All you can eat: the functional response of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus feeding on krill and copepods.

ABSTRACT: The feeding behavior of the cosmopolitan cold-water coral (CWC) Desmophyllum dianthus (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) is still poorly known. Its usual deep distribution restricts direct observations, and manipulative experiments are so far limited to prey that do not occur in CWC natural habitat. During a series of replicated incubations, we assessed the functional response of this coral feeding on a medium-sized copepod (Calanoides patagoniensis) and a large euphausiid (Euphausia vallentini). Corals showed a Type I functional response, where feeding rate increased linearly with prey abundance, as predicted for a tentaculate passive suspension feeder. No significant differences in feeding were found between prey items, and corals were able to attain a maximum feeding rate of

SUBMITTER: Hofer J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6223235 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature