Periphyton Ecology Flashcards
Define phytobenthos
- Surface-attached algal communities
–> These are algae that grow not in the open water but instead attached to surfaces
Where do phytobenthos live generally
in relatively shallow areas with lots of sunlight - enough for them to actively photosynthesize
What account for over 50% of the total productivity in shallow lakes, ponds, and streams
phytobenthos
What is the littoral zone
this is the portion of submerged shoreline that receives adequate amounts of sunlight to support primary production –> phytobenthos in the littoral zone regulate primary production in most lakes and ponds making them important
phytobenthic growth by filamentous green algae is greatest in what area of the littoral zone
- near the top of the littoral zone (epilimnion)
- in contrast cyanobacteria are more abundant in the lower level where there is not much sunlight because they can perform chromatic adaptation
What type of phytobenthos are found on rocks
Epilithic
What type of phytobenthos are found on submerged plants
Epiphyton
What type of phytobenthos are found on submerged logs
Epixylon
What type of phytobenthos are found on sediments
Epipelon
What type of phytobenthos are found as floating clouds in the littoral zone
metaphyton
The succession of species in phytobenthos is analogous to the succession of what
of plants on land
Which species appear earlier in phytobenthos and are considered lower canopy species
penne diatoms are the first original colonists
Describe the phytobenthos and the miniature forest analogy
- Algal competition for resources involves stalked and filamentous species (“trees”) being superior competitors for light –> these upper canopy species have better access to both light and nutrients
- In contrast, the small and short algae (“understory species”) are better positioned to compete for nutrients released from sediments )so they have more immediate access to nutrients coming from the sediments if they are living on them)
What is a periphyton
- this is a term used to refer the an entire collective matrix with all the different organisms in it
- phytobenthic algae coexist with bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in a polysaccharide matrix collectively referred to as periphyton
–> so phytobenthos don’t just grow by themselves they are also hosted with other organisms
Describe the understory algae in the periphyton
- periphyton is the phytobenthos and the other organisms
–> The understory algae are heterotrophic and capable of producing hydrolytic enzymes like phosphatase for retrieving organically bound nutrients