston Harbour ................................... 24 MATERIALS AND METHODS .............................. 28 ExperimentalDesign ................................-28 ChlorophyU Analysis ................................. 29 Cüiate Analysis ....................................30 Initial Conditions Tests .............................. -31 Calculation of T= Peak ...... ........................ -31 Nutrient Limitation Test .... ........................... 32 Mesh Effects (Predation Estimates) .......................-33 Growth Rates ...................................... 34 RESULTS ............................................35 Initial Conditions ................................... 35 Chlorophyii a .................................35 Nutrient Concentrations ..........................35 Ciliates ..................................... 35 Abundance and Biomaa at Discovery Bay ..........35 Abundance and Biomass at Kingston Harbour ........38 iii page Enclosure Conditions at Discovery Bay (T=Peak 101 h) ..........46 Chlorophyli a ................................. 46 Nutrient Concentrations ......................... -46 Ciliates in Non-nutrient Treatments ...................46 Abundance .............................. -55 Biomass .................................55 Ciliates in Nutrient-Enriched Treatments ...............62 Abundance ............................... 62 Biomass .................................62 Enclosure Condit@ns at Kingston Harbour (T=Peak) ............ 63 Chlorophyii a ................................ -63 Nutrient Concentrations ..........................63 Ciüates in Nomnutrient Treatments .................. -63 Abunhce ...............................67 Biomass ....................... .. ........67 Ciliates in Nutrient-Enriched Treatments ...............67 Abundance .............................. -67 Biomass ................................. 75 Nutrient Effects ................................... -75 Discovery Bay ................................ -75 Kingston Harbour ..............................77 Page Mesh Effects (Predation) at Kingston Harbour ................ 77 GrowthRate ...................................... 78 DISCUSSION ......................................... -84 Cornparison of Sites .................................84 Initial Endosure Conditions ...........................-92 Abiotic Fadom ................................92 Sampüng Variability ............................93 Biotic Factors .................. ...............94 Phytoplankton ........................... -94 Ciliate Abunciance ..........................95 Cüiate Biomass ........................... -98 Nutrient Effects ...................................-99 Discovery Bay ................................101 Kingston Aarbour ............................. 103 Mesh Effects (Predation) ............................. 105 Growth Rates ....................................-112 Importance of Nanociliates ............................ 117 Conciusion ..................................... -122 REFERENCES ........................................126 APPENDICES .........................................142 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Some Representative Phyla And Members Found Arnong The Plankton With Their Size Class ............. 3 Table 2. Comparison of Initial Chlorophyll a Biomass at T=O in 600 pm Treatments at Discovery Bay and Kingston Harbour ............................. .36 Table 3. Mean Annual Chlorophyil a Biomass at Discovery Bay and Kingston Harbour .................37 Table 4. Total Titinnine and Aioricate Ciliate Abundance, Percent Abundance, Biomass, and Percent Biomass at Diiovery Bay, and Kingston Harbour at T=O, filtered through a 600 pm mesh .........................-39 Table 5. Mean Strobilidiid, Strombidiid, and Haptorid Abundance, Percent Abundance, Biomass, and Percent Biomass at Discoveiy Bay and Kingston Harbour fiitered through a 600 pm Mesh at T=O .....................4û Table 6. Percent Abundance of Strobüidüd, Strombidiid, Titilnine, Haptorid and Total Nanociliates and Microcfiates fdtered through a 600 Cm Mesh at Diseovery Bay and Kingston Harbour at T=O ........... -41 Table 7. Percent Biomass of Strobilidiid, Strombidiid, Tintinnine, Eaptorid and Total Nanociliates and Microcfiates fidtered through a 600 pm Mesh at Discovery Bay, and Kingston Harbour at T=O ........................ .42 Table 8. Comparison of Ciiiate Abundance at Discovery Bay and Kingston Harbour at T=O following fdtration through a600pmmesh ................................44 Table 9. Comparison of Ciliate Biomass at Discovery Bay and Kingston Harbour at T=O foiiowiog fütration through a 600 pm mesh ............................... .45 Table 10. Comparison