Modelling of consumption and assimilation in the deposit-feeding polychaete Eupolymnia nebulosa

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Abstract
The deposit-feeding terebellid polychaete Eupolymnia nebulosa was fed over 3 different time periods (4, 10, and 48 h) on 3 species of different-sized 14C labelled diatoms: Narvicula incerta, Nitzschia acicularis and Nitzschia sp. Because of the complexity of the exchanges of matter between the different compartments (annelids, CO2, DOM, algae) of the ''Diatom-Annelid'' system, the experimental study alone was insufficient to quantify the amounts of organic matter that were ingested, consumed or assimilated by the worms. An analog model allowed quantification of such exchanges E. nebulosa ingested Nitzschia sp. rather than N. acicularis and N. incerta. Comparison of results in the presence and absence of annelids suggested that the activity of the worms affected the metabolism of the sedimented diatoms (N. incerta was stimulated whereas N. acicularis was inhibited). This action is similar to the effect of the deposit-feeding bivalve Abra Alba on these 2 algae.