The concomitant existence of a typical coastal and a detritus food chain in the Westerschelde estuary
Hummel, H.; Moerland, G.; Bakker, C. (1988). The concomitant existence of a typical coastal and a detritus food chain in the Westerschelde estuary. Hydrobiol. Bull. 22(1): 35-41. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02256780
In: Hydrobiological Bulletin. Netherlands Hydrobiological Society: Amsterdam. ISSN 0165-1404; e-ISSN 2214-708X, more
Related to:Hummel, H.; Moerland, G.; Bakker, C. (1988). The concomitant existence of a typical coastal and a detritus food chain in the Westerschelde estuary, in: Hummel, H. et al. (Ed.) Hydrobiology and chemistry of the Schelde and Westerschelde: proceedings of the Schelde symposium (May 1987, Terneuzen, The Netherlands). pp. 35-41, more
|  |
| Keywords |
Aquatic organisms > Heterotrophic organisms > Detritus feeders
Biological production > Primary production
Distribution > Ecological distribution
Species diversity
Suspended organic matter
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- Hummel, H., more
- Moerland, G.
- Bakker, C.
|
|
|
| Abstract |
Clear gradients could be found from the river to the sea for the abiotic as well as for the biotic features of the Westerschelde estuary. Two food chains were distinguished; a mainly detritus-based food chain in the upstream brackish part and a coastal food chain downstream. The centre of the area of the detritus food chain coincided with the zone of a turbidity maximum at the interface of salt and fresh water. This food chain is characterized by a low primary production but a year-round high concentration of suspended organic matter, aggregates of detritus and bacteria. The zooplankton and zoobenthos can reach high biomasses. The coastal food chain is mainly based on a seasonally changing high primary production. The diversity of flora and fauna in this system is much higher than in the detritus food chain, although the biomass can be lower. |
|
