Intraspecific variability in the filter mesh size of suspension feeding organisms: the case of invasive Ponto-Caspian corophiids (Crustacea: Amphipoda).

ABSTRACT: Suspension feeders play pivotal roles in the nutrient cycling of almost all aquatic ecosystems. Since sufficiently large differences in the filter mesh size (FMS) can lead to different food web positions, the inter- and intraspecific variability of this trait might be of community-level importance. The aim of this study was to quantify the range of FMS variation within the three invasive Ponto-Caspian Chelicorophium species based on a large material representing various conditions (1,224 specimens from 40 samples across Central Europe), characterize the components of variation within populations, identify the main factors determining intraspecific differences, and reveal how intraspecific variation affects the FMS overlaps among species. The FMS of the most widespread invader, C.

SUBMITTER: Borza P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8061577 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature