Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 15.8
Darlingtonia,
a pitcher plant that contains small pools. It is inhabited by
some insects and preys upon others.
Mosquito larvae can inhabit tree holes. Communities dominated by
larvae of
Aedes sierrensis
were investigated for community effects of larval
feeding (Eisenberg and Washburn, 2000). The larvae reduced numbers of
planktonic protozoa. When biofilms of bacteria and fungi increased, the
predation pressure on planktonic protozoa decreased.
ULTRAOLIGOTROPHIC HABITATS
Aquatic systems with very low amounts of available nutrients can be
considered extreme environments. Morita (1997) suggested that the nor-
mal state of bacteria is one of depletion and starvation with respect to sup-
plies of organic carbon. If this is the case, most bacteria must experience
the stress of oligotrophy at least occasionally. Other organisms are subject
to the influence of oligotrophy as well when production of photosynthetic
organisms and heterotrophs is low, and food webs are severely
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