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Orihuela-Torres A, Morales-Reyes Z, Hermoso V, Picazo F, Sánchez Fernández D, Pérez-García JM, Botella F, Sánchez-Zapata JA, Sebastián-González E. Carrion ecology in inland aquatic ecosystems: a systematic review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1425-1443. [PMID: 38509722 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13075] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Carrion ecology, i.e. the decomposition and recycling of dead animals, has traditionally been neglected as a key process in ecosystem functioning. Similarly, despite the large threats that inland aquatic ecosystems (hereafter, aquatic ecosystems) face, the scientific literature is still largely biased towards terrestrial ecosystems. However, there has been an increasing number of studies on carrion ecology in aquatic ecosystems in the last two decades, highlighting their key role in nutrient recirculation and disease control. Thus, a global assessment of the ecological role of scavengers and carrion in aquatic ecosystems is timely. Here, we systematically reviewed scientific articles on carrion ecology in aquatic ecosystems to describe current knowledge, identify research gaps, and promote future studies that will deepen our understanding in this field. We found 206 relevant studies, which were highly biased towards North America, especially in lotic ecosystems, covering short time periods, and overlooking seasonality, a crucial factor in scavenging dynamics. Despite the low number of studies on scavenger assemblages, we recorded 55 orders of invertebrates from 179 families, with Diptera and Coleoptera being the most frequent orders. For vertebrates, we recorded 114 species from 40 families, with birds and mammals being the most common. Our results emphasise the significance of scavengers in stabilising food webs and facilitating nutrient cycling within aquatic ecosystems. Studies were strongly biased towards the assessment of the ecosystem effects of carrion, particularly of salmon carcasses in North America. The second most common research topic was the foraging ecology of vertebrates, which was mostly evaluated through sporadic observations of carrion in the diet. Articles assessing scavenger assemblages were scarce, and only a limited number of these studies evaluated carrion consumption patterns, which serve as a proxy for the role of scavengers in the ecosystem. The ecological functions performed by carrion and scavengers in aquatic ecosystems were diverse. The main ecological functions were carrion as food source and the role of scavengers in nutrient cycling, which appeared in 52.4% (N = 108) and 46.1% (N = 95) of publications, respectively. Ecosystem threats associated with carrion ecology were also identified, the most common being water eutrophication and carrion as source of pathogens (2.4%; N = 5 each). Regarding the effects of carrion on ecosystems, we found studies spanning all ecosystem components (N = 85), from soil or the water column to terrestrial vertebrates, with a particular focus on aquatic invertebrates and fish. Most of these articles found positive effects of carrion on ecosystems (e.g. higher species richness, abundance or fitness; 84.7%; N = 72), while a minority found negative effects, changes in community composition, or even no effects. Enhancing our understanding of scavengers and carrion in aquatic ecosystems is crucial to assessing their current and future roles amidst global change, mainly for water-land nutrient transport, due to changes in the amount and speed of nutrient movement, and for disease control and impact mitigation, due to the predicted increase in occurrence and magnitude of mortality events in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Orihuela-Torres
- Department of Ecology, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, Alicante, 03690, Spain
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312, Spain
| | - Zebensui Morales-Reyes
- Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados (IESA), CSIC, Campo Santo de los Mártires, 7, Córdoba, 14004, Spain
| | - Virgilio Hermoso
- Departamento de Biología de la Conservación, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD) - CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
| | - Félix Picazo
- Department of Ecology/Research Unit Modeling Nature (MNat), University of Granada, Faculty of Sciences, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, Granada, 18071, Spain
- Water Institute (IdA), University of Granada, Ramón y Cajal 4, Granada, 18003, Spain
| | - David Sánchez Fernández
- Department of Ecology and Hidrology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Juan M Pérez-García
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312, Spain
| | - Francisco Botella
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312, Spain
| | - José A Sánchez-Zapata
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312, Spain
| | - Esther Sebastián-González
- Department of Ecology, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, Alicante, 03690, Spain
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Orihuela‐Torres A, Sebastián‐González E, Pérez‐García JM. Outdoor recreation alters terrestrial vertebrate scavenger assemblage and carrion removal in a protected Mediterranean wetland. Anim Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Orihuela‐Torres
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH) Miguel Hernández University Orihuela Spain
- Department of Ecology University of Alicante Alicante Spain
| | | | - J. M. Pérez‐García
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH) Miguel Hernández University Orihuela Spain
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Orihuela‐Torres A, Pérez‐García JM, Sánchez‐Zapata JA, Botella F, Sebastián‐González E. Scavenger guild and consumption patterns of an invasive alien fish species in a Mediterranean wetland. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9133. [PMID: 35923937 PMCID: PMC9339756 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive Alien Species (IAS) alter ecosystems, disrupting ecological processes and driving the loss of ecosystem services. The common carp Cyprinus carpio is a hazardous and widespread IAS, becoming the most abundant species in many aquatic ecosystems. This species transforms ecosystems by accumulating biomass to the detriment of other species, thus altering food webs. However, some terrestrial species, such as vertebrate scavengers, may benefit from dead carps, by incorporating part of the carp biomass into the terrestrial environment. This study describes the terrestrial vertebrate scavenger assemblage that benefits from carp carcasses in a Mediterranean wetland. We also evaluate the seasonal differences in the scavenger assemblage composition and carrion consumption patterns. Eighty carp carcasses (20 per season) were placed in El Hondo Natural Park, a seminatural mesohaline wetland in south-eastern Spain, and we monitored their consumption using camera traps. We recorded 14 scavenger species (10 birds and four mammals) consuming carp carcasses, including globally threatened species. Vertebrates consumed 73% of the carrion biomass and appeared consuming at 82% of the carcasses. Of these carcasses consumed, 75% were completely consumed and the mean consumption time of carcasses completely consumed by vertebrates was 44.4 h (SD = 42.1 h). We recorded differences in species richness, abundance, and assemblage composition among seasons, but we did not find seasonal differences in consumption patterns throughout the year. Our study recorded a rich and efficient terrestrial vertebrate scavenger assemblage benefitting from carp carcasses. We detected a seasonal replacement on the scavenger species, but a maintenance of the ecological function of carrion removal, as the most efficient carrion consumers were present throughout the year. The results highlight the importance of vertebrate scavengers in wetlands, removing possible infectious focus, and moving nutrients between aquatic and terrestrial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Orihuela‐Torres
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández UniversityOrihuelaSpain
- Department of EcologyAlicante UniversityAlicanteSpain
| | - Juan Manuel Pérez‐García
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández UniversityOrihuelaSpain
| | - José Antonio Sánchez‐Zapata
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández UniversityOrihuelaSpain
| | - Francisco Botella
- Department of Applied Biology, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández UniversityOrihuelaSpain
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Large-Scale Quantification and Correlates of Ungulate Carrion Production in the Anthropocene. Ecosystems 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-022-00763-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Laguna C, López-Perea JJ, Feliu J, Jiménez-Moreno M, Rodríguez Martín-Doimeadios RC, Florín M, Mateo R. Nutrient enrichment and trace element accumulation in sediments caused by waterbird colonies at a Mediterranean semiarid floodplain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 777:145748. [PMID: 33676218 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Waterfowl are vectors of nutrients, metals, and other pollutants (i.e. PCBs and microorganisms) on wetlands and other water bodies, especially when bird population density is high, e.g., in nesting, roosting or breeding periods. This work reports the effects caused by the increase in breeding pairs of herons and cormorants between 2010 and 2014 on sediments in an eutrophic Mediterranean wetland belonging to La Mancha Húmeda Biosphere Reserve. Nutrients, metals, metalloids, and isotopic composition (δ15N and δ13C) were analysed in sediments and faeces at several points in the Tablas de Daimiel National Park (TDNP), as well as in the nearby Navaseca wetland, which receives inputs from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Sediments from Navaseca and from one site that is affected by heron colonies (Garcera) in the TDNP showed higher concentrations of organic matter, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, Al, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Ni and Zn than the rest of the sampling sites. Significant correlations between these variables were found, probably suggesting that they have a common organic source. The highest δ15N values in sediments of the TDNP were registered in Guadiana, a site where there is no impact from colonies; these values might therefore be due to anthropogenic activities. Metal and metalloid content in sediments was lower than the regional reference values in soils, except for Se in the TDNP, and Zn and Cu in Navaseca. High Se level in TDNP sediment may be caused by seleniferous soils located upstream. Results showed a low impact of bird droppings compared to other sources of nutrients in the annual input in the TDNP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Laguna
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; Centro Regional de Estudios del Agua (CREA), Edificio Politécnico, Avda. Camilo José Cela s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Jhon J López-Perea
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; Faculty of Engineering, Technological University of Choco "Diego Luis Cordoba", A.A 292, Cra. 22 No. 18B-10, Quibdó, Colombia.
| | - Jordi Feliu
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - María Jiménez-Moreno
- Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain.
| | | | - Máximo Florín
- Centro Regional de Estudios del Agua (CREA), Edificio Politécnico, Avda. Camilo José Cela s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Rafael Mateo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Marneweck CJ, Katzner TE, Jachowski DS. Predicted climate-induced reductions in scavenging in eastern North America. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3383-3394. [PMID: 33894030 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Scavenging is an important function within ecosystems where scavengers remove organic matter, reduce disease, stabilize food webs, and generally make ecosystems more resilient to environmental changes. Global change (i.e., changing climate and increasing human impact) is currently influencing scavenger communities. Thus, understanding what promotes species richness in scavenger communities can help prioritize management actions. Using a long-term dataset from camera traps deployed with animal carcasses as bait along a 1881 km latitudinal gradient in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern USA, we investigated the relative impact of climate and humans on the species richness and diversity of vertebrate scavengers. Our most supported models for both mammalian and avian scavengers included climatic, but not human, variables. The richness of mammalian and avian scavengers detected was highest during relatively warm (5-10°C) and dry (100-150 mm precipitation) winters, when food was likely limited and both reliance on and detection of carrion was high. The diversity of mammalian and avian scavengers detected was highest under drier conditions. We then used these results to project the future species richness of scavengers that would be detected within our sampling area and under the climate scenario of 2070 (emissions level RCP8.5). Our predictions suggest up to 80% and 67% reductions, respectively, in the richness of avian and mammalian scavengers that would be detected at baited sites. Climate-induced shifts in behavior (i.e., reduction in scavenging, even if present) at this scale could have cascading implications for ecosystem function, resilience, and human health. Further, our study highlights the importance of conducting studies of scavenger community dynamics within ecosystems across wide spatial gradients within temperate environments. More broadly, these findings build upon our understanding of the impacts of climate-induced adjustments in behavior that can likely have negative impacts on systems at a large scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney J Marneweck
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Todd E Katzner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest & Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, USA
| | - David S Jachowski
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
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Grant ML, Lavers JL, Hutton I, Bond AL. Seabird breeding islands as sinks for marine plastic debris. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 276:116734. [PMID: 33621733 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Seabirds are apex predators in the marine environment and well-known ecosystem engineers, capable of changing their terrestrial habitats by introducing marine-derived nutrients via deposition of guano and other allochthonous inputs. However, with the health of the world's oceans under threat due to anthropogenic pressures such as organic, inorganic, and physical pollutants, seabirds are depositing these same pollutants wherever they come to land. Using data from 2018 to 2020, we quantify how the Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes) has inadvertently introduced physical pollutants to their colonies on Lord Howe Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Tasman Sea and their largest breeding colony, through a mix of regurgitated pellet (bolus) deposition and carcasses containing plastic debris. The density of plastics within the shearwater colonies ranged between 1.32 and 3.66 pieces/m2 (mean ± SE: 2.18 ± 0.32), and a total of 688,480 (95% CI: 582,409-800,877) pieces are deposited on the island each year. Our research demonstrates that seabirds are a transfer mechanism for marine-derived plastics, reintroducing items back into the terrestrial environment, thus making seabird colonies a sink for plastic debris. This phenomenon is likely occurring in seabird colonies across the globe and will increase in severity as global plastic production and marine plastic pollution accelerates without adequate mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Grant
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, School Road, Newnham, Tasmania, 7248, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Lavers
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania, 7004, Australia.
| | - Ian Hutton
- Lord Howe Island Museum, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, 2898, Australia
| | - Alexander L Bond
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania, 7004, Australia; Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 6AP, United Kingdom
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Preiszner B, Czeglédi I, Boros G, Liker A, Kern B, Erős T. Scavenging behaviour and size-dependent carcass consumption of the black bullhead (Ameiurus melas). JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2020; 97:1113-1119. [PMID: 32743806 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the size-dependent scavenging behaviour of black bullheads Ameiurus melas under laboratory conditions, using common bleak Alburnus alburnus and pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus carcasses. Video camera observations showed that the activity of A. melas was higher at night, but substantial daytime activity was also recorded. Larger A. melas were more active than their smaller conspecifics, especially at night. All size classes exhibited a well-defined sequence of consuming different parts of the carcasses independent of size, but larger individuals tended to consume carcasses more efficiently. Carcasses of the softer-bodied A. alburnus were consumed more readily than those of the bonier L. gibbosus, independent of size. This scavenging behaviour of A. melas might facilitate the invasion success of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bálint Preiszner
- Balaton Limnological Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
| | - István Czeglédi
- Balaton Limnological Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
| | - Gergely Boros
- Balaton Limnological Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
| | - András Liker
- MTA-PE Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Bernadett Kern
- Balaton Limnological Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
| | - Tibor Erős
- Balaton Limnological Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
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Eutrophication forcings on a peri-urban lake ecosystem: Context for integrated watershed to airshed management. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219241. [PMID: 31339893 PMCID: PMC6655610 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Peri-urban lakes increasingly experience intensified anthropogenic impacts as watershed uses and developments increase. Cultus Lake is an oligo-mesotrophic, peri-urban lake near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada that experiences significant seasonal tourism, anthropogenic nutrient loadings, and associated cultural eutrophication. Left unabated, these cumulative stresses threaten the critical habitat and persistence of two endemic species at risk (Coastrange Sculpin, Cultus population; Cultus Lake sockeye salmon) and diverse lake-derived ecosystem services. We constructed water and nutrient budgets for the Cultus Lake watershed to identify and quantify major sources and loadings of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). A steady-state water quality model, calibrated against current loadings and limnological data, was used to reconstruct the historic lake trophic status and explore limnological changes in response to realistic development and mitigation scenarios. Significant local P loadings to Cultus Lake arise from septic leaching (19%) and migratory gull guano deposition (22%). Watershed runoff contributes the majority of total P (53%) and N (73%) loads to Cultus Lake, with substantial local N contributions arising from the agricultural Columbia Valley (41% of total N load). However, we estimate that up to 66% of N and 70% of P in watershed runoff is ultimately sourced via deposition from the nutrient-contaminated regional airshed, with direct atmospheric deposition on the lake surface contributing an additional 17% of N and 5% of P. Thus, atmospheric deposition is the largest single source of nutrient loading to Cultus Lake, cumulatively responsible for 63% and 42% of total N and P loadings, respectively. Modeled future loading scenarios suggest Cultus Lake could become mesotrophic within the next 25 years, highlighting a heightened need for near-term abatement of P loads. Although mitigating P loads from local watershed sources will slow the rate of eutrophication, management efforts targeting reductions in atmospheric-P within the regional airshed are necessary to halt or reverse lake eutrophication, and conserve both critical habitat for imperiled species at risk and lake-derived ecosystem services.
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Harding JMS, Harding JN, Field RD, Pendray JE, Swain NR, Wagner MA, Reynolds JD. Landscape Structure and Species Interactions Drive the Distribution of Salmon Carcasses in Coastal Watersheds. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Schlichting PE, Love CN, Webster SC, Beasley JC. Efficiency and composition of vertebrate scavengers at the land-water interface in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. FOOD WEBS 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2018.e00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Wagner MA, Reynolds JD. Salmon increase forest bird abundance and diversity. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210031. [PMID: 30726212 PMCID: PMC6364887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Resource subsidies across ecosystems can have strong and unforeseen ecological impacts. Marine-derived nutrients from Pacific salmon (Onchorhycus spp.) can be transferred to streams and riparian forests through diverse food web pathways, fertilizing forests and increasing invertebrate abundance, which may in turn affect breeding birds. We quantified the influence of salmon on the abundance and composition of songbird communities across a wide range of salmon-spawning biomass on 14 streams along a remote coastal region of British Columbia, Canada. Point-count data spanning two years were combined with salmon biomass and 13 environmental covariates in riparian forests to test for correlates with bird abundance, foraging guilds, individual species, and avian diversity. We show that bird abundance and diversity increase with salmon biomass and that watershed size and forest composition are less important predictors. This work provides new evidence for the importance of salmon to terrestrial ecosystems and information that can inform ecosystem-based management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene A. Wagner
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Hakai Institute, Heriot Bay, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - John D. Reynolds
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Hakai Institute, Heriot Bay, British Columbia, Canada
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Subalusky AL, Post DM. Context dependency of animal resource subsidies. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 94:517-538. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L. Subalusky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University New Haven CT 06511 U.S.A
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Millbrook NY 12545 U.S.A
| | - David M. Post
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University New Haven CT 06511 U.S.A
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von Hoermann C, Jauch D, Kubotsch C, Reichel-Jung K, Steiger S, Ayasse M. Effects of abiotic environmental factors and land use on the diversity of carrion-visiting silphid beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae): A large scale carrion study. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0196839. [PMID: 29847551 PMCID: PMC5976144 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic land use causes global declines in biodiversity. Despite the knowledge that animal carrion is the most nutrient-rich form of dead organic matter, studies on landscape and local scales determining whether and the means by which land use intensity influences the diversity of the carrion-associated insect fauna are globally scarce. We investigated the effects of land use intensity and abiotic and biotic environmental factors on the abundance, species richness, and diversity of the important ecosystem-service-providing silphid beetle taxon (carrion beetles) in three regions of Germany. In 61 forest stands distributed over three geographically distinct regions in Central Europe, we trapped silphid beetles on exposed piglet cadavers during late summer. In all three regions, higher ambient temperatures and higher fine sand contents were associated with the abundance of the silphid beetle taxa. The carrion community silphid diversity was negatively affected by an increase in mean ambient temperature in all three regions. Although management intensity in forests did not affect the overall abundance of Silphidae, the abundance of Nicrophorus humator decreased significantly with higher forest management intensity across all three regions. Unmanaged and age-class forests showed a higher abundance of N. humator compared with extensively managed forest stands. These findings indicate that N. humator has potential as an indicator species for anthropogenic disturbances in forests. Overall, the direct responses of the silphid beetle community to diverse soil characteristics underline soil as an important factor determining the abundance and diversity of necrophagous carrion beetles in Central Europe. To protect these valuable ecosystem-service providers, forest-management-induced soil modifications need to be paid close attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian von Hoermann
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Conservation and Research, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Dennis Jauch
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Carolin Kubotsch
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kirsten Reichel-Jung
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Steiger
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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15
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Steinbeiser C, Wawrzynowski C, Ramos X, Olson Z. Scavenging and the ecology of fear: do animal carcasses create islands of risk on the landscape? CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Many vertebrate scavengers function as predators in ecosystems, suggesting that the presence of scavengers and occurrence of predator effects may be intertwined near carcasses. We tested for risk effects near a series of experimentally placed carcasses by measuring small-mammal foraging in a before–after control–impact design. Validation efforts revealed low levels of food loss from stations due to human error and invertebrate foraging, and habituation to stations occurred after 2 weeks. Increased perceived predation risk by small mammals relative to controls occurred in three of seven trials. The effect was observed across tested carcass types (beaver, Castor canadensis Kuhl, 1820; white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)) and seasons (summer and fall). However, small mammals also increased foraging relative to controls in two of seven trials, and foraging reached a ceiling in two other trials that prevented inference on a response. Taken together, our results suggest that scavenger recruitment to carcasses can in some instances create islands of risk for prey on the landscape, but the effect is not likely to be universal. Where small-mammal foraging does decrease, further work will be necessary to determine if risk effects cascade to adjacent trophic levels through enhanced seed and seedling survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.M. Steinbeiser
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
| | - C.A. Wawrzynowski
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
| | - X. Ramos
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
| | - Z.H. Olson
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
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16
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Dunlop KM, Jones DOB, Sweetman AK. Direct evidence of an efficient energy transfer pathway from jellyfish carcasses to a commercially important deep-water species. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17455. [PMID: 29234052 PMCID: PMC5727084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we provide empirical evidence of the presence of an energetic pathway between jellyfish and a commercially important invertebrate species. Evidence of scavenging on jellyfish carcasses by the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) was captured during two deployments of an underwater camera system to 250–287 m depth in Sognefjorden, western Norway. The camera system was baited with two Periphylla periphylla (Scyphozoa) carcasses to simulate the transport of jellyfish detritus to the seafloor, hereby known as jelly-falls. N. norveigus rapidly located and consumed a large proportion (>50%) of the bait. We estimate that the energy input from jelly-falls may represent a significant contribution to N. norvegicus energy demand (0.21 to 10.7 times the energy required for the population of N. norvegicus in Sognefjorden). This potentially high energetic contribution from jelly-falls highlights a possible role of gelatinous material in the support of commercial fisheries. Such an energetic pathway between jelly-falls and N. norvegicus could become more important with increases in jellyfish blooms in some regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy M Dunlop
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway. .,The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, UK. .,International Research Institute of Stavanger, Prof. Olav Hanssensvei 15, 4021, Stavanger, Norway.
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Andrew K Sweetman
- The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, UK
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17
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Vizzini S, Signa G, Mazzola A. Guano-Derived Nutrient Subsidies Drive Food Web Structure in Coastal Ponds. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151018. [PMID: 26953794 PMCID: PMC4783068 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A stable isotope study was carried out seasonally in three coastal ponds (Marinello system, Italy) affected by different gull guano input to investigate the effect of nutrient subsidies on food web structure and dynamics. A marked 15N enrichment occurred in the pond receiving the highest guano input, indicating that gull-derived fertilization (guanotrophication) had a strong localised effect and flowed across trophic levels. The main food web response to guanotrophication was an overall erosion of the benthic pathway in favour of the planktonic. Subsidized primary consumers, mostly deposit feeders, switched their diet according to organic matter source availability. Secondary consumers and, in particular, fish from the guanotrophic pond, acted as couplers of planktonic and benthic pathways and showed an omnivorous trophic behaviour. Food web structure showed substantial variability among ponds and a marked seasonality in the subsidized one: an overall simplification was evident only in summer when guano input maximises its trophic effects, while higher trophic diversity and complexity resulted when guano input was low to moderate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatrice Vizzini
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Geraldina Signa
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Mazzola
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy
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18
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Signa G, Mazzola A, Costa V, Vizzini S. Bottom-up control of macrobenthic communities in a guanotrophic coastal system. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117544. [PMID: 25679400 PMCID: PMC4332501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Soft bottom macrobenthic communities were studied seasonally in three coastal ponds (Marinello ponds, Italy) at increasing distances from a gull (Larus michahellis) colony to investigate the effect of seabird-induced eutrophication (i.e. guanotrophication) on macrobenthic fauna. We hypothesized that enhanced nutrient concentration and organic load caused by guano input significantly alter the trophic and sedimentological condition of ponds, affecting benthic fauna through a bottom-up control. The influence of a set of environmental features on macrobenthic assemblages was also tested. Overall, the lowest macrobenthic abundances and functional group diversity were found in deeper sites, especially in the pond characterised by severe guanotrophication, where the higher disturbance resulted in a decline in suspension feeders and carnivores in favour of deposit feeders. An increase in opportunistic/tolerant taxa (e.g. chironomid larvae and paraonids) and totally azoic sediments were also found as an effect of the harshest environmental conditions, resulting in a very poor ecological status. We conclude that macrobenthic assemblages of the Marinello coastal system display high spatial variability due to a synergistic effect of trophic status and the geomorphological features of the ponds. The macrobenthic response to guanotrophication, which was a clear decrease in abundance, diversity and trophic functional groups, was associated with the typical response to severe eutrophication, magnified by the geomorphological features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldina Signa
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi 18, Palermo, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Antonio Mazzola
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi 18, Palermo, Italy
| | - Valentina Costa
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi 18, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatrice Vizzini
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi 18, Palermo, Italy
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Moore JW, Yeakel JD, Peard D, Lough J, Beere M. Life-history diversity and its importance to population stability and persistence of a migratory fish: steelhead in two large North American watersheds. J Anim Ecol 2014; 83:1035-46. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan W. Moore
- Earth to Ocean Research Group; Simon Fraser University; 8888 University Drive Burnaby BC Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Justin D. Yeakel
- Earth to Ocean Research Group; Simon Fraser University; 8888 University Drive Burnaby BC Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Dean Peard
- Ministry of Environment; 3726 Alfred Avenue Smithers BC Canada V0J 2N0
| | - Jeff Lough
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations; 3726 Alfred Avenue Smithers BC Canada V0J 2N0
| | - Mark Beere
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations; 3726 Alfred Avenue Smithers BC Canada V0J 2N0
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20
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Doi H, Zuykova EI, Shikano S, Kikuchi E, Ota H, Yurlova NI, Yadrenkina E. Isotopic evidence for the spatial heterogeneity of the planktonic food webs in the transition zone between river and lake ecosystems. PeerJ 2014; 1:e222. [PMID: 24392286 PMCID: PMC3869182 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Resources and organisms in food webs are distributed patchily. The spatial structure of food webs is important and critical to understanding their overall structure. However, there is little available information about the small-scale spatial structure of food webs. We investigated the spatial structure of food webs in a lake ecosystem at the littoral transition zone between an inflowing river and a lake. We measured the carbon isotope ratios of zooplankton and particulate organic matter (POM; predominantly phytoplankton) in the littoral zone of a saline lake. Parallel changes in the δ 13C values of zooplankton and their respective POMs indicated that there is spatial heterogeneity of the food web in this study area. Lake ecosystems are usually classified at the landscape level as either pelagic or littoral habitats. However, we showed small-scale spatial heterogeneity among planktonic food webs along an environmental gradient. Stable isotope data is useful for detecting spatial heterogeneity of habitats, populations, communities, and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideyuki Doi
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University , Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai , Japan ; Institute for Sustainable Sciences and Development, Hiroshima University , Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima , Japan
| | - Elena I Zuykova
- Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy Sciences , Novosibirsk , Russia
| | - Shuichi Shikano
- Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University , Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai , Japan
| | - Eisuke Kikuchi
- Environmental Education Center, Miyagi University of Education , Aramaki-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai , Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ota
- Center for the Advancement of Higher Education, Tohoku University , Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai , Japan
| | - Natalia I Yurlova
- Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy Sciences , Novosibirsk , Russia
| | - Elena Yadrenkina
- Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy Sciences , Novosibirsk , Russia
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21
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Leitch TN, Dann P, Arnould JPY. The diet of Pacific gulls (Larus pacificus) breeding at Seal Island in northern Bass Strait. AUST J ZOOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1071/zo13066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The endemic Pacific gull (Larus pacificus) is Australia’s largest larid, and though little is currently known of its foraging ecology, its size and wide distribution suggest that it may play an important role within the marine environment. In the present study, regurgitate pellets collected from Seal Island in northern Bass Strait were used to compare intra- and interannual trends in diet composition. The main taxa identified in pellets were the common diving-petrel (Pelecanoides urinatrix), leatherjacket species (Family Monacanthidae), short-tailed shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris) and mirror bush (Coprosma repens). Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) identified no significant differences in numerical abundance of the dominant prey species between years, suggesting that the prey base in this region is temporally consistent or that the gulls consume low enough numbers to be unaffected by fluctuation in prey populations. Diving-petrels were consumed in consistently high numbers, suggesting the gulls may be an important predator of this species, or that the gulls are particularly skilled at foraging for them.
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22
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Signa G, Mazzola A, Tramati CD, Vizzini S. Gull-derived trace elements trigger small-scale contamination in a remote Mediterranean nature reserve. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2013; 74:237-243. [PMID: 23870200 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.06.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Revised: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 06/23/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The role of a yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) small colony in conveying trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, THg, V, Zn) was assessed in a Mediterranean nature reserve (Marinello ponds) at various spatial and temporal scales. Trace element concentrations in guano were high and seasonally variable. In contrast, contamination in the ponds was not influenced by season but showed strong spatial variability among ponds, according to the different guano input. Biogenic enrichment factor B confirmed the role of gulls in the release of trace elements through guano subsidies. In addition, comparing trace element pond concentrations to the US NOAA's SQGs, As, Cu and Ni showed contamination levels associated with possible negative biological effects. Thus, this study reflects the need to take seabirds into account as key factors influencing ecological processes and contamination levels even in remote areas, especially around the Mediterranean, where these birds are abundant but overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldina Signa
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy.
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23
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Beasley JC, Olson ZH, Devault TL. Carrion cycling in food webs: comparisons among terrestrial and marine ecosystems. OIKOS 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2012.20353.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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24
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Schindler DE, Hilborn R, Chasco B, Boatright CP, Quinn TP, Rogers LA, Webster MS. Population diversity and the portfolio effect in an exploited species. Nature 2010; 465:609-12. [PMID: 20520713 DOI: 10.1038/nature09060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 542] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2009] [Accepted: 03/24/2010] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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