Trophic niche segregation among native whitefish and invasive vendace in a north Norwegian lake system

Introductions and invasions of non-native species alter nutrient cycling and trophic dynamics resulting in significant ecological disturbance. Stable isotope data were used to test for evidence of invader-induced trophic niche differences in a north Norwegian lake system differentially dominated by native European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) morphotypes and invasive vendace (Coregonus albula). Aspects of both realised trophic niche position and trophic niche width were affected by the invader, with the effects varying by whitefish morphotype. Densely rakered pelagic whitefish demonstrated a relatively lower reliance on pelagic resources in the presence of the invader and the isotopic niche size was relatively larger in conjunction with the broadening of the prey base. Within the benthic-dwelling sparsely rakered whitefish morphotype, the trophic impacts of invading vendace were size-dependent, with larger individuals experiencing niche compression. Smaller sparsely rakered whitefish increased, contrary to our hypothesis, reliance on pelagic-based energy in the face of invasion. Our findings demonstrate that the trophic ecology of invaded systems can differ in multiple and subtle ways that have consequences for community- and ecosystem-level energy flows, which if persisting over time are likely to have implications for the recruitment, growth and reproductive rate of the native fishes.     

Trophic fingerprint of fish communities in subtropical floodplain lakes

Stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ¹⁵N) and gut content analysis are commonly used to detect trophic relationships in aquatic systems. Nonetheless, the use of δ¹⁵N in determining the suitability of quantitative and qualitative dietary data as representations of trophic relationships in lake ecosystems remains unverified. Quantitative and qualitative dietary data on 46 fish species were obtained from field surveys in the floodplain lakes of the Yangtze Plain to calculate trophic position and benthivory. Dietary measures using the stable isotope approach were validated. The dietary approach yields comparable results in detecting trophic relationships in lake ecosystems. Our estimation of the benthivory of the 46 fish species ranged from 1.5% to 100%, with an average of 60.3%. These figures support the assumption that benthic energy pathways account for more than half of total fish consumption. Our feeding guild data confirm that more than 50% (including 25 species) of the studied fish species in the floodplain lakes of the Yangtze Plain are omnivorous, suggesting that omnivory is prevalent among subtropical floodplain lakes.     

Diet and trophic niche overlap of native and nonnative fishes in the Gila River,USA: implications for native fish conservation

Pilger TJ, Gido KB, Propst DL. Diet and trophic niche overlap of native and nonnative fishes in the Gila River, USA: implications for native fish conservation. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 300–321. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract –  The upper Gila River basin is one of the few unimpounded drainage basins west of the Continental Divide, and as such is a stronghold for endemic fishes in the region. Nevertheless, multiple nonindigenous fishes potentially threaten the persistence of native fishes, and little is known of the trophic ecology of either native or nonnative fishes in this system. Gut contents and stable isotopes (¹³C and ¹⁵N) were used to identify trophic relationships, trophic niche overlap and evaluate potential interactions among native and nonnative fishes. Both native and nonnative fishes fed across multiple trophic levels. In general, adult native suckers had lower ¹⁵N signatures and consumed more algae and detritus than smaller native fish, including juvenile suckers. Adult nonnative smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) and two species of trout preyed on small‐bodied fishes and predaceous aquatic invertebrates leading to significantly higher trophic positions than small and large‐bodied native fishes. Thus, the presence of these nonnative fishes extended community food‐chain lengths by foraging at higher trophic levels. Although predation on juvenile native fishes might threaten persistence of native fishes, the high degree of omnivory suggests that impacts of nonnative predators may be lessened and dependent on environmental variability.     

舟山群岛海域5种鳗的营养生态位及种间关系

海鳗等鳗鲡目鱼类是舟山群岛海域常见的近底层凶猛肉食性鱼类,研究鳗类的营养生态位可以了解其在舟山群岛海域生态系统中占据的营养层次。本研究以舟山群岛海域的海鳗（Muraenesox cinereus）、前肛鳗（Dysomma anguillare）、星康吉鳗（Conger myriaster）、食蟹豆齿鳗（Pisodonophis cancrivorus）和短尾吻鳗（Rhynchoconger ectenurus）为研究对象,利用碳氮稳定同位素技术分析这5种鳗的营养生态位及种间食物关系。结果显示：（1）舟山群岛海域5种鳗的δ13C范围是-21.91‰~-14.97‰（平均值-17.03±1.14‰）,δ15N范围为9.56‰~15.13‰（平均值11.50±1.36‰）;（2）非参数检验结果表明,不同物种间的碳氮稳定同位素比值之间均存在极显著差异;Pearson相关性分析表明,5种鳗总体的δ13C、δ15N值与肛长相关性均不显著,而除前肛鳗以外,其余4种鳗总体的δ13C值与肛长相关性不显著,δ15N值与肛长呈极显著正相关;（3）稳定同位素混合模型（SIAR）显示鱼类、虾类和口足类是鳗类的主要食物来源;（4）海鳗与其他4种鳗的营养生态位均有重叠,说明它们之间的食源有一定程度的同质化,存在食物竞争;食蟹豆齿鳗和短尾吻鳗的校正核心生态位面积（SEAc）最大,说明二者食性泛化,其摄食类群主要取决于饵料生物的易得性;前肛鳗、星康吉鳗和短尾吻鳗之间不存在生态位重叠,说明其摄食种类有所分化,体现了同域分布近缘种的食性差异。本研究阐述了舟山群岛海域5种鳗的种间食物关系和进化共存机制,可为研究舟山群岛海域高营养级类群的食物网结构特征提供参考。     

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.     

Changes in native bull trout and non‐native brook trout distributions in the upper Powder River basin after 20 years,relationships to water temperature and implications of climate change

Many bull trout populations have declined from non‐native brook trout introductions, habitat changes (e.g. water temperature) and other factors. We systematically sampled the distribution of bull trout and brook trout in the upper Powder River basin in Oregon in the 1990s and resampled it in 2013–2015, examined temperature differences in the habitats of the two species and analysed trends in temperatures in the light of possible increases associated with climate change. The species’ distributions are currently similar to those in the 1990s, except in one stream where bull trout declined. However, bull trout consisting of resident forms remain restricted to a few kilometres of habitat at the upper end of fish distribution. In streams where both species occur, the typical pattern was an intermediate zone of mixed bull trout, brook trout, and hybrids downstream of allopatric bull trout and allopatric brook trout extending farther downstream. Temperature differences between where bull trout and most brook trout occurred were small (0.5–1.0°C August mean). There were no statistical increases in water temperatures in nearby streams since the 1990s and no warming trends in air temperatures for the past 25–60 years. However, peak summer water temperatures are occurring about 3 weeks earlier than 25 years ago. Future effects of climate change, including possible increases in temperature, changes in timing and other factors (e.g. snowpack, flow and extreme events) remain a concern for the persistence of these populations. However, it is difficult to precisely predict where those changes will occur and what they will be.     

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.

     

莱州湾芙蓉岛人工鱼礁区大型底栖动物的营养结构特征

人工鱼礁建设是改善底栖生境、提高底栖动物多样性和资源丰度的重要措施之一,其建设效果与投放时间长短密切相关。为了探究投礁时长对大型底栖动物营养关系的影响,实验应用稳定同位素技术对比分析了莱州湾芙蓉岛海域不同礁龄人工鱼礁区和对照区大型底栖动物及其食源的碳、氮稳定同位素组成,计算了不同区域大型底栖动物的食物基础以及消费者的营养级。结果显示：①长礁龄区、短礁龄区和对照区的大型底栖动物δ¹³C值分别为−25.08‰~−13.34‰、−25.86‰~−17.80‰和−25.39‰~−11.06‰;δ¹⁵N值分别为10.73‰~15.78‰、10.02‰~14.89‰和10.17‰~15.80‰。②相较于短礁龄区和对照区,长礁龄区底栖动物群落营养多样性更高,食物来源多样性水平更高,群落内营养生态位更加多样化,群落结构稳定性较好。③以食性为依据,将大型底栖动物分为浮游生物食者 (Pl)、肉食者 (C)、碎屑食者 (D)和杂食者 (O)等4类摄食功能群,在4类潜在食源 [浮游植物、浮游动物、水体悬浮颗粒有机物 (POM)和沉积物有机物 (SOM)]中,浮游植物碳源对除肉食者外的3类消费者的平均贡献率最高 (31.40%)。④长礁龄区、短礁龄区和对照区的消费者营养级分别为2.00~3.83、2.00~3.49和2.00~3.87;此外在长礁龄区出现了相对多的高营养级捕食者,从而证实长礁龄区的底栖动物群落具有更复杂的营养结构。同时发现,人工鱼礁建设能使大型底栖动物更充分地利用浮游植物碳源,并且能够增加底栖动物群落的营养多样性和丰富度,促进群落中较高营养级动物的增加。本研究结果有助于了解人工鱼礁建设的环境生态效应,为进一步研究底栖生境食物网的物质循环和能量流动提供了基础资料。     

Trophic interactions between introduced lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and native Arctic charr (S. alpinus) in a large Fennoscandian subarctic lake

Introduced fishes may have major impacts on community structure and ecosystem function due to competitive and predatory interactions with native species. For example, introduced lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) has been shown to replace native salmonids and induce major trophic cascades in some North American lakes, but few studies have investigated trophic interactions between lake trout and closely related native Arctic charr (S. alpinus) outside the natural distribution of the former species. We used stomach content and stable isotope analyses to investigate trophic interactions between introduced lake trout and native Arctic charr in large subarctic Lake Inarijärvi in northern Finland. Both salmonids had predominantly piscivorous diets at >280 mm total length and were mainly caught from the deep profundal zone. However, lake trout had a more generalist diet and showed higher reliance on littoral prey fish than Arctic charr, whose diet consisted mainly of pelagic planktivorous coregonids. According to length at age and condition data, lake trout showed slightly faster growth but lower condition than Arctic charr. The results indicate that introduced lake trout may to some extent compete with and prey upon native Arctic charr, but currently have only a minor if any impact on native fishes and food web structure in Inarijärvi. Future monitoring is essential to observe potential changes in trophic interactions between lake trout and Arctic charr in Inarijärvi, as well as in other European lakes where the two salmonids currently coexist.     

Predation relationships between introduced salmonids and the native fish fauna in lakes and reservoirs in northern Patagonia

Abstract– A few native and exotic fish species are caught frequently in Andean lakes and reservoirs of northwestern Patagonia. Puyen ( Galaxias maculatus ) prey on zooplankton and benthos. Percichthys trucha has a wide range of prey, mainly benthos, while P. colhuapiensis become piscivorous when grown. Pejerrey ( Odonthestes hatcheri ) is omnivorous and large size individuals can be piscivorous. A siluroid, Diplomystes viedmensis , preys on benthos, insects, and fishes. Introduced salmonids are potential piscivorous. The puyen is the major prey category among fishes. Salmonids and perchichtids seem to partially overlap their diets but predation on Diplomystes appears to be restricted to salmonids. Present abundance of puyen, pejerrey and Percichthys spp. does not indicate a strong salmonid effect. However, the low abundance of D. viedmensis does. We studied present predation relationships among native and introduced fishes and postulated possible effects upon native fish fauna.     

老虎潭水库鱼类群落结构特征、营养等级及鲢、鳙生长特性研究

研究老虎潭水库鱼类资源现状、群落结构特征、营养级及主要鱼类生长特性,为水质生物调控提供基础资料。2015年2月、5月、8月和11月利用漂流混合刺网、笼壶(地笼网)和抛撒抄网采集鱼类样本,对水库鱼类资源进行了系统调查。共发现鱼类35种,隶属于4目9科。其中,鲤形目28种,占总数的80%;鲇形目和鲈形目各3种,分别占总数的8.6%;合鳃目1种,占总数的2.8%;优势种有6种,分别为鳙、鲢、翘嘴鲌、鲫、黄尾鲴和伍氏半。鲢的全长、体重生长方程分别为:L_t=110.533[1-e~(-0.386(t+0.227))]、W_t=25.138[1-e~(-0.265(t+0.136))]~(3.118),鳙的全长、体重生长方程分别为:L_t=93.042[1-e~(-0.415(t+0.223))]、W_t=12.257[1-e~(-0.415(t+0.223))]~(2.756)。老虎潭水库鲢、鳙体重增长速度以1~3龄较高,3龄以后逐渐降低,鲢、鳙体重生长拐点分别为2.721龄和2.223龄。为最大程度发挥鲢、鳙洁水保水功效,建议起捕年龄均为3龄。碳、氮稳定同位素分析结果显示:老虎潭水库2种食物源的δ~(13)C值跨度范围为-28.99‰~-24.32‰、δ~(15)N值跨度范围为5.06‰~8.19‰,浮游植物的δ~(13)C、δ~(15)N值均大于有机碎屑。26种消费者δ~(13)C值跨度范围为-27.07‰~-20.42‰,平均(-24.76±1.54)‰;δ~(15)N变化范围为8.93‰~14.88‰,平均(12.03±1.47)‰。营养级分析结果显示,26种消费者的营养级从2.18到3.61,分属于2个营养级,且与其食性特征有较好的一致性。     

运用稳定同位素技术研究长江口及南黄海水域春季拖网渔获物的营养级

利用氮稳定同位素示踪技术,对2005年4-5月长江口及南黄海毗邻水域拖网渔获物的营养级进行了研究。结果表明,长江口海域主要生物资源种类的营养级处于3.19～5.11,集中在3.70～4.65;南黄海海域主要生物资源种类的营养级处于2.46～4.88,集中在3.90～4.40。基于系统基线生物稳定同位素比值的影响,相对南黄海,长江口海域55%生物的相对营养级增加,增加幅度为0.01～0.63,集中在0.01～0.06,其生物数量占了总生物数量的30%;40%生物的相对营养级减少的,减少幅度为0.02～0.74,集中在0～0.21,其生物数量占总生物数量的30%;以上结果接近用胃含物分析法得到的生物营养级空间变幅绝对值。将营养级的胃含物分析结果与氮稳定同位素计算结果相比,长江口9种鱼类2种方法计算结果变幅绝对值为0.01～1.21;南黄海11种鱼类2种方法计算结果变幅绝对值为0.08～1.26;两海域的计算结果变幅绝对值差异较小。结论认为,两海域生物资源种类的营养级存在空间差异,随生物种类差异有所不同;稳定同位素法与胃含物分析法的计算结果差异较小。     

应用氮稳定同位素技术研究辽东湾海域主要渔业生物的营养级

应用氮稳定同位素技术分析了2010年6月和8月辽东湾海域主要渔业生物的氮稳定同位素比值,研究了28种鱼类和26种无脊椎动物的营养位置。结果表明,辽东湾海域主要渔业生物的营养级处于2.98～4.84,集中在3.70～4.56;相比6月δ15N值的分析结果,8月有50%的鱼类δ15N值增加,孔鳐(Raja porosa)增幅最大,增加了1.06‰;9种鱼类δ15N值减少,鯒(Platycephalus indicus)减幅最大,减少了1.84‰,可见鱼类样品的δ15N值随季节的变化因种类而各异;8月有87.5%的无脊椎动物δ15N值减少,其中,减少幅度大于1‰的有6种,占37.5%,可见无脊椎动物的δ15N值随季节的变化较明显。通过对不同采样点同种生物δ15N值的比较发现,辽东湾近岸海域的10种无脊椎动物的δ15N值均高于远岸海域,差值范围为0.05‰～1.49‰,差异极显著(P<0.01),说明人类活动引起的陆源污水排放使近岸海洋生物的δ15N值升高。     

基于碳氮稳定同位素的太湖鱼类营养生态位研究

为探究太湖鱼类的营养生态位特征，于2019~2020年开展了太湖鱼类的碳氮稳定同位素调查，分析了鱼类营养生态位大小、生态位重叠度及营养级。研究结果表明，鱼类δ13C值范围为-27.67‰~-17.92‰，δ15N值范围为6.02‰~20.31‰。营养生态位大小（SEAc值）范围为0.14‰2~20.43‰2，其中黄颡鱼的生态位最大，光泽黄颡鱼的生态位最小。短颌鲚、陈氏短吻银鱼和鲢的SEAc值均较小，表明他们利用的食物源和生境范围较窄，鳙的SEAc值较大，表明其利用的食物源和生境范围较广。鱼类的营养生态位重叠度为0~70.6%。大银鱼与翘嘴鲌的生态位重叠度最大（70.6%），其次为鲈与翘嘴鲌（39.9%），其余物种间的生态位重叠度范围为0~38.9%。短颌鲚与其他肉食性鱼类的生态位重叠度较小，表明他们之间的食物资源竞争较弱。陈氏短吻银鱼与鲢、鳙在生态位上存在明显的分离，这与陈氏短吻银鱼专食浮游动物有关。鱼类营养级范围为0.73~3.62，鮠一种的营养级最高，泥鳅的营养级最低。分析表明，鱼类营养生态位的大小与其摄食的食物种类以及对不同生境的利用程度有关；大部分鱼类间生态位重叠度较低，表明鱼类在资源利用上存在较大分离。本研究结果也为太湖鱼类食物网分析及渔业资源管理提供了基础数据。     

Evaluating relationships between native fishes and habitat in streams affected by oil and natural gas development

Oil and natural gas (ONG) development can affect aquatic ecosystems through water contamination, water withdrawals and disturbance of soil and vegetation (surface disturbance) from infrastructure development. Research on how these potential sources of watershed and aquatic ecosystem impairment can affect fish assemblages is limited. Fish–habitat relationships were evaluated across stream sites experiencing differing levels of ONG development. Colorado River cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus (Cope), and mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdii Girard, presence and abundance were associated with habitat conditions predominantly found in the less disturbed streams, such as higher proportion of shrub cover, greater stream depths and gravel substrate. Mountain sucker, Catostomus platyrhynchus (Cope), appeared to be a habitat generalist and was able to persist in a wide range of conditions, including degraded sites. Natural resource managers can use habitat preferences of these fish species to establish the development plans that mitigate negative effects of ONG development by protecting the aquatic habitats they rely upon.     

Population differentiation and temporal changes of carotenoid pigments and stable isotope ratios in the offspring of anadromous and non‐anadromous trout Salmo trutta

Trout (Salmo trutta) exhibit anadromous and non‐anadromous forms which are commonly sympatric. Offspring of the two forms can be separated by differences in characteristics such as stable isotope ratios and carotenoid pigments, which differ due to the influence of maternal resources. The rate of change in different characteristics due to freshwater feeding and the extent of differences between populations however remain unclear. Stable isotope (N and C) ratios and carotenoid pigment profiles were examined in the offspring of anadromous and non‐anadromous fish sampled at different times from six sites within the catchment of the River Tweed, UK. Both techniques were able to separate newly emerged fry successfully, with carbon isotopes distinguishing the forms better than nitrogen isotopes and zeaxanthin being the primary carotenoid pigment used to distinguish the offspring of different migratory forms. By 4 months, stable isotope ratios of the two forms were still distinct although both carbon and nitrogen ratios needed to be considered to distinguish the forms. Zeaxanthin levels were more variable and overlapped between the offspring of the two forms. There was significant variation between populations and over time in both isotope ratios and carotenoid composition. Comparison between the two techniques would suggest that stable isotopes are more effective for distinguishing between offspring of different forms as the distinctions are evident for longer. Population differences in isotope ratios could influence the extent to which the forms can be distinguished and need to be quantified more thoroughly to fully evaluate the technique.     

Trophic relationships and ecosystem characteristics in a newly-impounded man-made lake in Thailand

Abstract  The trophic dynamics of a newly-impounded south east Asian reservoir, Pasak Jolasid, Thailand, monitored from its creation, were constructed using ecopath , a mass-balanced model. The trophic levels (TLs) of 36 ecological groups varied between 1.0 and 3.2. The majority of fish biomass was at the second TL, where the fishery is concentrated. Some food resources (benthic organisms and zooplankton) were not fully used, whereas phytoplankton and benthic algae were important components of the food web, which is based on phytoplankton and detritus. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of ecological maturity of the ecosystem and possible fishery management of this multi-purpose reservoir.     

Dietary niche expansion and niche shift in native marble trout (Salmo marmoratus) living in sympatry with introduced rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The non‐native rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) has been introduced worldwide for angling purposes and has established self‐reproducing populations in many parts of the world. Introduced rainbow trout often have negative effects on the native salmonid species, ranging from decrease abundance, growth and survival, to their local extinction. Assessing the effects of introduced rainbow trout on the native species is thus crucial to better set up conservation programmes. In this study, we investigated the effects of non‐native rainbow trout on the diet of native marble trout (Salmo marmoratus) living in the Idrijca River (Slovenia). An impassable waterfall separates the stream in two sectors only a few hundred metres apart: a downstream sector (treatment) in which marble trout live in sympatry (MTs) with rainbow trout (RTs) and an upstream sector (control) in which marble trout live in allopatry (MTa). Specifically, we investigated using stable isotopes the effects of rainbow trout on dietary niche, diet composition, body condition, and lipid content of marble trout. We found dietary niche expansion and niche shift in marble trout living in sympatry with rainbow trout. Compared to MTa, MTs had higher piscivory rate and showed higher body condition and prereproduction lipid content. Our results indicate that the presence of rainbow trout did not have negative effects on marble trout diet and condition and that changes in dietary niche of marble trout are likely to be an adaptive response to the presence of rainbow trout, and further research is needed to better understand.     

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.     

基于稳定同位素技术的浙江南部近海主要渔业生物营养级

2016年2月和5月在浙江南部近海拖网采集到33种鱼类和18种无脊椎动物,利用稳定同位素技术测定渔业生物的稳定碳、氮同位素比值(δ~(13)C、δ~(15)N),并以此估算其营养级。研究结果表明:(1)浙江南部近海主要渔业生物同位素比值跨度范围大,δ~(13)C值范围为–19.71‰～–14.01‰(跨度5.70‰),δ15N值范围为7.05‰～13.69‰(跨度6.64‰),其中鱼类的碳、氮同位素跨度范围最大;(2)以滤食性双壳类为基线生物估算浙江南部近海鱼类平均营养级范围为2.66～4.21,甲壳类营养级范围为3.08～3.72,头足类营养级范围为2.83～3.49,腹足类营养级范围为3.54～3.62,渔业生物营养级主要处于3.0～4.0营养级,以初级和中级肉食性种类为主;(3)根据聚类和食性文献资料分析浙江南部近海主要渔业生物存在5种食性类型,包括浮游动物食性、杂食性、底栖生物食性、混合食性和游泳动物食性;(4)根据营养结构特征,浙江南部近海食物网营养结构可划分为4个营养群,初级消费者主要为杂食性种类,次级消费者主要为小型鱼类、虾类及头足类,中级消费者主要为底栖蟹类、腹足类和混合食性鱼类,高级消费者为凶猛肉食性鱼类。本研究建立了浙江南部近海主要渔业生物的连续营养谱,为生态系统的食物网能量流动和物质循环研究提供科学参考。