Interactions between native and alien ctenophores: Beroe gracilis and Mnemiopsis leidyi in Gullmarsfjorden

Interactions between native and alien ctenophores: Beroe gracilis and Mnemiopsis leidyi in Gullmarsfjorden

We experimentally quantified predation rates between the native North Sea ctenophore Beroe gracilis and the introduced Mnemiopsis leidyi. A series of incubation experiments with varying M. leidyi prey concentrations (0.15 to 2.37 ind. l–1) and sizes (mean oral-aboral length: 5.9 to 20.6 mm) was conducted, and digestion rates were measured. B. gracilis fed readily on M. leidyi and reproduced on ...

Discovery, Prevalence, and Persistence of Novel Circular Single-Stranded DNA Viruses in the Ctenophores Mnemiopsis leidyi and Beroe ovata

Gelatinous zooplankton, such as ctenophores and jellyfish, are important components of marine and brackish ecosystems and play critical roles in aquatic biogeochemistry. As voracious predators of plankton, ctenophores have key positions in aquatic food webs and are often successful invaders when introduced to new areas. Gelatinous zooplankton have strong impacts on ecosystem services, particula...

Parasites and bacteria isolated from ctenophore invaders, Mnemiopsis leidyi and Beroe ovata

Native and non-native ctenophores in the Gulf of Trieste, Northern Adriatic Sea

Observations of ctenophore species were made in the Gulf of Trieste between 2003 and 2006. We examined native ctenophore species with special attention to representatives of the orders Lobata and Beroida, and we recorded among them two non-native ctenophores: Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz 1865 and Beroe ovata sensu Mayer, 1912. The validity of the Mediterranean species Beroe ovata is discussed. ...

Fine-scale vertical distributions of Mnemiopsis leidyi ctenophores: predation on copepods relative to stratification and hypoxia

Plankton concentrations near discontinuities in the water column (clines) are be lieved to be important for intensifying trophic interactions; however, evidence for increased feeding by predators at clines in situ is scarce. Here we demonstrate enhanced feeding near pycnoclines by a voracious planktivore, the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. To determine their feeding relative to stratification, w...