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The Role
of Algae in Aquatic Food Webs
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Concept:
The „microbial food web“ complements the classical food chain
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Pathways:
larger phytoplankton (>20 µm) are grazed by herbivorous crustacean
zooplankton, which in turn are grazed by planktivorous fish; small phytoplankton
is grazed by protozoa (as are bacteria), and protozoa are grazed by „herbivorous“
crustacean zooplankton
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The Microbial
Loop: Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) produced
by algae (exudation) and during protozoan and zooplankton grazing is converted
into particulate biomass by bacteria and, thereby, re-channelled into the
food web. Viruses contribute to DOC production by algal and bacterial lysis
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Size
classes ofphytoplankton:
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Picoplankton:
0.2-2 µm
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Nanoplankton:
2-20 µm
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Microplankton:>20
µm
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Pico-
and Nanophytoplankton are part ofthe microbial food web
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