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Using radioactively labeled bacteria and photoautotrophs in undisturbed sediment cores, we show that three cooccurring species of benthic copepods feed on different microbial food sources in their natural environment. Specifically, Thompsonula hyaenae feeds on photoautotrophs, Halicyclops coulli feeds on bacteria, and Zausodes arenicolus feeds on both photoautotrophs and bacteria. Species of benthic copepods feed differently from one another in the field, and meiofaunal species' distributions could be influenced by distributions of their preferred microbial food.