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Tubificoides benedii (Tubificidae, Oligochaeta) — a pioneer in hypoxic and sulfidic environments. An overview of adaptive pathways

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Book cover Aquatic Oligochaetes

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 139))

Abstract

Eutrophic tidal flats and polluted coastal sites are the predominant habitat of the marine oligochaete Tubificoides benedii. The worms live in dense populations in these stressed habitats which are often characterized by high levels of hydrogen sulfide. This indicates that they have a high capacity to tolerate anoxic (and sulfidic) conditions. Respiration rates of T. benedii measured at various oxygen concentrations showed that aerobic respiration is maintained even at very low oxygen concentrations. This ability is combined with a high regulatory capacity of oxygen uptake. Addition of sulfide considerably reduced this capacity of maintaining aerobic metabolic pathways at low oxygen concentrations. The present work in relation to earlier physiological and structural studies (Giere et al, 1988; Dubilier et al., 1994, 1995, 1997) suggests adaptive strategies that make T. benedii one of the most successful inhabitants of ecologically stressed, sulfidic benthic environments. This is corroborated by comparison with other typical’ sulfide annelids’ such as the polychaetes Capitella capitata and Arenicola marina.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Institute and Zoological Museum, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany

    O. Giere, J.-H. Preusse & N. Dubilier

Authors
  1. O. Giere
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  2. J.-H. Preusse
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  3. N. Dubilier
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Department, University College, Belfield, Stillorgan Road, Dublin 4, Ireland

    B. M. Healy

  2. National Water Research Institute, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, Ontario, L7R 4A6, Canada

    T. B. Reynoldson

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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Giere, O., Preusse, JH., Dubilier, N. (1999). Tubificoides benedii (Tubificidae, Oligochaeta) — a pioneer in hypoxic and sulfidic environments. An overview of adaptive pathways. In: Healy, B.M., Reynoldson, T.B., Coates, K.A. (eds) Aquatic Oligochaetes. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 139. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4207-6_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4207-6_23

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5829-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4207-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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