A importância da matéria orgânica particulada (MOP) na alimentação de Palythoa caribaeorum e Zoanthus sociatus (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Zoantharia)

Abstract

Zoanthids are zooxanthelated benthic cnidaria that are a fundamental part of several ecological relationships that occur in the marine environment. Although there are studies that seek to understand their consumption, none of them considered the role of organic matter in their diet, so the aim of this study is to evaluate the role of MOP in the feeding of Palythoa caribaeorum and Zoanthus sociatus. Four alterations were made within 24 hours at Serrambi beach, Pernambuco coast, where colonies of P. caribaeorum and Z.sociatus were collected. In laboratory or material was dissected, abundance of fit and zooplankton, as well as particulate organic matter were recorded. Subsequently a biomass item was calculated for each food item after comparing a biomass sample and was made in the nested ANOVA GLM where times and dates were nested. Regarding abundance, P. caribaeorum consumes more phytoplankton. Particulate organic material represents only 16.98% of food items for a species. A single significant difference can be observed in the second observation made during the upward waiting period (F = 9,348; p = 0.00001). In relation to carbon input (biomass). The three selected items are similar throughout the day. However, although the adjustment was the most abundant, it represents the smallest amount of carbon of the three items analyzed. GLM revealed a significant number between last high tide MOP and other food items (F = 9.1292; p = 0.0001). Z. sociatus feeds a lot less compared to P. caribaeorum, Z. sociatus seems to feed regularly throughout the light period, however, a drop in prey is detected in the third observation, the only one at night. Nevertheless, the test did not identify any significant differences within or between times (F = 1.8962; p = 0.05). In relation to biomass or phytoplankton and MOP, it has a much greater importance than the zooplankton factor that was observed in GLM which is significantly different (p = 0.0001 and F = 9.851).