Mechanisms of filter feeding in immature Simulium bivittatum Malloch (Diptera: Simuliidae) and Isonychia campestris McDunnough (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae)

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 504-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Braimah

Immatures of Isonychia campestris McDunnough and Simulium bivittatum Malloch, fed mixtures of six size classes of polystyrene particles, captured particles that were smaller than the pore spaces between filtering structures more efficiently than was expected if filters functioned only as mechanical sieves. Capture efficiency was highest for the smallest (0.5 – 5.7 μm) particles. Relative efficiencies of filters for capturing suspended particles by four aerosol filtration mechanisms show that interception and diffusive deposition are mechanisms by which smaller particles reach the filter surface. The latter mechanism is a better predictor of size distribution of 0.5- to 5.7-μm particles captured by both insects. Adhesion of particles to filtering structures is probably by hydrophilic–hydrophobic or ionic interaction between particles and filters.

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Abda ◽  
A. Azbaid ◽  
D. Ensminger ◽  
S. Fischer ◽  
P. François ◽  
...  

In the frame of a technological research and innovation network in water and environment technologies (RITEAU, Réseau de Recherche et d'Innovation Technologique Eau et Environnement), our research group, in collaboration with industrial partners and other research institutions, has been in charge of the development of a suitable flowmeter: an ultrasonic device measuring simultaneously the water flow and the concentration of size classes of suspended particles. Working on the pulsed ultrasound principle, our multi-frequency device (1 to 14 MHz) allows flow velocity and water height measurement and estimation of suspended solids concentration. Velocity measurements rely on the coherent Doppler principle. A self developed frequency estimator, so called Spectral Identification method, was used and compared to the classical Pulse-Pair method. Several measurements campaigns on one wastewater collector of the French city of Strasbourg gave very satisfactory results and showed smaller standard deviation values for the Doppler frequency extracted by the Spectral Identification method. A specific algorithm was also developed for the water height measurements. It relies on the water surface acoustic impedance rupture and its peak localisation and behaviour in the collected backscattering data. This algorithm was positively tested on long time measurements on the same wastewater collector. A large part of the article is devoted to the measurements of the suspended solids concentrations. Our data analysis consists in the adaptation of the well described acoustic behaviour of sand to the behaviour of wastewater particles. Both acoustic attenuation and acoustic backscattering data over multiple frequencies are analyzed for the extrapolation of size classes and respective concentrations. Under dry weather conditions, the massic backscattering coefficient and the overall size distribution showed similar evolution whatever the measurement site was and were suggesting a global wastewater particles behaviour. By comparison to sampling data, our data analysis lead to the characterization of two particle groups: the ones occurring during rain events and the ones typical of wastewater under dry weather conditions. Even with already encouraging results on the several weeks of data recorded on several wastewater collectors, the validation of our data inversion method is still under progress.


2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 509-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Engel ◽  
K. G. Schulz ◽  
U. Riebesell ◽  
R. Bellerby ◽  
B. Delille ◽  
...  

Abstract. The influence of seawater carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration on the size distribution of suspended particles (2–60 μm) and on phytoplankton abundance was investigated during a mesocosm experiment at the large scale facility (LFS) in Bergen, Norway, in the frame of the Pelagic Ecosystem CO2 Enrichment study (PeECE II). In nine outdoor enclosures the partial pressure of CO2 in seawater was modified by an aeration system to simulate past (~190 μatm CO2), present (~370 μatm CO2) and future (~700 μatm CO2) CO2 conditions in triplicates. Due to the initial addition of inorganic nutrients, phytoplankton blooms developed in all mesocosms and were monitored over a period of 19 days. Seawater samples were collected daily for analysing the abundance of suspended particles and phytoplankton with the Coulter Counter and with Flow Cytometry, respectively. During the bloom period, the abundance of small particles (<4 μm) significantly increased at past, and decreased at future CO2 levels. At that time, a direct relationship between the total-surface-to-total-volume ratio of suspended particles and DIC concentration was determined for all mesocosms. Significant changes with respect to the CO2 treatment were also observed in the phytoplankton community structure. While some populations such as diatoms seemed to be insensitive to the CO2 treatment, others like Micromonas spp. increased with CO2, or showed maximum abundance at present day CO2 (i.e. Emiliania huxleyi). The strongest response to CO2 was observed in the abundance of small autotrophic nano-plankton that strongly increased during the bloom in the past CO2 mesocosms. Together, changes in particle size distribution and phytoplankton community indicate a complex interplay between the ability of the cells to physiologically respond to changes in CO2 and size selection. Size of cells is of general importance for a variety of processes in marine systems such as diffusion-limited uptake of substrates, resource allocation, predator-prey interaction, and gravitational settling. The observed changes in particle size distribution are therefore discussed with respect to biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem functioning.


2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 4295-4340 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. S. Kostadinov ◽  
D. A. Siegel ◽  
S. Maritorena

Abstract. A new method of retrieving the parameters of a power-law particle size distribution (PSD) from ocean color remote sensing data was used to assess the global distribution and dynamics of phytoplankton functional types (PFT's). The method retrieves the power-law slope, ξ, and the abundance at a reference diameter, N0, based upon the shape and magnitude of the particulate backscattering coefficient spectrum. Relating the PSD to PFT's on global scales assumes that the open ocean particulate assemblage is biogenic. The retrieved PSD's can be integrated to define three size-based PFT's by the percent volume concentration contribution of three phytoplankton size classes – picoplankton (0.5–2 μm in equivalent spherical diameter), nanoplankton (2–20 μm) and microplankton (20–50 μm). Validation with in-situ HPLC diagnostic pigments results in satisfactory match-ups for the pico- and micro-phytoplankton size classes. Global climatologies derived from SeaWiFS monthly data reveal PFT and particle abundance spatial patterns that are consistent with current understanding. Oligotrophic gyres are characterized by lower particle abundance and higher contribution by picoplankton-sized particles than transitional or eutrophic regions. Seasonal succession patterns for size-based PFT's reveal good correspondence between increasing chl and percent contribution by microplankton, as well as increasing particle abundance. Long-term trends in particle abundances are generally inconclusive yet are well correlated with the MEI index indicating increased oligotrophy (i.e. lower particle abundance and increased contribution of picoplankton-sized particles) during the warm phase of an El Niño event. This work demonstrates the utility and future potential of assessing phytoplankton functional types using remote characterization of the particle size distribution.


2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Serra ◽  
Xavier Casamitjana ◽  
Jordi Colomer ◽  
Timothy C. Granata

An in situ laser particle size analyzer (LISST-100, Sequoia Scientific, Inc.) has been used to study the particle size distribution and concentration of biological and non biological particles in the water column of a Mediterranean coastal system. Two field campaigns have been carried out during low and high energy conditions of the flow, caused by the passage of a storm front. For the low energy period, the water column remained stratified, whereas for the high energetic period the water column was warmer and well mixed. The first study dealt with the distribution of particles near the bottom of the coastal area. Here, two regions were taken into account. The first region was a sea-grass meadow of Posidonia oceanica and the second region was a barren sand area. The second study dealt with the determination of the vertical distribution of suspended particles in the whole water column of the system. The results showed a decrease in the vertical concentration of suspended particles in the water column with the passage of the storm front, which was associated with advection of warm water mass rather than by vertical mixing. In contrast, vertical resuspension determined the fate of suspended particles at the bottom of the water column and an increase of their concentration was found.


2017 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 161-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasre-Dine Ahfir ◽  
Ahmed Hammadi ◽  
Abdellah Alem ◽  
HuaQing Wang ◽  
Gilbert Le Bras ◽  
...  

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