The concomitant existence of a typical coastal and a detritus food chain in the Westerschelde estuary
Hummel, H.; Moerland, G.; Bakker, C. (1988). The concomitant existence of a typical coastal and a detritus food chain in the Westerschelde estuary, in: Hummel, H. et al. (Ed.) Hydrobiology and chemistry of the Schelde and Westerschelde: proceedings of the Schelde symposium (May 1987, Terneuzen, The Netherlands). pp. 35-41
In: Hummel, H. et al. (Ed.) (1988). Hydrobiology and chemistry of the Schelde and Westerschelde: proceedings of the Schelde symposium (May 1987, Terneuzen, The Netherlands). Delta Institute for Hydrobiological Research: Yerseke. VI, 67 pp., more
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Hummel, H.; Moerland, G.; Bakker, C. (1988). The concomitant existence of a typical coastal and a detritus food chain in the Westerschelde estuary. Hydrobiol. Bull. 22(1): 35-41. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02256780, more
Aquatic organisms > Heterotrophic organisms > Detritus feeders Biological production > Primary production Distribution > Ecological distribution Species diversity Suspended organic matter Marine/Coastal
Clear gradients could be found from the river to the sea for the abiotic as well as for the biotic features of the Westerschelde estuary. Two food chains were distinguished; a mainly detritus-based food chain in the upstream brackish part and a coastal food chain downstream. The centre of the area of the detritus food chain coincided with the zone of a turbidity maximum at the interface of salt and fresh water. This food chain is characterized by a low primary production but a year-round high concentration of suspended organic matter, aggregates of detritus and bacteria. The zooplankton and zoobenthos can reach high biomasses. The coastal food chain is mainly based on a seasonally changing high primary production. The diversity of flora and fauna in this system is much higher than in the detritus food chain, although the biomass can be lower.
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