The Effect of Detritus Ration on Metal Transfer to Deposit-Feeding Benthos

T h e quantity of organlc detritus available for ~n g e s t i o n may significantly affect mlnor a n d trace metal concentrations in populations of benthic deposit feeders.Laboratory populations of the polychaete Capitella capltata Fabrlcius were maintained at 3 rations of each of 2 s e a w e e d d e t r ~t u s Concentrations of Kb, C u , Ag, Zn, C d , Ni, Al, Fe, a n d M n In the worms w e r e measured after population biomass increased Copper (present at 'pollutant' I6'vels In the system) concentrat~ons also decreased with increasing ration, although the decreases were not significant T h e r e w e r e slight, statistically ~n s ~g n ~f i c d n t Increases in AI, Fe, a n d M n concentrat~ons in the worms a s ration increased.T h e decreases in uptake of metals other than AI, Fe, a n d M n are attributed to Increased reworklny of t h e total benthic trace metal pool (food, s e d ~m e n t s , water) by larger p o p u l a t ~o n s of C. capltata Differences in rates of detrital input into benthlc systems a n d the concom~tant v a r i a t ~o n In b e n t h ~c secondary production may s ~g n l f ~c a n t l y affect metal concentrations In natural populations of d e p o s ~t feeders