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Arnoldi JF, Bortoluzzi JR, Rowland H, Harrod C, Parnell AC, Payne N, Donohue I, Jackson AL. How strongly does diet variation explain variation in isotope values of animal consumers? PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301900. [PMID: 38935686 PMCID: PMC11210776 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Analysis of stable isotopes in consumers is used commonly to study their ecological and/or environmental niche. There is, however, considerable debate regarding how isotopic values relate to diet and how other sources of variation confound this link, which can undermine the utility. From the analysis of a simple, but general, model of isotopic incorporation in consumer organisms, we examine the relationship between isotopic variance among individuals, and diet variability within a consumer population. We show that variance in consumer isotope values is directly proportional to variation in diet (through Simpson indices), to the number of isotopically distinct food sources in the diet, and to the baseline variation within and among the isotope values of the food sources. Additionally, when considering temporal diet variation within a consumer we identify the interplay between diet turnover rates and tissue turnover rates that controls the sensitivity of stable isotopes to detect diet variation. Our work demonstrates that variation in the stable isotope values of consumers reflect variation in their diet. This relationship, however, can be confounded with other factors to the extent that they may mask the signal coming from diet. We show how simple quantitative corrections can recover a direct 1:1 correlation in some situations, and in others we can adjust our interpretation in light of the new understanding arising from our models. Our framework provides guidance for the design and analysis of empirical studies where the goal is to infer niche width from stable isotope data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jenny Rose Bortoluzzi
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Chris Harrod
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Austral Invasive Salmonids (INVASAL), Concepciòn, Chile
| | - Andrew C. Parnell
- Insight Centre for Data Analytics, Hamilton Institute, Maynooth University, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Nicholas Payne
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ian Donohue
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Andrew L. Jackson
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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2
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Andrade D, García-Cegarra AM, Docmac F, Ñacari LA, Harrod C. Multiple stable isotopes (C, N & S) provide evidence for fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) trophic ecology and movements in the Humboldt Current System of northern Chile. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 192:106178. [PMID: 37776807 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Reflecting the intense coastal upwelling and high primary productivity characteristic of the Humboldt Current System (HCS), the northern coast of Chile supports a diverse and productive community of marine consumers, including worldwide important pelagic fisheries resources. Although marine mammals are relatively understudied in the region, recent studies have demonstrated that fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is the most frequently encountered whale species, and forages in these waters year-round. However, a current lack of information limits our understanding of whether fin whales actively feed and/or remain resident in these waters or whether whales are observed feeding as they migrate along this part of the Pacific. Here, we use stable isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur of fin whale skin samples collected in early summer 2020 (n = 18) and in late winter 2021 (n = 22) to examine evidence of temporal isotopic shifts that could provide information on potential migratory movements and to estimate likely consumption patterns of putative prey (i.e. zooplankton, krill, pelagic fishes and Pleuroncodes sp.). We also analysed prey items in fin whale faecal plumes (n = 8) collected during the study period. Stable isotope data showed significant differences in the isotopic values of fin whales from summer and winter. On average, summer individuals were depleted in 15N and 34S relative to those sampled during winter. Whales sampled in summer showed greater isotopic variance than winter individuals, with several showing values that were atypical for consumers from the HCS. During winter, fin whales showed far less inter-individual variation in stable isotope values, and all individuals had values indicative of prey consumption in the region. Analysis of both stable isotopes and faeces indicated that fin whales sighted off the Mejillones Peninsula fed primarily on krill (SIA median contribution = 32%; IRI = 65%) and, to a lesser extent, zooplankton (SIA zooplankton = 29%; IRI copepod = 33%). These are the first isotopic-based data regarding the trophic ecology of fin whales in the north of Chile. They provide evidence that fin whales are seasonally resident in the area, including individuals with values that likely originated outside the study area. The information presented here serves as a baseline for future work. It highlights that many aspects of the ecology of fin whales in the Humboldt Current and wider SE Pacific still need to be clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Andrade
- Programa de Magíster en Ecología de Sistemas Acuáticos, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta Chile, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Ana M García-Cegarra
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile; Laboratorio de Estudio de Megafauna Marina, CETALAB, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Felipe Docmac
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile; Universidad de Antofagasta Stable Isotope Facility, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile; INVASAL, Concepción, Chile
| | - Luis A Ñacari
- Universidad de Antofagasta Stable Isotope Facility, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile; INVASAL, Concepción, Chile; Laboratorio de Ecología y Evolución de Parásitos, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Chris Harrod
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile; Universidad de Antofagasta Stable Isotope Facility, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile; INVASAL, Concepción, Chile
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3
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Pereira AC, Nardoto GB, Colli GR. Sources of intraspecific variation in the isotopic niche of a semi-aquatic predator in a human-modified landscape. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15915. [PMID: 37663285 PMCID: PMC10474837 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific variation modulates patterns of resource use by species, potentially affecting the structure and stability of food webs. In human-modified landscapes, habitat disturbance modifies trophic interactions and intraspecific niche variation, impacting population persistence. Here, we investigated the relationship of sex, ontogeny, and habitat factors with the trophic niche of Caiman crocodilus in an agricultural landscape. We evaluated temporal variation in the trophic niche parameters using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis from different body tissues. We found that caimans exploit the same carbon and nitrogen pools through time, with low isotopic variability between seasons, partly due to the slow isotope turnover rates of tissues in crocodilians. Conversely, the trophic niche of caimans varied across habitats, but with no evidence of a difference between natural and anthropogenic habitats. It apparently results from the influence of habitat suitability, connectivity, and caiman movements during the foraging. Our findings highlight the broader niches of juvenile caimans relative to adults, possibly in response of territorialism and opportunistic foraging strategy. Although using similar resources, females had a larger niche than males, probably associated with foraging strategies during nesting. Considering the sex and body size categories, caimans occupied distinct isotopic regions in some habitats, indicating apparent niche segregation. Ontogenetic trophic shifts in the isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) depended on sex, leading to resource partitioning that can potentially reduce intraspecific competition. Decision-makers and stakeholders should consider the trophic dynamics of sex and body size groups for the sustainable management and conservation of caiman populations, which implies in the maintenance of wetland habitats and landscape heterogeneity in the Formoso River floodplain.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Costa Pereira
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Bielefeld Nardoto
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Guarino Rinaldi Colli
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
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4
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Park TH, Lee CI, Kim TH, Kim D, Park HJ. Trophic response of fishes to rainfall variability in a temperate estuarine system of Korea: A stable isotope approach. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115183. [PMID: 37369155 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
To assess the basal resources supporting food webs impacted by rainfalls, we compared stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) of fish consumers and organic matter sources between up- and down-sites in an estuary between seasons (June and September) and years (2018 and 2019) that showed different patterns of summer monsoon. Our study showed seasonal differences in the δ13C and δ15N values of basal resources and fish consumers in both years. At the up-site, significant differences of δ13C values of fish consumers were found between years, resulting from changing rainfall period, thereby causing a shift in food availability from terrigenous organic matter to periphyton. In contrast, at the down-site, the consistent isotopic values of fishes were observed in both years, suggesting that rainfall shift has a negligible impact on resources for fishes. Overall, the annual shift in resources for fishes in the estuary may be controlled by contrasting rainfall events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Hee Park
- Department of Marine Ecology and Environment, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, Republic of Korea
| | - Chung Il Lee
- Department of Marine Ecology and Environment, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Hoon Kim
- Department of Oceanography, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongyoung Kim
- School of Earth Science & Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Je Park
- Department of Marine Ecology and Environment, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Shipley ON, Matich P, Hussey NE, Brooks AML, Chapman D, Frisk MG, Guttridge AE, Guttridge TL, Howey LA, Kattan S, Madigan DJ, O'Shea O, Polunin NV, Power M, Smukall MJ, Schneider EVC, Shea BD, Talwar BS, Winchester M, Brooks EJ, Gallagher AJ. Energetic connectivity of diverse elasmobranch populations - implications for ecological resilience. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230262. [PMID: 37040803 PMCID: PMC10089721 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the factors shaping patterns of ecological resilience is critical for mitigating the loss of global biodiversity. Throughout aquatic environments, highly mobile predators are thought to serve as important vectors of energy between ecosystems thereby promoting stability and resilience. However, the role these predators play in connecting food webs and promoting energy flow remains poorly understood in most contexts. Using carbon and nitrogen isotopes, we quantified the use of several prey resource pools (small oceanic forage, large oceanics, coral reef, and seagrass) by 17 species of elasmobranch fishes (n = 351 individuals) in The Bahamas to determine their functional diversity and roles as ecosystem links. We observed remarkable functional diversity across species and identified four major groups responsible for connecting discrete regions of the seascape. Elasmobranchs were responsible for promoting energetic connectivity between neritic, oceanic and deep-sea ecosystems. Our findings illustrate how mobile predators promote ecosystem connectivity, underscoring their functional significance and role in supporting ecological resilience. More broadly, strong predator conservation efforts in developing island nations, such as The Bahamas, are likely to yield ecological benefits that enhance the resilience of marine ecosystems to combat imminent threats such as habitat degradation and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nigel E. Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Annabelle M. L. Brooks
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Oceanic Whitetip Shark Consortium, Ellicott City, MD, USA
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Michael G. Frisk
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Lucy A. Howey
- Oceanic Whitetip Shark Consortium, Ellicott City, MD, USA
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Sami Kattan
- Beneath The Waves, PO Box 126, Herndon, VA, USA
| | - Daniel J. Madigan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Owen O'Shea
- The Center for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
| | - Nicholas V. Polunin
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Brendan D. Shea
- Beneath The Waves, PO Box 126, Herndon, VA, USA
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Brendan S. Talwar
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Oceanic Whitetip Shark Consortium, Ellicott City, MD, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Edward J. Brooks
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Oceanic Whitetip Shark Consortium, Ellicott City, MD, USA
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Isotope systematics of subfossil, historical, and modern Nautilus macromphalus from New Caledonia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277666. [PMID: 36576896 PMCID: PMC9797077 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cephalopod carbonate geochemistry underpins studies ranging from Phanerozoic, global-scale change to outcrop-scale paleoecological reconstructions. Interpreting these data hinges on assumed similarity to model organisms, such as Nautilus, and generalization from other molluscan biomineralization processes. Aquarium rearing and capture of wild Nautilus suggest shell carbonate precipitates quickly (35 μm/day) in oxygen isotope equilibrium with seawater. Other components of Nautilus shell chemistry are less well-studied but have potential to serve as proxies for paleobiology and paleoceanography. To calibrate the geochemical response of cephalopod δ15Norg, δ13Corg, δ13Ccarb, δ18Ocarb, and δ44/40Cacarb to modern anthropogenic environmental change, we analyzed modern, historical, and subfossil Nautilus macromphalus from New Caledonia. Samples span initial human habitation, colonialization, and industrial pCO2 increase. This sampling strategy is advantageous because it avoids the shock response that can affect geochemical change in aquarium experiments. Given the range of living depths and more complex ecology of Nautilus, however, some anthropogenic signals, such as ocean acidification, may not have propagated to their living depths. Our data suggest some environmental changes are more easily preserved than others given variability in cephalopod average living depth. Calculation of the percent respired carbon incorporated into the shell using δ13Corg, δ13Ccarb, and Suess-effect corrected δ13CDIC suggests an increase in the last 130 years that may have been caused by increasing carbon dioxide concentration or decreasing oxygen concentration at the depths these individuals inhabited. This pattern is consistent with increasing atmospheric CO2 and/or eutrophication offshore of New Caledonia. We find that δ44/40Ca remains stable across the last 130 years. The subfossil shell from a cenote may exhibit early δ44/40Ca diagenesis. Questions remain about the proportion of dietary vs ambient seawater calcium incorporation into the Nautilus shell. Values of δ15N do not indicate trophic level change in the last 130 years, and the subfossil shell may show diagenetic alteration of δ15N toward lower values. Future work using historical collections of Sepia and Spirula may provide additional calibration of fossil cephalopod geochemistry.
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7
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Hilgendag IR, Swanson HK, Lewis CW, Ehrman AD, Power M. Mercury biomagnification in benthic, pelagic, and benthopelagic food webs in an Arctic marine ecosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 841:156424. [PMID: 35662606 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous toxic metal that biomagnifies in food webs, and can reach high concentrations in top predators. Evaluating Hg biomagnification in Arctic marine food webs is critical for understanding Hg dynamics and estimating exposure to understudied fish and wildlife consumed by humans. The majority of studies conducted on Hg biomagnification in the Arctic have focused on pelagic food webs. Benthic and benthopelagic food webs in Arctic marine ecosystems also support many species of subsistence and commercial importance, and data are lacking for these systems. In this study, we investigated food web structure and Hg biomagnification for the benthic, pelagic, and benthopelagic marine food webs of inner Frobisher Bay in Nunavut. Stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), as well as total (THg) and methyl (MeHg) mercury concentrations were measured in fish, invertebrates, and zooplankton. Biomagnification in each food web was quantified with Trophic Magnification Slopes (TMS) and Trophic Magnification Factors (TMF). The highest TMS and TMF values were exhibited by the benthopelagic food web (TMS = 0.201; TMF = 1.59), followed by the pelagic food web (TMS = 0.183; TMF = 1.52), and lastly the benthic food web (TMS = 0.079; TMF = 1.20), with δ15N explaining 88%, 79%, and 9% of variation in Hg concentrations, respectively. TMS and TMF values were generally low compared to other Arctic marine food webs. Results from food web structure analyses indicated that the benthic food web had the greatest trophic diversity, trophic redundancy, and largest isotopic niche area of all food webs studied. Greater food web complexity may thus result in reduced MeHg biomagnification, but further study is required. Acquiring Hg and food web structure data is critical for predicting the effects of climate-induced environmental change on Hg dynamics, especially in the context of Arctic marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel R Hilgendag
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Heidi K Swanson
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | | | - Ashley D Ehrman
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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8
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Energetic consequences of resource use diversity in a marine carnivore. Oecologia 2022; 200:65-78. [PMID: 36165921 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05241-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how intraspecific variation in the use of prey resources impacts energy metabolism has strong implications for predicting long-term fitness and is critical for predicting population-to-community level responses to environmental change. Here, we examine the energetic consequences of variable prey resource use in a widely distributed marine carnivore, juvenile sand tiger sharks (Carcharias taurus). We used carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to identify three primary prey resource pools-demersal omnivores, pelagic forage, and benthic detritivores and estimated the proportional assimilation of each resource using Bayesian mixing models. We then quantified how the utilization of these resource pools impacted the concentrations of six plasma lipids and how this varied by ontogeny. Sharks exhibited variable reliance on two of three predominant prey resource pools: demersal omnivores and pelagic forage. Resource use variation was a strong predictor of energetic condition, whereby individuals more reliant upon pelagic forage exhibited higher blood plasma concentrations of very low-density lipoproteins, cholesterol, and triglycerides. These findings underscore how intraspecific variation in resource use may impact the energy metabolism of animals, and more broadly, that natural and anthropogenically driven fluctuations in prey resources could have longer term energetic consequences.
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Allen AG, Roehrs ZP, Seville RS, Lanier HC. Competitive release during fire succession influences ecological turnover in a small mammal community. Ecology 2022; 103:e3733. [PMID: 35430726 PMCID: PMC9891167 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Ecologists have long debated the relative importance of biotic interactions versus species-specific habitat preferences in shaping patterns of ecological dominance. In western North America, cycles of fire disturbance are marked by transitions between North American deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus), which predominate after wildfires, and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi), which gradually replace deermice 3-4 years postfire and maintain dominance as forests mature. While this shift has been frequently documented, the processes that mediate this turnover are debated. One possibility is competitive release, which predicts a reduction in vole competition may contribute to niche expansion and population growth in deermice. Alternatively, turnover in both species may be shaped by differences in their preferred habitat and resource base, as predicted by optimum foraging theory. We evaluate these hypotheses using stable isotopes and spatial mark-recapture of deermouse and vole populations sampled prior to and following a fire as part of a longitudinal study in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Fire disturbance was associated with a 94% decrease in vole abundance but a 102% increase in deermice. Even after accounting for microhabitat, vole and deermouse populations were negatively correlated spatially and temporally (R = -0.45), and competitor abundance was more important prefire than postfire. When vole abundance was high (prefire), vole dietary niche space was seven times broader than that of deermice. Postfire, deermouse dietary niche nearly tripled and was enriched in 13 C (i.e., more C4 plants), while voles occupied a slightly reduced dietary niche (79% of prefire breadth). Our results suggest deermice are experiencing ecological release due to a reduction in vole competition but vole shifts are largely driven by habitat preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zachary P. Roehrs
- School of Math and Sciences, Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne, WY 82007 USA
| | - R. Scott Seville
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming at Casper, Casper, WY 82601 USA
| | - Hayley C. Lanier
- Department of Biology and Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73072 USA
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10
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Vanessa DS, Davide C, Ilaria B, Chiara B, Stefano B, Mattia I, Silvia Z, Pietro V. Non-native fish assemblages display potential competitive advantages in two protected small and shallow lakes of northern Italy. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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11
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Shaner PJL, Ke LH. Niche overlap in rodents increases with competition but not ecological opportunity: A role of inter-individual difference? J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1679-1692. [PMID: 35633185 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Niche variation at population level mediates niche packing (i.e., patterns of species' spread within the niche space) and species coexistence at community level. Competition and ecological opportunity (resource diversity) are two of the main mechanisms underlying niche variation. Dense niche packing could occur through increased niche partitioning or increased niche overlap. In this study we used stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data of 635 individual rodents from 4 species across 9 sites in the montane region of a subtropical island to test the effects of competition and ecological opportunity on population isotope niche size, inter-individual niche difference within population, and inter-specific niche overlap within community. We used the Bayesian Standard Ellipse Area (SEAB, the ellipse area enclosed by carbon and nitrogen isotope values of organisms on a bi-plot) to estimate population niche size and inter-specific niche overlap. Inter-individual niche difference within population was quantified as isotopic divergence and isotopic uniqueness. We used rodent abundance (the number of unique individuals captured) to measure competition and plant isotope niche size (plant SEAB) to measure ecological opportunity. The rodents experienced competition as evidenced by a negative relationship between population change rate and conspecific abundance. Rodent population niche size increased with ecological opportunity but not competition. The inter-individual niche difference (isotopic uniqueness) increased with competition (inter-specific competition only) but not ecological opportunity. At community level, inter-specific niche overlap (herbivore-omnivore pair only) increased with competition (the combined abundance of the pair) but not ecological opportunity. This study demonstrated that isotope niche variation of the rodents could be hierarchically influenced by ecological opportunity and competition, with the former setting the limit of population niche size across communities and the latter shaping inter-individual niche difference and inter-specific niche overlap within communities. Under strong intra-specific competition and limited ecological opportunity for niche expansion, individuals may choose to increase their isotopic uniqueness from conspecifics at the cost of overlapping with heterospecifics of different trophic roles within the community niche space as overall competition increases. Denser niche packing of these rodent communities might be achieved through increased niche overlap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Jen L Shaner
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Hua Ke
- Wildervalley Environmental Consultants Ltd., Pingtung, Taiwan
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12
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Johnson DL, Henderson MT, Anderson DL, Booms TL, Williams CT. Isotopic niche partitioning and individual specialization in an Arctic raptor guild. Oecologia 2022; 198:1073-1084. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05154-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Verde JA, Andre NRS, Belk MC. Variation in Trophic Niches of Fish in Lake Powell Prior to Full Colonization by Quagga Mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis). WEST N AM NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.3398/064.082.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua A. Verde
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 LSB, Provo, UT 84602
| | | | - Mark C. Belk
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 LSB, Provo, UT 84602
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14
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Brownscombe JW, Shipley ON, Griffin LP, Morley D, Acosta A, Adams AJ, Boucek R, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ, Power M. Application of telemetry and stable isotope analyses to inform the resource ecology and management of a marine fish. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Oliver N. Shipley
- Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico USA
| | - Lucas P. Griffin
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Danielle Morley
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Florida USA
| | | | - Aaron J. Adams
- Bonefish and Tarpon Trust SW Florida USA
- Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Fort Pierce FL USA
| | | | - Andy J. Danylchuk
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico USA
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology University of Waterloo Waterloo Ontario Canada
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15
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Rosciano NG, Pütz K, Polito MJ, Raya Rey A. Where’s the best supermarket deal? Female Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) show variable foraging areas during the guard stage at Isla de los Estados, Argentina. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the spatial distribution of seabirds contributes to comprehending their ecological requirements and dispersion patterns. We studied the at-sea distribution of female Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome (J.R. Forster, 1781)) at Isla de los Estados colony during the early chick-rearing period. We used a clustering analysis approach to identify different groups according to the foraging trip (tracking and diving data from GPS and temperature and depth data loggers) and diet (δ15N composition on blood samples) characteristics. Foraging trips differed in duration, location, and dive depths explored. Females in clusters 1 and 3 traveled longer distances and in opposite directions (36.3 ± 21.3 and 40.3 ± 14.0 km, respectively). Females in cluster 2 fed closer to the colony (16.8 ± 7.8 km). Dives occurred in pelagic habitats. Higher δ15N values suggested a greater proportion of fish (e.g., the Fuegian sprat, Sprattus fuegensis (Jenyns, 1842)) consumption in the northern foraging areas (cluster 1). The variability observed in the spatial distribution suggests flexibility in the foraging behavior of Southern Rockhopper Penguins and availability of adequate foraging areas within the colony range during the early chick-rearing period, both important features for Southern Rockhopper Penguin population. These results contribute to understanding the use of the Southern Ocean by marine mesopredators and top predators and to the marine spatial planning in the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia G. Rosciano
- Ecología y Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Bernardo A. Houssay 200 (V9410CAB), Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
| | - Klemens Pütz
- Antarctic Research Trust, Am Oste-Hamme-Kanal 10, D-27432 Bremervörde, Germany
| | - Michael J. Polito
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Andrea Raya Rey
- Ecología y Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Bernardo A. Houssay 200 (V9410CAB), Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
- Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Amenábar 1595, Office 19, C1426AKC CABA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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16
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FRANÇA LUCASDEM, DANTAS MÁRIOANDRÉT, ARAÚJO-JÚNIOR HERMÍNIOISMAELDE. Bibliometric analysis of isotopic studies on Quaternary megafauna available in the Scopus database. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20211404. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220211404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- LUCAS DE M. FRANÇA
- Universidade Federal da Bahia (IMS/CAT), Brazil; Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Brazil
| | - MÁRIO ANDRÉ T. DANTAS
- Universidade Federal da Bahia (IMS/CAT), Brazil; Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Brazil
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17
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Intra-Body Variations of Stable Isotope Ratios (δ13C, δ15N) and Influence of Storage Methods in Aquatic and Post-Aquatic Stages of the Common Toad, Bufo bufo. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13182544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Isotopic signatures of carbon and nitrogen are widely used for analysis of the structure of food webs in aquatic ecosystems. The study of animals raises a number of methodological questions, including choice of representative tissues and organs for sampling as well as storage of the studied organisms. Furthermore, the impacts of preservation methods can be tissue-specific, age-specific, and even taxon-specific; thus, studies of these impacts on particular taxa are necessary. We focused on the C and N isotope composition of the common toad (Bufo bufo), one of the most widespread European anuran amphibians. We hypothesized that its different tissues and organs may vary in isotopic composition, and ethanol and freezing may have different effects on isotopic values. Our results showed that both “tissue” and “storage method” factors significantly affected the δ13C values of tadpoles and postmetamorphic juveniles, whereas only the “tissue” factor had a significant effect on the δ15N values. The two stages, tadpoles and postmetamorphs, should be analyzed separately despite the brief postmetamorphic period of the juveniles. The skin, legs, muscles, and tail in tadpoles and legs, muscles and heart in juveniles can be used for δ13C and δ15N analysis regardless of the method of storage. The results will serve for the optimization of future study designs in isotopic ecology.
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18
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Navarro AB, Magioli M, Bogoni JA, Silveira LF, Moreira MZ, Alexandrino ER, da Luz DTA, Silva WR, Pizo MA, de Oliveira VC, Ferraz KMPMDB. Isotopic niches of tropical birds reduced by anthropogenic impacts: a 100‐year perspective. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Navarro
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre (LEMaC), Depto de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’
- Seção de Aves, Museu de Zoologia da Univ. de São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
| | - Marcelo Magioli
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre (LEMaC), Depto de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Inst. Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade Atibaia SP Brazil
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Inst. Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade Atibaia SP Brazil
| | - Juliano André Bogoni
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre (LEMaC), Depto de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’
| | | | - Marcelo Zacharias Moreira
- Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura – Univ. de São Paulo Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Eduardo Roberto Alexandrino
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre (LEMaC), Depto de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’
- Inst. Nacional da Mata Atlântica Santa Teresa ES Brazil
- Univ. de São Paulo Piracicaba SP Brazil
- Inst. Nacional da Mata Atlântica Santa Teresa ES Brazil
| | - Daniela Tomasio Apolinario da Luz
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre (LEMaC), Depto de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’
| | - Wesley Rodrigues Silva
- Laboratório de Interações Vertebrados Plantas, Depto de Biologia Animal, Inst. de Biologia, Univ. Estadual de Campinas Campinas SP Brazil
| | - Marco Aurelio Pizo
- Inst. de Biociências, Depto de Zoologia, Univ. Estadual Paulista Rio Claro SP Brazil
| | - Vanessa Cristina de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre (LEMaC), Depto de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’
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19
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Matich P, Bizzarro JJ, Shipley ON. Are stable isotope ratios suitable for describing niche partitioning and individual specialization? ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02392. [PMID: 34164866 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As concerns about anthropogenic and natural disturbance grow, understanding animal resource use patterns has been increasingly prioritized to predict how changes in environmental conditions, food web structure, and population dynamics will affect biological resilience. Among the tools used to assess resource use, stable isotope analysis has proliferated in ecological studies, particularly in relation to describing intra- and interspecific variation in trophic interactions. Despite a growing need to disseminate scientific information, the inherent limitations of stable isotope ratios and inappropriate synonymizing of distinct evolutionary and ecological processes may mislead ecological inferences in natural systems. This situation necessitates a re-evaluation of the utility of stable isotope ratios to address certain ecological questions. Here, we assess the efficacy of stable isotope ratios to describe two fundamental ecological processes, niche partitioning and individual specialization. Investigation of these processes has increased substantially in accordance with increased access to stable isotope data. This article discusses the circumstances and approaches that are necessary to evaluate niche partitioning and individual specialization, and outlines key considerations for the associated application of stable isotope ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Matich
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, 77553, USA
| | - Joseph J Bizzarro
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, California State University, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, California, 95039, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystems and Climate, University of California, Santa Cruz, 110 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA
| | - Oliver N Shipley
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, USA
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20
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Jory C, Lesage V, Leclerc A, Giard J, Iverson S, Bérubé M, Michaud R, Nozais C. Individual and population dietary specialization decline in fin whales during a period of ecosystem shift. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17181. [PMID: 34433851 PMCID: PMC8387503 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96283-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This study sought to estimate the effect of an anthropogenic and climate-driven change in prey availability on the degree of individual and population specialization of a large marine predator, the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). We examined skin biopsies from 99 fin whales sampled in the St. Lawrence Estuary (Canada) over a nine year period (1998–2006) during which environmental change was documented. We analyzed stable isotope ratios in skin and fatty acid signatures in blubber samples of whales, as well as in seven potential prey species, and diet was quantitatively assessed using Bayesian isotopic models. An abrupt change in fin whale dietary niche coincided with a decrease in biomass of their predominant prey, Arctic krill (Thysanoessa spp.). This dietary niche widening toward generalist diets occurred in nearly 60% of sampled individuals. The fin whale population, typically composed of specialists of either krill or lipid-rich pelagic fishes, shifted toward one composed either of krill specialists or true generalists feeding on various zooplankton and fish prey. This change likely reduced intraspecific competition. In the context of the current “Atlantification” of northern water masses, our findings emphasize the importance of considering individual-specific foraging tactics and not only population or group average responses when assessing population resilience or when implementing conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cabrol Jory
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC, Canada.
| | - Véronique Lesage
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC, Canada.,Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Québec-Océan, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandra Leclerc
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC, Canada.,Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Québec-Océan, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - Janie Giard
- Groupe de Recherche et d'Éducation sur les Mammifères Marins, Tadoussac, QC, Canada
| | - Sara Iverson
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Martine Bérubé
- Marine Evolution and Conservation, Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Centre for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA, USA
| | - Robert Michaud
- Groupe de Recherche et d'Éducation sur les Mammifères Marins, Tadoussac, QC, Canada
| | - Christian Nozais
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Québec-Océan, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
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21
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Seminoff JA, Komoroske LM, Amorocho D, Arauz R, Chacón‐Chaverrí D, Paz N, Dutton PH, Donoso M, Heidemeyer M, Hoeffer G, Todd Jones T, Kelez S, Lemons GE, Rguez‐Baron JM, Sampson L, Santos Baca L, Steiner T, Vejar Rubio M, Zárate P, Zavala‐Norzagaray A, Popp BN. Large‐scale patterns of green turtle trophic ecology in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A. Seminoff
- NOAA‐National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla California USA
| | - Lisa M. Komoroske
- NOAA‐National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla California USA
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst Massachusetts USA
| | - Diego Amorocho
- Centro De Investigacion Para El Manejo Ambiental y El Desarrollo Cali Colombia
| | - Randall Arauz
- Fins Attached Marine Research and Conservation Colorado Springs Colorado USA
| | | | - Nelly Paz
- Areas Costeras y Recursos Marinos Pisco Perú
| | - Peter H. Dutton
- NOAA‐National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla California USA
| | | | - Maike Heidemeyer
- Escuela de Biología Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular Centro de Investigación en Ciencas del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR) Universidad de Costa Rica San Pedro Costa Rica
| | | | - T. Todd Jones
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center NOAA‐National Marine Fisheries Service Honolulu Hawaii USA
| | | | - Garrett E. Lemons
- NOAA‐National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla California USA
| | - Juan M. Rguez‐Baron
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur La Paz Baja California Sur México
| | - Laura Sampson
- Department of Biology Universidad del Valle Cali Colombia
| | - Lucía Santos Baca
- Department of Natural Resources Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste La Paz México
| | - Todd Steiner
- Turtle Island Restoration Network Forest Knolls California USA
- MigraMar Forest Knolls California USA
| | - Maria Vejar Rubio
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional CIIDIR Unidad Sinaloa Guasave Sinaloa México
| | - Patricia Zárate
- MigraMar Forest Knolls California USA
- Department of Biology University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | | | - Brian N. Popp
- Department of Earth Sciences University of Hawai'i at Manoa Honolulu Hawaii USA
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22
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Owings CG, Gilhooly WP, Picard CJ. Blow fly stable isotopes reveal larval diet: A case study in community level anthropogenic effects. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249422. [PMID: 33852607 PMCID: PMC8046228 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Response to human impacts on the environment are typically initiated too late to remediate negative consequences. We present the novel use of stable isotope analysis (SIA) of blow flies to determine human influences on vertebrate communities in a range of human-inhabited environments, from a pristine national park to a dense metropolitan area. The refrain "you are what you eat" applies to the dietary isotope record of all living organisms, and for carrion-breeding blow flies, this translates to the type of carcasses present in an environment. Specifically, we show that carnivore carcasses make up a large proportion of the adult fly's prior larval diet, which contrasts to what has been reportedly previously for the wild adult fly diet (which consists of mostly herbivore resources). Additionally, we reveal the potential impact of human food on carcasses that were fed on by blow flies, underscoring the human influences on wild animal populations. Our results demonstrate that using SIA in conjunction with other methods (e.g., DNA analysis of flies) can reveal a comprehensive snapshot of the vertebrate community in a terrestrial ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charity G. Owings
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - William P. Gilhooly
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Christine J. Picard
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
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23
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Cheeseman AE, Tanis BP, Finck EJ. Quantifying temporal variation in dietary niche to reveal drivers of past population declines. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian P. Tanis
- Department of Biological Sciences Fort Hays State University Hays KS USA
| | - Elmer J. Finck
- Department of Biological Sciences Fort Hays State University Hays KS USA
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24
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Shipley ON, Kelly JB, Bizzarro JJ, Olin JA, Cerrato RM, Power M, Frisk MG. Evolution of realized Eltonian niches across
Rajidae
species. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver N. Shipley
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York11794USA
| | - Joseph B. Kelly
- Department for Ecology and Evolution Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York11794USA
| | - Joseph J. Bizzarro
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories California State University 8272 Moss Landing Road Moss Landing California95039USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystems and Climate University of California, Santa Cruz 110 McAllister Way Santa Cruz California95060USA
| | - Jill A. Olin
- Great Lakes Research Center Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan49931USA
| | - Robert M. Cerrato
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York11794USA
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology University of Waterloo 200 University Avenue West Waterloo OntarioN2L 3G1Canada
| | - Michael G. Frisk
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York11794USA
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25
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Rezek RJ, Massie JA, Nelson JA, Santos RO, Viadero NM, Boucek RE, Rehage JS. Individual consumer movement mediates food web coupling across a coastal ecosystem. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J. Rezek
- Department of Earth and Environment Institute of Environment Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street Miami Florida33199USA
| | - Jordan A. Massie
- Department of Earth and Environment Institute of Environment Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street Miami Florida33199USA
| | - James A. Nelson
- Department of Biology University of Louisiana 410 E. St. Mary Boulevard Lafayette Louisiana70504USA
| | - Rolando O. Santos
- Department of Biological Sciences Institute of Environment Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street Miami Florida33199USA
| | - Natasha M. Viadero
- Department of Earth and Environment Institute of Environment Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street Miami Florida33199USA
| | - Ross E. Boucek
- Bonefish & Tarpon Trust 135 San Lorenzo Avenue, Suite 860 Coral Gables Florida33146USA
| | - Jennifer S. Rehage
- Department of Earth and Environment Institute of Environment Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street Miami Florida33199USA
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26
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Remili A, Gallego P, Pinzone M, Castro C, Jauniaux T, Garigliany MM, Malarvannan G, Covaci A, Das K. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) breeding off Mozambique and Ecuador show geographic variation of persistent organic pollutants and isotopic niches. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 267:115575. [PMID: 33254700 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Southern Hemisphere carry information on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from their feeding zones in Antarctica to their breeding grounds, making this species a sentinel of contaminants accumulation in the Southern Ocean. This study aimed to evaluate driving factors, namely feeding areas, trophic level, and sex, affecting POP concentrations in the blubber of humpback whales breeding off Mozambique and off Ecuador. Biopsies of free-ranging humpback whales including blubber and skin were collected in 2014 and 2015 from Ecuador (n = 59) and in 2017 from Mozambique (n = 89). In both populations, HCB was the major contaminant followed by DDTs > CHLs > PCBs > HCHs > PBDEs. POP concentrations were significantly higher in males compared to females. HCB, DDTs, HCHs and PBDEs were significantly different between whales from the Mozambique population and the Ecuador population. Sex and feeding habits were important driving factors accounting for POP concentrations in Ecuador whales. The whales from our study had some of the lowest POP concentrations measured for humpback whales in the world. These whales fed predominantly on krill as reflected from the low δ13C and δ15N values measured in the skin. However, the isotopic niches of whales from Mozambique and Ecuador did not overlap indicating that the two populations are feeding in different areas of the Southern Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Remili
- Freshwater and Oceanic Sciences Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS - Oceanology), University of Liege, 4000, Liege, Belgium; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Pierre Gallego
- Freshwater and Oceanic Sciences Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS - Oceanology), University of Liege, 4000, Liege, Belgium; Odyssea asbl., 37 rue du Nord, L-4260, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Marianna Pinzone
- Freshwater and Oceanic Sciences Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS - Oceanology), University of Liege, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Cristina Castro
- Pacific Whale Foundation Ecuador, Malecón Julio Izurieta y Abdón Calderón. Palo Santo Travel, Puerto López - Manabí - Ecuador
| | - Thierry Jauniaux
- Department of Pathology, Veterinary College, University of Liege, Sart Tilman B43, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Mutien-Marie Garigliany
- Department of Pathology, Veterinary College, University of Liege, Sart Tilman B43, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Govindan Malarvannan
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Krishna Das
- Freshwater and Oceanic Sciences Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS - Oceanology), University of Liege, 4000, Liege, Belgium.
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27
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Park HJ, Park TH, Kang HY, Lee CI, Kang CK. Shifting resource utilization of the lacustrine shrimp Palaemon paucidens in temperate coastal lagoons of Korea as revealed by stable isotopes. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 160:111672. [PMID: 33181945 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The spatial and seasonal variations in resource use of the lacustrine shrimp Palaemon paucidens were investigated in three different Korean lagoon systems in June and October 2018 by measuring their carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios. P. paucidens had much higher δ13C values at the permanently open lagoon (PL) as compared to the intermittently open lagoons (ILs), revealing a disparity in resource utilization. Isotopic niches of the shrimp were relatively wider at the PL than at the ILs, suggesting a greater diversity of carbon pathways in the PL system. These results indicate that the degree of water exchange with the sea, associated with lagoon geomorphology, may be a major factor influencing resource availability for P. paucidens. Our findings suggest that the duration and degree of inlet opening may affect dietary variation at the population level, and may be one of the key components of sustainable management for coastal lagoon ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Je Park
- Department of Marine Bioscience, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, Republic of Korea.
| | - Tae Hee Park
- Department of Marine Bioscience, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Yoon Kang
- School of Earth Sciences & Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Chung-Il Lee
- Department of Marine Bioscience, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Keun Kang
- School of Earth Sciences & Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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Lesser JS, James WR, Stallings CD, Wilson RM, Nelson JA. Trophic niche size and overlap decreases with increasing ecosystem productivity. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin S. Lesser
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Louisiana 410 E. St. Mary Blvd. Lafayette LA 70504 USA
| | - W. Ryan James
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Louisiana 410 E. St. Mary Blvd. Lafayette LA 70504 USA
| | | | - Rachel M. Wilson
- Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Florida State Univ. Tallahassee FL USA
| | - James A. Nelson
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Louisiana 410 E. St. Mary Blvd. Lafayette LA 70504 USA
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Studying animal niches using bulk stable isotope ratios: an updated synthesis. Oecologia 2020; 193:27-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04654-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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30
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Petta JC, Shipley ON, Wintner SP, Cliff G, Dicken ML, Hussey NE. Are you really what you eat? Stomach content analysis and stable isotope ratios do not uniformly estimate dietary niche characteristics in three marine predators. Oecologia 2020; 192:1111-1126. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04628-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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31
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Jacquier M, Simon L, Ruette S, Vandel JM, Hemery A, Devillard S. Isotopic evidence of individual specialization toward free-ranging chickens in a rural population of red foxes. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1352-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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32
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Malindie S, Buschke F, Codron D. Carbon isotope differences between grassland and savanna herbivores reveal environmentally driven rather than phylogenetically conserved niches. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Malindie
- Centre for Environmental Management (IB 67) University of Free State Bloemfontein South Africa
| | - F.T. Buschke
- Centre for Environmental Management (IB 67) University of Free State Bloemfontein South Africa
| | - D. Codron
- Department of Zoology and Entomology (IB 49) University of Free State Bloemfontein South Africa
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Eckrich CA, Albeke SE, Flaherty EA, Bowyer RT, Ben‐David M. rKIN: Kernel‐based method for estimating isotopic niche size and overlap. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:757-771. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Shannon E. Albeke
- Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
- Program in Ecology University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Flaherty
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
| | - R. Terry Bowyer
- Institute of Arctic Biology University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Merav Ben‐David
- Program in Ecology University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
- Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
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Lenzi J, González-Bergonzoni I, Machín E, Pijanowski B, Flaherty E. The impact of anthropogenic food subsidies on a generalist seabird during nestling growth. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 687:546-553. [PMID: 31216509 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic food subsidies, such as refuse, are an important driver of animal population changes and gulls heavily forage on this food source. Foraging on refuse during the rearing period could affect the acquisition of resources with potential demographic consequences. Using conventional diet analysis and stable isotopes of δ13C and δ15N of blood of Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) nestlings, we studied the variation of the chick growth in response to foraging on refuse on a reproductive colony in the Rio de la Plata Estuary in Uruguay. Using Bayesian mixing models on isotopic data, we estimated the proportion and variation of natural food and refuse in the diet of nestlings. Then, we modelled the variation between the mean posterior densities of the food sources and their standard deviation with the nestling morphometric measurements of different sizes. We found that refuse was gradually delivered to Kelp Gull nestlings during the chick rearing period. Additionally, variation of refuse incorporated into nestling tissues increased with nestlings' size. We propose that parents use more isotopically unique food sources during the nestling growth thereby increasing isotopic diversity. This study highlights the need to improve the current waste management system, which is being reviewed in Uruguay. We believe that decision makers should consider the results of this study, which show that refuse is directly impacting coastal ecosystems through mechanisms poorly explored by the environmental sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Lenzi
- Centro de Investigación y Conservación Marina - CICMAR, Avenida Giannattasio Km 30.5, Canelones 15008, Uruguay; Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States; Purdue University, Ecological Sciences and Engineering Program, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States.
| | - Iván González-Bergonzoni
- Departamento del Agua CENUR Ltoral Norte sede Paysandú, Universidad de la República, Ruta 3 Km 363 EEMAC, Paysandú 60000, Uruguay; Departamento de Ecología y Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, MEC, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Emanuel Machín
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Bryan Pijanowski
- Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States
| | - Elizabeth Flaherty
- Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States
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35
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Chen CT, Robitzch V, Sturaro N, Lepoint G, Berumen ML, Frédérich B. ‘Homemade’: the phenotypic diversity of coral reef damselfish populations is driven by the local environment. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Ting Chen
- Laboratoire d’Océanologie, FOCUS, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Vanessa Robitzch
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, E Pugin, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Nicolas Sturaro
- Laboratoire d’Océanologie, FOCUS, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Gilles Lepoint
- Laboratoire d’Océanologie, FOCUS, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Michael L Berumen
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bruno Frédérich
- Laboratoire de Morphologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, FOCUS, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
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36
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Manlick PJ, Petersen SM, Moriarty KM, Pauli JN. Stable isotopes reveal limited Eltonian niche conservatism across carnivore populations. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip J. Manlick
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin
| | - Shelby M. Petersen
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin
| | - Katie M. Moriarty
- Pacific Northwest Research Station USDA Forest Service Olympia Washington
| | - Jonathan N. Pauli
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin
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Cirtwill AR, Dalla Riva GV, Gaiarsa MP, Bimler MD, Cagua EF, Coux C, Dehling DM. A review of species role concepts in food webs. FOOD WEBS 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2018.e00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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Stock BC, Jackson AL, Ward EJ, Parnell AC, Phillips DL, Semmens BX. Analyzing mixing systems using a new generation of Bayesian tracer mixing models. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5096. [PMID: 29942712 PMCID: PMC6015753 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 317] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing evolution of tracer mixing models has resulted in a confusing array of software tools that differ in terms of data inputs, model assumptions, and associated analytic products. Here we introduce MixSIAR, an inclusive, rich, and flexible Bayesian tracer (e.g., stable isotope) mixing model framework implemented as an open-source R package. Using MixSIAR as a foundation, we provide guidance for the implementation of mixing model analyses. We begin by outlining the practical differences between mixture data error structure formulations and relate these error structures to common mixing model study designs in ecology. Because Bayesian mixing models afford the option to specify informative priors on source proportion contributions, we outline methods for establishing prior distributions and discuss the influence of prior specification on model outputs. We also discuss the options available for source data inputs (raw data versus summary statistics) and provide guidance for combining sources. We then describe a key advantage of MixSIAR over previous mixing model software-the ability to include fixed and random effects as covariates explaining variability in mixture proportions and calculate relative support for multiple models via information criteria. We present a case study of Alligator mississippiensis diet partitioning to demonstrate the power of this approach. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of limitations to mixing model applications. Through MixSIAR, we have consolidated the disparate array of mixing model tools into a single platform, diversified the set of available parameterizations, and provided developers a platform upon which to continue improving mixing model analyses in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Stock
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew L Jackson
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eric J Ward
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Andrew C Parnell
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Insight Centre for Data Analytics, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Brice X Semmens
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Wang J, Chapman D, Xu J, Wang Y, Gu B. Isotope niche dimension and trophic overlap between bigheaded carps and native filter-feeding fish in the lower Missouri River, USA. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197584. [PMID: 29782547 PMCID: PMC5962084 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) were used to evaluate trophic niche overlap between two filter-feeding fishes (known together as bigheaded carp) native to China, silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), and three native filter-feeding fish including bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus), gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) and paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) in the lower Missouri River, USA, using the Bayesian Stable Isotope in R statistics. Results indicate that except for bigmouth buffalo, all species displayed similar trophic niche size and trophic diversity. Bigmouth buffalo occupied a small trophic niche and had the greatest trophic overlap with silver carp (93.6%) and bighead carp (94.1%) followed by gizzard shad (91.0%). Paddlefish had a trophic niche which relied on some resources different from those used by other species, and therefore had the lowest trophic overlap with bigheaded carp and other two native fish. The trophic overlap by bigheaded carp onto native fish was typically stronger than the reverse effects from native fish. Average niche overlap between silver carp and native species was as high as 71%, greater than niche overlap between bighead carp and native fish (64%). Our findings indicate that bigheaded carps are a potential threat to a diverse and stable native fish community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhu Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Duane Chapman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO, United States of America
| | - Jun Xu
- Institute of Hydrobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Geological Sciences, Florida State University & National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee, FL, United States of America
| | - Binhe Gu
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Kumar A, Divoll TJ, Ganguli PM, Trama FA, Lamborg CH. Presence of artisanal gold mining predicts mercury bioaccumulation in five genera of bats (Chiroptera). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 236:862-870. [PMID: 29475173 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury, a toxic trace metal, has been used extensively as an inexpensive and readily available method of extracting gold from fine-grained sediment. Worldwide, artisanal mining is responsible for one third of all mercury released into the environment. By testing bat hair from museum specimens and field collected samples from areas both impacted and unimpacted by artisanal gold mining in Perú, we show monomethylmercury (MMHg) has increased in the last 100 years. MMHg concentrations were also greatest in the highest bat trophic level (insectivores), and in areas experiencing extractive artisanal mining. Reproductive female bats had higher MMHg concentrations, and both juvenile and adult bats from mercury contaminated sites had more MMHg than those from uncontaminated sites. Bats have important ecological functions, providing vital ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal, and insect control. Natural populations can act as environmental sentinels and offer the chance to expand our understanding of, and responses to, environmental and human health concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Kumar
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Timothy J Divoll
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Rd., Portland, ME, USA; Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and Conservation, Indiana State University, 600 Chestnut St., Terre Haute, IN, USA.
| | - Priya M Ganguli
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry, 266 Woods Hole Road, MS#51, Woods Hole, MA, USA; Department of Geological Sciences, Water Science Program, CalState University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA, USA.
| | - Florencia A Trama
- Centro Neotropical de Entrenamiento en Humedales-Perú, Jr. Puerto Inca #174 Dept. 302, Urb. Los Olivos-Surco, Lima 33, Lima, Peru.
| | - Carl H Lamborg
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd., Woods Hole, MA, USA; Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
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Assessing seasonal changes in animal diets with stable-isotope analysis of amino acids: a migratory boreal songbird switches diet over its annual cycle. Oecologia 2018; 187:1-13. [PMID: 29564539 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4113-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Tools to study seasonal changes in animal diets are needed to address a wide range of ecological questions. This is especially true of migratory animals that experience distinct environments where diets may be substantially different. However, tracking diets of individuals that move vast distances has proven difficult. Compound-specific isotope analysis has emerged as a valuable tool to study diets but has been little used to study dietary changes of migratory animals. Using this technique, we quantify seasonal variation in the annual diet of a migratory songbird (gray-cheeked thrush, Catharus minimus) and test the hypothesis that migrants change their diet in response to the energetic requirements of different periods of the annual cycle. By measuring δ13C and δ15N values of amino acids from feathers grown on the breeding grounds, blood formed during migration and claw grown on the wintering grounds, we found that migration is associated with greater consumption of fruit, compared to the breeding or wintering periods. This was confirmed by the lower trophic position of blood compared to feather and claw, by a decrease in the δ15N value of the source amino acid phenylalanine in blood as a function of days of stopover, and by the positive correlation between δ15N and δ13C values of phenylalanine in blood, and not in feather or claw. This study illustrates how isotopic analysis of amino acids can contribute to understand food webs, seasonal dietary changes and metabolic routing of nutrients in migratory animals.
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deVries MS. The role of feeding morphology and competition in governing the diet breadth of sympatric stomatopod crustaceans. Biol Lett 2017; 13:rsbl.2017.0055. [PMID: 28446618 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Competition for food drives divergence and specialization in feeding morphology. Stomatopod crustaceans have two kinds of highly specialized feeding appendages: either elongate spear-like appendages (spearers) used to ambush soft-bodied evasive prey or hammer-like appendages (smashers) that produce extremely high forces used both to break hard-shelled prey and to capture evasive prey. To evaluate associations between appendage type and feeding ecology, the diet of two small smasher and spearer species (size range: 21-27 mm) that co-occur were compared. Stable isotope analysis and the Bayesian mixing model MixSIAR were used to estimate the proportional contributions of prey types to the diet. Both species had relatively wide diets that included hard-shelled and soft-bodied prey, albeit in different proportions; the smasher consumed a greater proportion of hard-shelled prey, and the spearer consumed mostly soft-bodied prey. Appendage kinematics in stomatopods is known to scale linearly across species. These two small species may produce similar kinematics allowing them both to capture evasive prey and hammer hard-shelled prey, thereby widening their diets. Yet, the spearer species is more highly adept at capturing evasive prey, indicating that small spearers are stronger competitors for soft-bodied prey. These findings suggest that a smasher's ability to access hard prey reduced competition for soft prey, and therefore conferred an important benefit favouring the evolution of the impressive smashing strike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya S deVries
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Stanek AE, Wolf N, Hilderbrand GV, Mangipane B, Causey D, Welker JM. Seasonal foraging strategies of Alaskan gray wolves (Canis lupus) in an ecosystem subsidized by Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). CAN J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite frequent observations of gray wolves (Canis lupus L., 1758) using nonungulate prey, the seasonal and interannual variation in the use and relative importance of alternative prey sources to gray wolf diets have not been studied at the individual scale. We used stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) of guard hair and blood components (clot and serum) collected over 4 years to examine the occurrence, extent, and temporal variation of Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus Suckley, 1861) as a food resource by both individual wolves and social groups in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in southwestern Alaska, USA. Our results demonstrate substantial variability in the use of salmon over time. During summer, diets of five wolves consisted of at least 50% salmon, while the diets of 17 wolves consisted of primarily terrestrial prey. Over 3 years, one group of wolves consistently consumed salmon in summer and switched to terrestrial prey in winter. Prey choices were generally similar within social groups; however, the degree to which individuals consumed salmon was highly variable. The use of salmon as exhibited by wolves in Lake Clark is likely widespread where salmon are abundant and this finding should be taken into consideration in the conservation and management of wolves and their prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E. Stanek
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Nathan Wolf
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Grant V. Hilderbrand
- Alaska Regional Office, National Park Service, 240 West 5th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA
| | - Buck Mangipane
- Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, National Park Service, General Delivery, Port Alsworth, AK 99653, USA
| | - Douglas Causey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Welker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
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Maldonado K, Bozinovic F, Newsome SD, Sabat P. Testing the niche variation hypothesis in a community of passerine birds. Ecology 2017; 98:903-908. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karin Maldonado
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas; Universidad de Chile; Santiago Chile
| | - Francisco Bozinovic
- Departamento de Ecología and Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability (CAPES); Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Santiago 6513677 Chile
| | - Seth D. Newsome
- Department of Biology; University of New Mexico; Albuquerque New Mexico 87131 USA
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas; Universidad de Chile; Santiago Chile
- Departamento de Ecología and Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability (CAPES); Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Santiago 6513677 Chile
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Grundler MR, Pianka ER, Pelegrin N, Cowan MA, Rabosky DL. Stable isotope ecology of a hyper-diverse community of scincid lizards from arid Australia. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172879. [PMID: 28245270 PMCID: PMC5330509 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We assessed the utility of stable isotope analysis as a tool for understanding community ecological structure in a species-rich clade of scincid lizards from one of the world's most diverse lizard communities. Using a phylogenetic comparative framework, we tested whether δ15N and δ13C isotopic composition from individual lizards was correlated with species-specific estimates of diet and habitat use. We find that species are highly divergent in isotopic composition with significant correlations to habitat use, but this relationship shows no phylogenetic signal. Isotopic composition corresponds to empirical observations of diet for some species but much variation remains unexplained. We demonstrate the importance of using a multianalytical approach to questions of long-term dietary preference, and suggest that the use of stable isotopes in combination with stomach content analysis and empirical data on habitat use can potentially reveal patterns in ecological traits at finer scales with important implications for community structuring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie R. Grundler
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Eric R. Pianka
- Department of Integrative Biology C0930, University of Texas at Austin, One University Station, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nicolás Pelegrin
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación de la Herpetofauna, Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, (IDEA, CONICET-UNC), and Centro de Zoología Aplicada (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mark A. Cowan
- Department of Parks and Wildlife, Wanneroo, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Daniel L. Rabosky
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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46
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Temporal variation in isotopic composition of Pygoscelis penguins at Ardley Island, Antarctic: Are foraging habits impacted by environmental change? Polar Biol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-016-2017-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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47
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deVries MS, Stock BC, Christy JH, Goldsmith GR, Dawson TE. Specialized morphology corresponds to a generalist diet: linking form and function in smashing mantis shrimp crustaceans. Oecologia 2016; 182:429-42. [PMID: 27312263 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3667-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Many animals are considered to be specialists because they have feeding structures that are fine-tuned for consuming specific prey. For example, "smasher" mantis shrimp have highly specialized predatory appendages that generate forceful strikes to break apart hard-shelled prey. Anecdotal observations suggest, however, that the diet of smashers may include soft-bodied prey as well. Our goal was to examine the diet breadth of the smasher mantis shrimp, Neogonodactylus bredini, to determine whether it has a narrow diet of hard-shelled prey. We combined studies of prey abundance, feeding behavior, and stable isotope analyses of diet in both seagrass and coral rubble to determine if N. bredini's diet was consistent across different habitat types. The abundances of hard-shelled and soft-bodied prey varied between habitats. In feeding experiments, N. bredini consumed both prey types. N. bredini consumed a range of different prey in the field as well and, unexpectedly, the stable isotope analysis demonstrated that soft-bodied prey comprised a large proportion (29-53 %) of the diet in both habitats. Using a Bayesian mixing model framework (MixSIAR), we found that this result held even when we used uninformative, or generalist, priors and informative priors reflecting a specialist diet on hard-shelled prey and prey abundances in the field. Thus, contrary to expectation, the specialized feeding morphology of N. bredini corresponds to a broad diet of both hard-shelled and soft-bodied prey. Using multiple lines of study to describe the natural diets of other presumed specialists may demonstrate that specialized morphology often broadens rather than narrows diet breadth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya S deVries
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA. .,Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive # 0202, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0202, USA.
| | - Brian C Stock
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive # 0202, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0202, USA
| | - John H Christy
- Naos Marine Laboratories, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Gregory R Goldsmith
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.,Ecosystem Fluxes Group, Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
| | - Todd E Dawson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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48
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Tabak MA, Anderson ORJ, Robb G, Poncet S, Passfield K, Martinez MG, Martinez Del Rio C. Comparative isotopic natural history of two native passerines (
Troglodytes cobbi
and
Cinclodes antarcticus
) and the invasive rats (
Rattus norvegicus
) that extirpate them. AUSTRAL ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Orea R. J. Anderson
- Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
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Vander Zanden HB, Soto DX, Bowen GJ, Hobson KA. Expanding the Isotopic Toolbox: Applications of Hydrogen and Oxygen Stable Isotope Ratios to Food Web Studies. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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50
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Yeakel JD, Bhat U, Elliott Smith EA, Newsome SD. Exploring the Isotopic Niche: Isotopic Variance, Physiological Incorporation, and the Temporal Dynamics of Foraging. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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