Effect of a Free-Living Marine Nematode (Diplolaimella chitwoodi) on Detrital Carbon Mineralization

Abstract

Natural densities (106 nematodes m-') of the free-living marine nematode Diplolaimella chltwoodi increased maximum rates of carbon mineralization of Gracilaria detritus by 300%; lower densities (104 m-'), by 100%. In the presence of nematodes increased mineralization was observed for 2 different particle sizes oof Gracilarja detritus, 63 to 100 and 250 to 308pm. In the absence of nematodes, there were only slight differences in mineralization rates between the 2 particle sizes. Nematodes also increased the rate of mineralization of Spartina detritus but to a lesser degree (50%). Meiofaunal nematodes can significantly affect benthic carbon flow by such an effect on the rate of detritus mineralization.