BENTHIC ANIMALS IN SHALLOW WATERS THAT CAN EXPLOIT CHEMOSYNTHETIC PRIMARY PRODUCTION

底栖生物群落依赖于化学自养硫细菌的初级生产，它们不仅在热液喷口周围被发现，在那里释放出含有高浓度H_2S的热水，而且在河口和泥滩的有机富集沉积物中也被发现，在那里硫酸盐还原细菌会厌氧分解有机物产生H_2S。在富含硫化物的海洋生态系统中，依靠化学自养硫细菌初级生产的底栖生物群落普遍存在。在本研究中，我们报道了一种以沉积物为食的多毛类，Capitella sp. I，是沿海地区有机富集沉积物中的优势大型动物种，暴露于H_2S后，其生长得到了极大的促进。在高硫化物水平下生长的大型蠕虫的δ ^<13>C值（平均-24.4%）显著低于对照蠕虫（平均-20.1%）。蠕虫似乎依靠化学合成物实现了正常的生长。

Benthic communities, which rely on primary production by chemoautotrophic sulfur bacteria, have been discovered not only around hydrothermal vents, where heated water with extremely high levels of H_2S is emitted, but also in organically enriched sediments of estuaries and on mud flats, where sulfate-reducing bacteria decompose organic matter anaerobically producing H_2S.The benthic communities which rely on primary production by chemoautotrophic sulfur bacteriia appear to be widespread in sulfide-rich marine ecosystems. In this study, we report that growth of a deposit-feeding polychaete, Capitella sp. I, which is a dominant macrofaunal species in organically enriched sediments in coastal areas, was greatly enhanced by exposure to H_2S.The large worms grown in high levels of sulfide had significantly lower delta^<13>C values (mean, -24.4% than Control worms (mean, -20.1%). The worms appear to achieve normal growthrelying on the chemosynthetic production.