Most subterranean ecosystems are characterized by temporal and spatial patchiness of food because of lack of autotrophic production and intermittent allochthonous input (Hervant et.al, 1997; Huppop, 1985). However, some subterranean communities such as, bat caves with guano production, Appalachian caves (Culver and Poulson,1971) with great allochthonous inputs, and Frasassi caves (Porter et. al,2009) with chemoautotrophic production are not limited by food supplies. Therefore, if caves are not food limited, troglobitic amphipods have same metabolic turnover rate as their epigean counterparts (Culver and Poulson, 1971).
Periods of low food supplies are experienced by most hypogean and epigean organisms in their environment during which the …show more content…
Starvation leads to quantitative and qualitative changes in the body composition of crustaceans (Gilbert and Mathieu, 1980; Barclay et al 1983). The relative importance of different metabolite reserve depends on the period of starvation as well as on species-specific differences in metabolism and its regulation (Hervant et al, 1999; Caruso et al, 2008). Lipids play an important role as reserves in cave adapted amphipod N. virei. When N. virei and N. rhenorhodanensis were starved for 6 months, N. virei depleted lipids to a greater extent from initial content (63.2%) followed by carbohydrates (50.9%) and proteins (34.5%), whereas interstitial N. rhenorhodanensis used all of its carbohydrates reserves (94.4%) followed by proteins (52.5%) and lipids (41.9%). In epigean amphipod Gammarus fossarum proteins represented 56% of energy consumed during 28 days of fasting period followed by lipids (39%) and glycogen (5%) (Hervant et.al, 1999). Similar results were obtained in the study carried out by Hervant and Renault 2002 on epigean and hypogean isopods. In hypogean isopod S. virei, lipids represented 60% of energy consumed during 180 days of fasting period followed by proteins (40%) while glycogen did not contribute at all to energy production, whereas in epigean isopod A. aquaticus, proteins represented 50% of energy consumed during 28 days of fasting period followed by …show more content…
The sympatric subterranean amphipods in Edward aquifer exhibit specialized feeding strategies, suggesting that competition among these species is driven by niche partitioning (Hutchins et.al, 2014). Chemolithoautotrophic organic matter is a source of food and long-term nutrient supply for the stygobionts living in the Edward aquifer (Hutchins et.al, in press). However, it is not well understood if food sources are in abundance in Edward aquifer throughout the year for all the organisms residing in this
Periods of low food supplies are experienced by most hypogean and epigean organisms in their environment during which the …show more content…
Starvation leads to quantitative and qualitative changes in the body composition of crustaceans (Gilbert and Mathieu, 1980; Barclay et al 1983). The relative importance of different metabolite reserve depends on the period of starvation as well as on species-specific differences in metabolism and its regulation (Hervant et al, 1999; Caruso et al, 2008). Lipids play an important role as reserves in cave adapted amphipod N. virei. When N. virei and N. rhenorhodanensis were starved for 6 months, N. virei depleted lipids to a greater extent from initial content (63.2%) followed by carbohydrates (50.9%) and proteins (34.5%), whereas interstitial N. rhenorhodanensis used all of its carbohydrates reserves (94.4%) followed by proteins (52.5%) and lipids (41.9%). In epigean amphipod Gammarus fossarum proteins represented 56% of energy consumed during 28 days of fasting period followed by lipids (39%) and glycogen (5%) (Hervant et.al, 1999). Similar results were obtained in the study carried out by Hervant and Renault 2002 on epigean and hypogean isopods. In hypogean isopod S. virei, lipids represented 60% of energy consumed during 180 days of fasting period followed by proteins (40%) while glycogen did not contribute at all to energy production, whereas in epigean isopod A. aquaticus, proteins represented 50% of energy consumed during 28 days of fasting period followed by …show more content…
The sympatric subterranean amphipods in Edward aquifer exhibit specialized feeding strategies, suggesting that competition among these species is driven by niche partitioning (Hutchins et.al, 2014). Chemolithoautotrophic organic matter is a source of food and long-term nutrient supply for the stygobionts living in the Edward aquifer (Hutchins et.al, in press). However, it is not well understood if food sources are in abundance in Edward aquifer throughout the year for all the organisms residing in this