Comparison of carbon and nitrogen turnover in normally grown and deformed foraminifera
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the feeding behavior of deformed and normal benthic foraminifera (Protista, Rhizaria) of the species Ammonia veneta . The degree of deformation was visualized by scanning electron and light microscopy. Food uptake and assimilation were quantified in undeformed, slight deformed (1–3 abnormal chambers), and heavy deformed (irregular coiling) individuals using isotopic labeling and confocal microscopy. Specimens were collected from the Belle Isle Marsh (Boston, USA) and maintained under controlled laboratory conditions. After a three-day incubation, slight deformed individuals showed food uptake and isotopic enrichment comparable to undeformed specimens. In contrast, heavy deformed foraminifera exhibited significantly reduced carbon and nitrogen assimilation, as well as a lower number of ingested food particles. Confocal observations further indicated reduced food processing in heavy deformed individuals. These results demonstrate that pronounced morphological deformities are associated with impaired feeding and assimilation performance. Our findings highlight that severe test deformation can substantially affect physiological functioning and should be carefully considered when selecting specimens for laboratory experiments or observing them in polluted areas.
Related
- Contributor Turnover Confounds Temporal Comparison of Recorded Habitats: A Voucher-Based Case Study of Three Lycoris Species in China from 2010 to 2020
- Phylogeny of the Cenozoic planktonic foraminifera
- New Holocene calcified tubular foraminifera in acervulinid macroids from the Kikai Jima shelf, Ryukyu Islands, southwestern Japan
- Intra- and inter-specific variability in benthic foraminifera modulates surface sediment reworking
- Within-host competition among the honey bees pathogens Nosema ceranae and Deformed wing virus is asymmetric and to the disadvantage of the virus
BibTeX
@article{lintner2026comparison,
title = {{Comparison of carbon and nitrogen turnover in normally grown and deformed foraminifera}},
author = {Michael Lintner and Jan Goleń and Agnieszka Gawin-Grębla and Colleen Cavanaugh and Norbert Cyran and Maria Holzmann and Wolfgang Wanek and Jarosław Tyszka},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-75347-w},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-75347-w},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Comparison of carbon and nitrogen turnover in normally grown and deformed foraminifera
AU - Michael Lintner
AU - Jan Goleń
AU - Agnieszka Gawin-Grębla
AU - Colleen Cavanaugh
AU - Norbert Cyran
AU - Maria Holzmann
AU - Wolfgang Wanek
AU - Jarosław Tyszka
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/08
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-75347-w
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-75347-w
AB - In this study, we investigated the feeding behavior of deformed and normal benthic foraminifera (Protista, Rhizaria) of the species Ammonia veneta . The degree of deformation was visualized by scanning electron and light microscopy. Food uptake and assimilation were quantified in undeformed, slight deformed (1–3 abnormal chambers), and heavy deformed (irregular coiling) individuals using isotopic labeling and confocal microscopy. Specimens were collected from the Belle Isle Marsh (Boston, USA) and maintained under controlled laboratory conditions. After a three-day incubation, slight deformed individuals showed food uptake and isotopic enrichment comparable to undeformed specimens. In contrast, heavy deformed foraminifera exhibited significantly reduced carbon and nitrogen assimilation, as well as a lower number of ingested food particles. Confocal observations further indicated reduced food processing in heavy deformed individuals. These results demonstrate that pronounced morphological deformities are associated with impaired feeding and assimilation performance. Our findings highlight that severe test deformation can substantially affect physiological functioning and should be carefully considered when selecting specimens for laboratory experiments or observing them in polluted areas.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -