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Médieu A, Spitz J, Point D, Sonke JE, Loutrage L, Laffont L, Chouvelon T. Mercury Stable Isotopes Reveal the Vertical Distribution and Trophic Ecology of Deep-Pelagic Organisms over the North-East Atlantic Ocean Continental Slope. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39392772 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c05201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2024]
Abstract
Deep-pelagic species are central to marine ecosystems and increasingly vulnerable to global change and human exploitation. To date, our understanding of these communities remains limited mainly due to the difficulty of observations, calling for complementary innovative tools to better characterize their ecology. We used mercury (Δ199Hg, δ202Hg, Δ201Hg, and Δ200Hg), carbon (δ13C), and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope compositions to segregate deep-pelagic species caught on the continental slope of the Bay of Biscay (NE Atlantic) according to their foraging depth and trophic ecology. Decreasing fish Δ199Hg values with corresponding depth estimates from the surface to down to 1,800 m confirmed that mercury isotopes are able to segregate deep species over a large vertical gradient according to their foraging depth. Results from isotopic compositions also identified different mercury sources, likely reflecting different trophic assemblages over the continental slope, in particular, the demersal influence for some species, compared to purely oceanic species. Overall, our results demonstrate how mercury stable isotopes can inform the vertical foraging habitat of little-known species and communities feeding in the deep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Médieu
- Observatoire Pelagis, UAR 3462 La Rochelle Université/CNRS, 5 Allées de L'Océan, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Jérôme Spitz
- Observatoire Pelagis, UAR 3462 La Rochelle Université/CNRS, 5 Allées de L'Océan, 17000 La Rochelle, France
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 La Rochelle Université/CNRS, 405 Route de Prissé La Charrière, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - David Point
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR CNRS 5563/IRD 234, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, Toulouse 31400, France
| | - Jeroen E Sonke
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR CNRS 5563/IRD 234, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, Toulouse 31400, France
| | - Liz Loutrage
- Observatoire Pelagis, UAR 3462 La Rochelle Université/CNRS, 5 Allées de L'Océan, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Laure Laffont
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR CNRS 5563/IRD 234, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, Toulouse 31400, France
| | - Tiphaine Chouvelon
- Observatoire Pelagis, UAR 3462 La Rochelle Université/CNRS, 5 Allées de L'Océan, 17000 La Rochelle, France
- Ifremer, CCEM Contamination Chimique des Écosystèmes Marins, F-44000 Nantes, France
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Gao H, Yu R, Gong Y, Chen X, Li Y, Liu B, Gan Q. Diversity but not abundance of ingested plastics changes with ontogenetic dietary shift: Stable isotope insights into plastic contamination in a mesopelagic predator longnose lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 208:116910. [PMID: 39255673 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
We employed Fourier infrared spectroscopy, laser infrared technology, and stable isotope analysis to investigate the relationships between characteristics of ingested plastics and size-related feeding ecology of a mesopelagic predator, longnose lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox. Plastics were detected in 81.48 % of specimens, up to 8.81 ± 8.29 items/individual and 0.59 ± 0.66 items/g wet weight of intestine, and were sized 20.00 μm to 6.50 cm. The majority were granules and fragments in shape, and polystyrene and acrylate copolymer in polymer type. The diversity indices exhibited a correlation with trophic position and body size groups, emphasizing that the ontogenetic dietary shift of A. ferox may influence the diversity of plastics ingested. This study provides new insights into the plastic pathways linking epipelagic and mesopelagic food webs and demonstrates that biochemical ecological tracers can effectively indicate the bioavailability of plastic correlated with growth in mesopelagic predator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huachen Gao
- College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruoyang Yu
- College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Gong
- College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xinjun Chen
- College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunkai Li
- College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Bilin Liu
- College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinyuan Gan
- College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
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Eduardo LN, Mincarone MM, Sutton T, Bertrand A. Deep-Pelagic Fishes Are Anything But Similar: A Global Synthesis. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14510. [PMID: 39354890 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/03/2024]
Abstract
Deep-pelagic fishes are among the most abundant vertebrates on Earth. They play a critical role in sequestering carbon, providing prey for harvestable fishing stocks and linking oceanic layers and trophic levels. However, knowledge of these fishes is scarce and fragmented, hampering the ability of both the scientific community and stakeholders to address them effectively. While modelling approaches incorporating these organisms have advanced, they often oversimplify their functional and ecological diversity, potentially leading to misconceptions. To address these gaps, this synthesis examines the biodiversity and ecology of global deep-pelagic fishes. We review pelagic ecosystem classifications and propose a new semantic framework for deep-pelagic fishes. We evaluate different sampling methods, detailing their strengths, limitations and complementarities. We provide an assessment of the world's deep-pelagic fishes comprising 1554 species, highlighting major groups and discussing regional variability. By describing their morphological, behavioural and ecological diversity, we show that these organisms are far from homogeneous. Building on this, we call for a more realistic approach to the ecology of deep-pelagic fishes transitioning between very different ecological niches during diel vertical migrations. To facilitate this, we introduce the concept of 'diel-modulated realised niche' and propose a conceptual model synthesising the multiple drivers responsible for such transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Maia Mincarone
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Macaé, RJ, Brazil
| | - Tracey Sutton
- Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, Florida, USA
| | - Arnaud Bertrand
- MARBEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Sète, France
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Weber MD, Richards TM, Sutton TT, Carter JE, Eytan RI. Deep-pelagic fishes: Demographic instability in a stable environment. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11267. [PMID: 38638366 PMCID: PMC11024635 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Demographic histories are frequently a product of the environment, as populations expand or contract in response to major environmental changes, often driven by changes in climate. Meso- and bathy-pelagic fishes inhabit some of the most temporally and spatially stable habitats on the planet. The stability of the deep-pelagic could make deep-pelagic fishes resistant to the demographic instability commonly reported in fish species inhabiting other marine habitats, however the demographic histories of deep-pelagic fishes are unknown. We reconstructed the historical demography of 11 species of deep-pelagic fishes using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data. We uncovered widespread evidence of population expansions in our study species, a counterintuitive result based on the nature of deep-pelagic ecosystems. Frequency-based methods detected potential demographic changes in nine species of fishes, while extended Bayesian skyline plots identified population expansions in four species. These results suggest that despite the relatively stable nature of the deep-pelagic environment, the fishes that reside here have likely been impacted by past changes in climate. Further investigation is necessary to better understand how deep-pelagic fishes, by far Earth's most abundant vertebrates, will respond to future climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max D. Weber
- Texas A&M University at GalvestonGalvestonTexasUSA
| | | | | | | | - Ron I. Eytan
- Texas A&M University at GalvestonGalvestonTexasUSA
- Department of Biological SciencesLouisiana State UniversityBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
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Martins K, Niella Y, Albuquerque F, Eduardo LN, Oliveira P, Travassos P. Feeding behavior of yellowfin tuna around two insular regions of the western Atlantic Ocean. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:1112-1121. [PMID: 38174622 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The yellowfin tuna is a very abundant tropical tuna species in the western equatorial Atlantic Ocean and an important fishery resource for the Brazilian tuna fleet. In this study we performed stable isotope analysis to better understand the spatial trophodynamics and dietary changes in yellowfin tuna around two insular marine protected areas in Brazil. A total of 65 yellowfin tuna specimens measuring between 47 and 138 cm LT (total length) were sampled around the archipelagos of Fernando de Noronha (FNA; n = 34) and Saint Peter and Saint Paul (SPSPA; n = 31) between July 2018 and September 2019. Bayesian mixing models and generalized additive models were used to investigate the contributions of four different prey items (zooplankton, cephalopods, fish larvae, and flying fish) to yellowfin tuna diet in each area and their potential changes in relation to predator growth. The four prey items were found to have different overall contributions between the two studied areas, with zooplankton being the most important prey in FNA, whereas flying fish was the most relevant prey to the species' diet in SPSPA. Significant changes in the species diet by size were also found, with fish smaller than 90 cm (TL) having a more generalist diet and larger animals relying more on consuming larger and more nutritious prey (i.e., flying fish). Our results suggest that these two marine protected areas play an important role in ocean dynamics, providing important and different foraging grounds for the development of this predator species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Martins
- Laboratório de Ecologia Marinha, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Yuri Niella
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fernanda Albuquerque
- Laboratório de Etologia de Peixes, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | | | - Paulo Oliveira
- Laboratório de Etologia de Peixes, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Paulo Travassos
- Laboratório de Ecologia Marinha, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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