The microbial loop in the Sfax saltworks (Tunisia): quantitative importance of ciliated protozoa and bacteria
Résumé
In aquatic pelagic environments, numerous works have showed that part of the energy flows through the microbial loop, which can play a significant role. The aim of this work was to study the microbial loop, in particular ciliated protozoa and bacteria, in the Sfax Saltworks ecosystem. The main results are: The densities of ciliates in the first Saltworks basins were low, due to the presence of predators. With the increasing salinity along the saltworks, marine ciliates were progressively replaced by more euryhalines species, like Fabrea salina. The ciliates density, was highest in the high salinity basins, in association with bacterial development, suggesting the functioning of the microbial loop in these pounds.