Enzyme activity and trophic links of macroarthropods living on an exposed Mediterranean beach–dune system
Year: 2016
Authors: Lagar MC., Pazzagli L., Cappugi G., Giusfredi G., Colombini I., Fallaci M., Chelazzi L., Scapini F.
Autors Affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy;
Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche, Sperimentali e Cliniche “Mario Serio” Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy;
Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, C.N.R. and European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
Istituto per lo Studio degli Ecosistemi, C.N.R., Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
Abstract: Arthropod communities of beach-dune systems are mainly composed by detritivorous species, apparently with overlapping trophic niches. This study aims at distinguishing the trophic roles of sympatric species, by using a biochemical approach in the analysis of gut contents. The digestion of seven trisaccharidic and disaccharidic substrates containing the glycosidic bond was tested in gut homogenates of 10 species of detritivorous insects and crustaceans from a Mediterranean beach-dune system (Tuscany, Italy). Glycosidase activities were compared between species. A dendrogram was determined separating species with different enzymatic activity spectra. The differences observed in the enzymatic activities may be related to a different use of the available food resources and interpreted as an opportunist nutrition of arthropod species sharing the same habitat.
Journal/Review: ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Volume: 83 (2) Pages from: 221 to: 232
KeyWords: Enzyme activity; trophic structure; crustaceans; coleopterans; beach–dune systemDOI: 10.1080/11250003.2016.1184331Citations: 4data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-04-21References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)Connecting to view paper tab on IsiWeb: Click hereConnecting to view citations from IsiWeb: Click here