Fatty acids as a tool to understand microbial diversity and their role in food webs of Mediterranean temporary ponds.

ABSTRACT: Temporary Mediterranean ponds are complex ecosystems which support a high diversity of organisms that include heterotrophic microorganisms, algae, crustaceans, amphibians and higher plants, and have the potential to supply food and a resting place to migratory birds. The role of heterotrophs at the base of the food web in providing energy to the higher trophic levels was studied in temporary ponds in Central and Southern Portugal. The relative quantification of the hetero and autotrophic biomass at the base of the food web in each pond was derived from the polar fatty acid (PLFA) composition of seston through the application of the matrix factorization program CHEMTAX that used specific PLFA and their relative proportion as markers for e.g., classes of bacteria, algae and fungi. The specie

SUBMITTER: de Carvalho CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6271346 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature