TY - JOUR
T1 - Food web structure and isotopic niche in a fringe macro-tidal mangrove system, Tropical Eastern Pacific
AU - Medina-Contreras, Diana
AU - Arenas-González, Fernando
AU - Cantera-Kintz, Jaime
AU - Sánchez-González, Alberto
AU - Giraldo, Alan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
PY - 2020/9/1
Y1 - 2020/9/1
N2 - Tropical mangroves are amongst the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. In order to understand the trophic dynamics of estuarine mangrove fringes in the Tropical Eastern Pacific, stable isotope data (δ13C/δ15N) of primary producers and consumers (macroinvertebrates) were analyzed using Bayesian mixing models (MixSIAR/SIBER). The mangrove food web exhibited four trophic levels, a wide consumer δ13C range (~ 10‰), consumer dependence on different carbon sources (mangroves-detritus, microphytobenthos, macroalgae, planktonic sources), and a wide consumer isotopic niche with little overlap. According to MixSiar analyses, microphytobenthos was an important resource for deposit feeders (60%), filter feeders (65%), filter feeder bivalves (76%), and carnivores (49%). This suggests that microphytobentos provide significant support to the mangrove macroinvertebrate community. Additionally, mangrove-derived carbon played a major role in sustaining herbivores (44%), while macroalgae partially sustained omnivores (33%) and carnivores (45%). Finally, planktonic sources were found to partially support omnivores (33%). Our results reinforce the hypothesis that a diversity of trophic pathways support estuarine mangrove communities, albeit with microphytobenthos being the main carbon source. These findings underline the complexity of the trophic dynamics of estuarine mangrove—food webs in one of the most biodiverse areas of the world.
AB - Tropical mangroves are amongst the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. In order to understand the trophic dynamics of estuarine mangrove fringes in the Tropical Eastern Pacific, stable isotope data (δ13C/δ15N) of primary producers and consumers (macroinvertebrates) were analyzed using Bayesian mixing models (MixSIAR/SIBER). The mangrove food web exhibited four trophic levels, a wide consumer δ13C range (~ 10‰), consumer dependence on different carbon sources (mangroves-detritus, microphytobenthos, macroalgae, planktonic sources), and a wide consumer isotopic niche with little overlap. According to MixSiar analyses, microphytobenthos was an important resource for deposit feeders (60%), filter feeders (65%), filter feeder bivalves (76%), and carnivores (49%). This suggests that microphytobentos provide significant support to the mangrove macroinvertebrate community. Additionally, mangrove-derived carbon played a major role in sustaining herbivores (44%), while macroalgae partially sustained omnivores (33%) and carnivores (45%). Finally, planktonic sources were found to partially support omnivores (33%). Our results reinforce the hypothesis that a diversity of trophic pathways support estuarine mangrove communities, albeit with microphytobenthos being the main carbon source. These findings underline the complexity of the trophic dynamics of estuarine mangrove—food webs in one of the most biodiverse areas of the world.
KW - Bayesian mixing models
KW - Colombian Pacific coast
KW - Stable isotopes
KW - Trophic pathways
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086591827&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10750-020-04295-x
DO - 10.1007/s10750-020-04295-x
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85086591827
SN - 0018-8158
VL - 847
SP - 3185
EP - 3199
JO - Hydrobiologia
JF - Hydrobiologia
IS - 15
ER -