Diet and trophic niche of the endangered fish Garra ghorensis in three Jordanian populations

Garra ghorensis is a small riverine cyprinid fish endemic to the southern Dead Sea that is endangered through habitat loss and invasive species. Here, their diet and trophic niche were assessed in three Jordanian populations: an allopatric population, a population sympatric with native Capoeta damascina and a population sympatric with invasive Oreochromis aureus. Stomach content analyses of samples collected between February 2011 and January 2012 revealed that detritus and algae were prominent food items in their diets, with low dietary contributions of animal material. The most frequent and abundant macro‐invertebrates in intestines were Odonata nymphs and gastropod species. The calculation of trophic niche size from the stomach content data revealed that the niche of G. ghorensis (0.10) was generally smaller than sympatric C. damascina (0.24), with an overlap of 72%, whereas they had a larger trophic niche than sympatric O. aureus (0.20–0.13), with a niche overlap of 54%. These outputs were generally supported by stable isotope analyses of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N completed on samples collected at the end of the 2011 growth season, although these indicated a greater contribution of animal material to assimilated diet. They also indicated that the trophic niche breadth [as standard ellipse area (SEA)] of C. damascina (4.18‰²) was higher than G. ghorensis (2.48‰²) and overlapped by 26%. For G. ghorensis, their SEA was slightly larger than O. aureus (4.33–4.00‰²), with an overlap of 27%. Although both methods indicated some sharing of food resources between sympatric fishes, there was no evidence suggesting detrimental outcomes for G. ghorensis and thus was not considered as a constraint on the status of their populations.     

Freshwater ecosystem vulnerability: Is native climatic niche good enough to predict invasion events?

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Trophic niche overlap between native freshwater mussels (Order: Unionida) and the invasive Corbicula fluminea

1. Freshwater mussels (Order Unionida) are highly threatened. Interspecific competition for food sources with invasive alien species is considered to be one of the factors responsible for their decline because successful invaders are expected to have wider trophic niches and more flexible feeding strategies than their native counterparts.
2. In this study, carbon (δ¹³C: ¹³C/¹²C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N: ¹⁵N/¹⁴N) stable isotopes were used to investigate the trophic niche overlap between the native freshwater mussel species, Anodonta anatina, Potomida littoralis, and Unio delphinus, and the invasive bivalve Corbicula fluminea living in sympatry in the Tua basin (south-west Europe).
3. The species presenting the widest trophic niches were C. fluminea and A. anatina, which indicate that they have broader diets than U. delphinus and P. littoralis. Nonetheless, all the species assimilated microphytobenthos, sediment organic matter, and detritus derived from vascular plants, although with interspecific variability in the assimilated proportions of each source. The trophic niche of the invasive species overlapped with the trophic niche of all the native species, with the extent varying between sites and according to the species.
4. From the three native species analysed, Potomida littoralis may be at a higher risk for competition for food with C. fluminea in the Tua basin, if food sources become limited, because this native mussel presented the narrowest trophic niche across sites and the highest probability of overlapping with the trophic niche of C. fluminea.
5. Given the global widespread distribution of C. fluminea, the implementation of management measures devoted to the control or even eradication of this invasive alien species should be a conservation priority given its potential for competition with highly threatened native freshwater mussels.

     

长江口盐沼湿地鱼类群落优势种的时空生态位特征

为了解长江口盐沼湿地优势鱼类群落结构及其种间关系,采用插网调查,利用2019年5—10月的调查数据,基于生态位宽度和生态位重叠度指数对长江口崇明东滩（31°27''N,121°56''E）和九段沙盐沼湿地（31°10''N,121°57''E）鱼类群落的优势种生态位进行研究。研究结果表明,春、夏、秋3个季节共采获10个优势种,其中鮻（Liza haematocheila）、花鲈（Lateolabrax maculatus）和拉氏狼牙虾虎鱼（Odontamblyopus rubicundus）在3个季节中均为优势种。在10个优势种中,时间生态位宽度值变化范围为0.11~1.70,其中拉氏狼牙虾虎鱼时间生态位宽度值最大,小黄鱼（Larimichthys polyactis）值最小;空间生态位宽度值变化范围为0.57~1.53,其中棱鮻（Liza carinatus）空间生态位宽度值最大,小黄鱼值最小。长江口盐沼湿地鱼类优势种生态位宽度呈现显著的季节性变化趋势。长江口盐沼湿地鱼类优势种的时空生态位重叠值较高,其中具重叠意义的鱼种对（species pairs）高达73.33%,具有显著重叠意义的鱼种对高达48.89%。结论认为,长江口盐沼湿地鱼类优势种的时空分布具有相似性,存在明显的竞争关系。     

Feeding ecology and coexistence dynamics in a community of fishes in a temperate temporary water body

Temporary water bodies are temporally variable ecosystems supported primarily by rainwater. The biota supported by such water bodies present a range of capacities to remain in this environment for all or part of their life cycles. During floods, temporary pools can connect with permanent streams, promoting changes in trophic networks in the aquatic food webs. The aim of this research was to analyse the feeding ecology of a fish community in a temporary pool near of Tlacotalpan, in the Mexican southeast, in order to understand the dynamics of the feeding habits. First, we identified feeding habits that can be interpreted as guilds of the fishes in the temporary pool: the annual killifish Millerichthys robustus (the only autochthonous species) is planktophagous; Cynodonichthys tenuis and Astyanax aeneus are insectivores; Dormitator maculatus and larvae of amphibians (Lithobates sp.) are mainly detritivorous; and Poecilia mexicana is planktophagous and insectivorous. We then estimated the effect of coexistence on niche breadth and overlap. The niches of M. robustus and P. mexicana evidenced overlap, but the breadth was adjusted inversely, suggesting feeding specialisation in M. robustus in response to competition. We documented the existence of two cohorts of M. robustus; the niche breadth of the first and second cohorts suggesting different strategies probably related to competition under variable conditions. The niche of C. tenuis and A. aeneus, and D. maculatus and tadpoles overlapped, following a pattern of feeding generalisation in response to competition.     

Do fish isotopic niches change in an Amazon floodplain lake over the hydrological regime?

Floodplain lakes are ecosystems characterised by annual flood and dry cycles. Fish ecology is influenced by the flood pulse due to the large influx of allochthonous food resources and diversification of habitats during the flood cycle, while during the dry cycle, fishes tend to be confined in reduced habitat. The aim of this study was to evaluate the seasonal variation in trophic niche width and overlap of four species—Mylossoma duriventre, Prochilodus nigricans, Cichla.pleiozona and Serrasalmus rhombeus—in an Amazonian floodplain lake. Stable isotope analyses were used to estimate trophic niche width and overlap during the flood and dry seasons. We hypothesised broader niche width for all species during the flood cycle and a higher degree of overlap between the two piscivorous fishes during the dry cycle. Isotopic niche width was 72% broader for P. nigricans, 61% for S. rhombeus and 54% for C. pleiozona during the dry cycle, which did not support our hypothesis. Core niche width overlaps were not observed between piscivorous species in either flood or dry cycle. The results indicate that seasonal variation in isotopic niche width is specific to feeding habit. Understanding how fish trophic ecology responds to changes in the hydrological regime during the seasons is crucial for sustainable fishery management in a region where many people rely heavily on fish for nutritional and economic purposes.     

Stable isotopes reveal niche segregation between native and non-native Hoplias in a Neotropical floodplain

We investigated whether isotopic niche partitioning could mediate the coexistence between native (Hoplias sp. B) and non-native (Hoplias mbigua) trahira in a Neotropical floodplain. We hypothesised that during the dry season both species inhabit isolated sites (i.e. lakes) and thus rely on distinct food resources to sustain their coexistence. We found evidence of trophic segregation among native and non-native freshwater fish in the Upper Paraná River, Brazil. Even though both species rely on the same primary littoral carbon sources and present similar trophic diversity, trophic segregation was attained through larger niche amplitude and smaller isotopic niche width for the non-native fish. Three decades after initial invasion, non-native Hoplias have distinct foraging behaviour and do not compete for trophic resources with native trahira; this is likely due to morpho-anatomical differences. Limited morphological similarity between these congeneric species might be the strongest factor contributing to their coexistence in the Paraná River floodplain during the dry season.     

长江口及邻近海域春、夏季浮游动物优势种时空生态位分析

为探究长江口及邻近海域春、夏季浮游动物优势种时空生态位, 利用 2016—2018 年春季(5 月)和夏季(8 月) 长江口及邻近海域浮游动物及环境调查数据, 分析了该海域浮游动物优势种时空生态位特征, 并基于冗余分析 (RDA)对优势种与环境因子之间的关系进行分析。结果表明, 春季优势种以近岸低盐种占绝对优势, 夏季优势种以近岸低盐种和暖水种共存, 夏季优势种数目高于春季, 春季第一优势种虫肢歪水蚤(Tortanus vermiculus)优势度和平均拥挤度均高于夏季。在时间和空间生态位上, 真刺唇角水蚤(Labidocera euchaeta)、虫肢歪水蚤、长额刺糠虾 (Acanthomysis longirostris)和球型侧腕水母(Pleurobrachia globosa)均为广生态位种, 而中华哲水蚤(Sinocalanus sinensis)为窄生态位种。相似生态位种为了实现共存, 在时间或空间上发生生态位的分化。空间生态位重叠指数高的种对多具有捕食与被捕食关系。时间生态位上高等级重叠种对关系占比(50.0%)远高于空间生态位高等级重叠种对关系(18.2%)。物种环境排序图通过展示优势种分布与环境因子之间的关系, 揭示了优势种在生境中的生态位分化现象。本研究探明的浮游动物优势种的时空生态位分布特征可为研究其种间共存关系、环境适应性及水质环境变动提供依据。     

胶州湾5种虾虎鱼类的营养和空间生态位

应用Shannon-Wiener指数和Pianka重叠指数分析了胶州湾5种虾虎鱼类的食物组成、营养生态位宽度、空间生态位宽度及其重叠,通过计算营养空间二维生态位重叠指数探讨了5种虾虎鱼类种间食物竞争与空间分布的关系。结果表明,胶州湾的5种虾虎鱼均属底栖动物食性,其中斑尾刺虾虎鱼(Synechogobius ommaturus)主要以虾类、多毛类和鱼类为食,而六丝钝尾虾虎鱼(Amblychaeturichthys hexanema)、红狼牙虾虎鱼(Odontamblyopus lace-pedii)、纹缟虾虎鱼(Tridentiger trigonocephalus)和钟馗虾虎鱼(Tridentiger barbatus)则主要摄食桡足类、钩虾、涟虫等小型底栖甲壳动物。在5种虾虎鱼中,六丝钝尾虾虎鱼的营养生态位宽度最高(2.65),纹缟虾虎鱼的空间生态位宽度最高(2.01),而红狼牙虾虎鱼的营养生态位宽度和空间生态位宽度均最低(分别为1.26和0.97)。5种虾虎鱼之间的营养生态位重叠指数在0.03~0.64之间,其中六丝钝尾虾虎鱼与钟馗虾虎鱼的营养生态位重叠指数最高(0.64);空间生态位重叠指数在0.08~0.91之间,最高值出现在红狼牙虾虎鱼与钟馗虾虎鱼之间(0.91);营养空间二维生态位重叠指数在0.0032~0.3648之间,其中钟馗虾虎鱼与六丝钝尾虾虎鱼的营养空间二维生态位重叠指数最高(0.3648),因此最有可能出现激烈的食物竞争,其他鱼种之间则通过营养或空间生态位的分化而降低了种间竞争的程度。     

Generalist feeding strategies in Arctic freshwater fish: A mechanism for dealing with extreme environments

Generalist feeding strategies are favoured in stressful or variable environments where flexibility in ecological traits is beneficial. Species that feed across multiple habitat types and trophic levels may impart stability on food webs through the use of readily available, alternative energy pools. In lakes, generalist fish species may take advantage of spatially and temporally variable prey by consuming both benthic and pelagic prey to meet their energy demands. Using stomach content and stable isotope analyses, we examined the feeding habits of fish species in Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) lakes to determine the prevalence of generalist feeding strategies as a mechanism for persistence in extreme environments (e.g. low productivity, extreme cold and short growing season). Generalist and flexible feeding strategies were evident in five common fish species. Fish fed on benthic and pelagic (or nektonic) prey and across trophic levels. Three species were clearly omnivorous, feeding on fish and their shared invertebrate prey. Dietary differences based on stomach content analysis often exceeded 70%, and overlap in dietary niches based on shared isotopic space varied from zero to 40%. Metrics of community‐wide trophic structure varied with the number and identity of species involved and on the dietary overlap and niche size of individual fishes. Accumulation of energy from shared carbon sources by Arctic fishes creates redundancy in food webs, increasing likely resistance to perturbations or stochastic events. Therefore, the generalist and omnivorous feeding strategies employed by ACP fish may maintain energy flow and food web stability in extreme environments.     

黄河口水域主要鱼种的时空生态位宽度和重叠

生态位在研究群落结构、种间关系和生物多样性等方面具有重要作用。为深入了解黄河口水域鱼类群落结构和种间关系,本研究根据2013—2014年在黄河口水域进行的7个航次的渔业资源底拖网调查数据,应用平均拥挤度、生态位宽度和生态位重叠值等指数研究了该水域12种鱼类的时空生态位宽度和重叠特征。结果表明,黄河口水域主要鱼种时间生态位宽度变化范围为0～1.53,其中矛尾虾虎鱼(Chaemrichthys stigmatias)和方氏云鳚(Enedrias fangi)时间生态位宽度值较高,安氏新银鱼(Neosalanx anderssoni)和鮻(Liza haematocheila)较低。主要鱼种空间生态位宽度具有明显季节变化。所有鱼种间的平均空间生态位重叠值也有着明显的季节差异。生态位宽度和重叠值与各鱼种数量、分布、生态习性和生境状况密切相关,反映了该海域不同鱼种对生境资源的不同利用能力。     

Quantifying trophic interactions and niche sizes of juvenile fishes in an invaded riverine cyprinid fish community

Quantifying feeding interactions between nonindigenous and indigenous fishes in invaded fish communities is important for determining how introduced species integrate into native food webs. Here, the trophic interactions of invasive 0+ European barbel Barbus barbus (L.) and the three other principal 0+ fishes in the community, Squalius cephalus (L.), Leuciscus leuciscus (L.) and Phoxinus phoxinus (L.), were investigated in the River Teme, a River Severn tributary in Western England. B. barbus has been present in the River Teme for approximately 40 years. Analyses of stomach contents from samples collected from three sites between June and September 2015 revealed that, overall, fishes displayed a generalist feeding strategy, with most prey having low frequency of selection. Relationships of diet composition versus body length and gape height were species‐specific, with increasing dietary specialisms apparent as the 0+ fishes increased in length and gape height. The trophic niche size of invasive B. barbus was always significantly smaller than S. cephalus and L. leuciscus and was significantly smaller than P. phoxinus at two sites. This was primarily due to differences in the functional morphology of the fishes; 0+ B. barbus were generally restricted to foraging on the benthos, whereas the other fishes were able to forage on prey present throughout the water column. Nevertheless, the invasive B. barbus were exploiting very similar prey items to populations in their native range, suggesting these invaders were strongly pre‐adapted to the River Teme and this arguably facilitated their establishment and invasion.     

Fish feeding in changing habitats: effects of invasive macrophyte control and habitat complexity

Abstract –  Many freshwater lakes have been invaded by non-native aquatic plants. Although managing the invasions is necessary to restore native macrophytes, little is known about the effects of invasive macrophyte eradication on fish foraging. This study was designed to determine whether fish feeding was affected by large-scale changes in plant composition after selective control of invasive Eurasian watermilfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum , and whether feeding was correlated with habitat complexity or abundance of invasive plants on a smaller scale. Popnets were used to collect plants, invertebrates and fishes in the littoral zone of four Minnesota lakes twice a year for 4 years. The degree of stomach fullness in fishes was not correlated with the proportion of invasive plants or habitat complexity. Bluegills, the most abundant fish species, exhibited high selectivity for Diptera and their preferences varied little in different plant habitats. Changes in niche width of bluegills were not consistent with invasive plant control. Overall, invasive macrophyte control with timely restoration of the native plant community did not affect the characteristics of fish feeding we investigated. This study also contributes to our understanding of fish–macroinvertebrate interactions as a function of habitat complexity.     

When alien catfish meet—Resource overlap between the North American Ictalurus punctatus and immature European Silurus glanis in the Arno River (Italy)

Due to the increasing globalisation and ongoing introduction of alien species specifically regarding European freshwater ecosystems, native and already present alien species will be confronted with competitors with unknown outcomes. One such case is the situation of the European catfish Silurus glanis introduced in the Arno River (Central Italy), a species sought after by anglers, which is facing competition from the later introduced alien North American channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Large catfish species are highly valued among anglers, but their interspecific interactions and potential ecosystem-level impacts are still poorly known. We used stomach contents and stable isotope analyses to study niche partitioning between these two alien catfish species, coexisting in the Arno River. The results suggest partial niche segregation, with immature S. glanis showing a narrower dietary and isotopic niche and a slightly higher trophic position than I. punctatus. Monitoring the catfish population sizes, trophic niches and effects on lower trophic levels are essential for future management and mitigation of their potential impacts on invaded freshwater ecosystems.     

Spatial niche variability for young Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (S. trutta) in heterogeneous streams

Abstract– Habitat is important in determining stream carrying capacity and population density in young Atlantic salmon and brown trout. We review stream habitat selection studies and relate results to variable and interacting abiotic and biotic factors. The importance of spatial and temporal scales are often overlooked. Different physical variables may influence fish position choice at different spatial scales. Temporally variable water flows and temperatures are pervasive environmental factors in streams that affect behavior and habitat selection. The more frequently measured abiotic variables are water depth, water velocity (or stream gradient), substrate particle size, and cover. Summer daytime, feeding habitats of Atlantic salmon are size structured. Larger parr (>7 cm) have a wider spatial niche than small parr. Selected snout water velocities are consistently low (3–25 cm. s^?1). Mean (or surface) water velocities are in the preferred range of 30–50 cm. s^?1, and usually in combination with coarse substratum (16–256 mm). However, salmon parr demonstrate flexibility with respect to preferred water velocity, depending on fish size, intra- and interspecific competition, and predation risk. Water depth is less important, except in small streams. In large rivers and lakes a variety of water depths are used by salmon parr. Summer daytime, feeding habitat of brown trout is also characterized by a narrow selection of low snout water velocities. Habitat use is size-structured, which appears to be mainly a result of intraspecific competition. The small trout parr (<7 cm) are abundant in the shallow swift stream areas (<20–30 cm depths, 10–50 cm. s^?1 water velocities) with cobble substrates. The larger trout have increasingly strong preferences for deep-slow stream areas, in particular pools. Water depth is considered the most important habitat variable for brown trout. Spatial niche overlap is considerable where the two species are sympatric, although young Atlantic salmon tend to be distributed more in the faster flowing and shallow habitats compared with trout. Habitat use by salmon is restricted through interspecific competition with the more aggressive brown trout (interactive segregation). However, subtle innate differences in behavior at an early stage also indicate selective segregation. Seasonal changes in habitat use related to water temperatures occur in both species. In winter, they have a stronger preference for cover and shelter, and may seek shelter in the streambed and/or deeper water. At low temperatures (higher latitudes), there are also marked shifts in habitat use during day and night as the fish become nocturnal. Passive sheltering in the substrate or aggregating in deep-slow stream areas is the typical daytime behavior. While active at night, the fish move to more exposed holding positions primarily on but also above the substrate. Diurnal changes in habitat use take place also in summer; brown trout may utilize a wider spatial niche at night with more fish occupying the shallow-slow stream areas. Brown trout and young Atlantic salmon also exhibit a flexible response to variability in streamflows, wherein habitat selection may change considerably. Important topics in need of further research include: influence of spatial measurement scale, effects of temporal and spatial variability in habitat conditions on habitat selection, effects of interactive competition and trophic interactions (predation risk) on habitat selection, influence of extreme natural events on habitat selection use or suitability (floods, ice formation and jams, droughts), and individual variation in habitat use or behavior.     

Trophic overlap between non‐native brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) and native shortfin eel (Anguilla australis) in shallow lakes

We quantified trophic overlap between the invasive, non‐native catfish brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) and the New Zealand native shortfin eel (Anguilla australis) in four peat and riverine lakes using stable isotope (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) and gut content analyses. Across all lakes and fish sizes over the austral spring–summer period, shortfin eel guts were dominated numerically by fish prey (57% occurrence cf 42% in brown bullhead), while Diptera larvae were most commonly encountered in guts of brown bullhead (45% cf 14% in eels). Significant differences in % composition of animal contents in guts were detected between fish species and sampling occasions (n = 4) but not between lakes. In contrast, stable isotope signatures of brown bullhead and shortfin eel did differ significantly between lakes but not between sampling occasions, indicating enduring sources of nutrition despite apparently differing ingestion patterns over time. The R mixing model MixSIAR indicated that shortfins likely assimilated higher proportions of fish prey carbon compared to brown bullheads, which appeared to show greater assimilation of invertebrates, consistent with the results of gut content analyses. Isotopic niche regions, calculated in nicheROVER using probabilistic ellipses, indicated that shortfin eels occupied at least c.60% of brown bullhead trophic niche, which occupied less than 30% of eel trophic niche in all but one lake. These estimates suggest that brown bullhead has higher potential to influence shortfin eel nutrition than vice versa, or that a broad trophic niche occupied by eels provides resilience to the effects of overlapping consumption patterns with invasive omnivores.     

Trophic ecology of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) in subarctic lakes

In subarctic lake systems, fish species like brown trout are often important predators, and their niche performance is a key characteristic for understanding trophic interactions and food web functioning at upper trophic levels. Here, we studied summer habitat use and stomach contents of brown trout under both allopatric and sympatric conditions in six subarctic lakes to reveal its trophic role, and population‐ and individual‐level niche plasticity. In allopatry, brown trout mainly used the littoral habitat, but also less commonly used the pelagic zone. In sympatry with stickleback, there was always a considerable habitat overlap between the two species. In contrast, sympatric populations of brown trout and Arctic charr generally revealed a distinct habitat segregation. In the sympatric systems, in general, there was a distinct resource partitioning between the trout and charr, whereas the observed diet overlap between trout and stickleback was much larger. Trout modified their individual dietary specialisation between the littoral and pelagic zone, always being lower in the pelagic. Piscivorous behaviour of trout was only found in sympatric systems, possibly contributing to a competitive advantage of trout over charr and stickleback. Hence, the trophic level of trout was strongly related to the fish community composition, with a higher trophic level in sympatric systems where piscivorous behaviour was frequent. These changes in the trophic level of trout linked with the observed food resource partitioning might be an important mechanism in the ecosystem functioning of subarctic lakes to allow coexistence among sympatric‐living fish species.     

Disentangling the trophic interactions between American bullfrogs and native anurans: Complications resulting from post‐metamorphic ontogenetic niche shifts

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Longer food chains and crowded niche space: effects of multiple invaders on desert stream food web structure

Tributaries of the Colorado River Basin, historically home to a complex of endemic omnivores collectively referred to as the ‘three species’; flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), bluehead sucker (C. discobolus) and roundtail chub (Gila robusta), have experienced the establishment of numerous non‐native fish species. In this study, we examine the impacts of the trophic ecology of non‐native fishes on the ‘three species’ in the San Rafael River, Utah, USA. We employ a suite of abundance comparisons, stable isotope techniques and size‐at‐age back‐calculation analyses to compare food web structure and growth rates of the ‘three species’ in study areas with and without established populations of non‐native species. We found that the ‘three species’ are more abundant in areas with few non‐native fishes present, regardless of habitat complexity. Stable isotope analyses indicate non‐native fishes lengthen the food chain by 0.5 trophic positions. Further, the trophic niche spaces of the native fishes shift and are narrower in the presence of non‐native fishes, as several non‐native species’ trophic niche spaces overlap almost entirely with each of the ‘three species’ (bluehead sucker and flannelmouth sucker 100%, roundtail chub 98.5%) indicating strong potential for competition. However, the ‘three species’ demonstrated no evidence of reduced growth in the presence of these non‐native fishes. Collectively, these results suggest that while non‐native fishes alter the food web structure presenting novel sources of predation and competition, mechanisms other than competition are controlling the size‐structure of ‘three species’ populations in the San Rafael River.     

莱州湾4种大型甲壳类的空间与营养生态位

根据2010—2019年夏季莱州湾底拖网调查数据,研究了4种大型甲壳类(中国明对虾、三疣梭子蟹、日本蟳和口虾蛄)的优势度、种间联结、空间生态位特征,并应用碳氮稳定同位素数据分析了4种大型甲壳类的营养级、营养生态位与摄食来源。结果显示,口虾蛄、日本蟳是目前莱州湾夏季甲壳类最主要的优势种,放流种类中国明对虾、三疣梭子蟹为群落的重要种;4种大型甲壳类的种间联结性不强,显著正联结主要出现于中国明对虾与其他三者之间;日本蟳空间生态位宽度最高(2.45),口虾蛄(2.13)次之,中国明对虾(1.92)和三疣梭子蟹(1.93)较低;生态位重叠较高主要发生于中国明对虾与其他3种之间;4种大型甲壳类营养级相近(3.02～3.28),中国明对虾生态位总面积最大,三疣梭子蟹与日本蟳、口虾蛄的生态位总面积相近,三疣梭子蟹和日本蟳的营养生态位重叠较高;摄食来源分析表明,中国明对虾摄食双壳类比例更高,其他3种摄食来源同质化程度较高。目前莱州湾三疣梭子蟹和中国明对虾的优势度低于口虾蛄和日本蟳,表明增殖放流虽然扩大了三疣梭子蟹和中国明对虾的种群规模,但尚未较大程度改变甲壳类群落结构。综合4种甲壳类的群落地位、种间联结性、空间生态位宽度与重叠、营养级与营养生态位以及摄食来源的研究结果,中国明对虾与其他三者竞争相对较小,而三疣梭子蟹与日本蟳、口虾蛄竞争较大。为最大程度发挥增殖效益,建议在确定放流地点和放流数量时,应着重考虑相近生态位物种对放流物种的竞争和限制。