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1.
The food and feeding habits of hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae), southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis), javelin fish (Lepi‐dorhynchus denticulatus), ling (Genypterus blacodes), smooth rattail (Coelorinchus aspercephalus), silverside (Argentina elongata), and small‐scaled notothenid (Notothenia microlepidota) sampled from the Campbell Plateau in 1979 were examined. The importance of prey items in the diet has been assessed by an ‘index of relative importance’, which combines measurements of frequency of occurrence, number, and weight of prey. Hoki, southern blue whiting, and javelin fish are pelagic feeders. Hoki preyed largely on natant decapod crustaceans, amphipods, and myctophid and photichthyid fishes. The main prey of southern blue whiting were amphipods, natant decapods, and euphausiids. Javelin fish fed on natant decapods, amphipods, and small squid. Seasonal and regional differences in feeding, and dietary changes with length of fish were evident. Ling, smooth rattail, silverside, and small‐scaled notothenid are predominantly benthic feeders. Ling preyed on natant decapods, macrourid fishes, and small hoki. The diet of rattail comprised natant decapod crustaceans, opal fishes (Hemerocoetes spp.), and poly‐chaetes. Silverside fed almost solely on salps. Salps, amphipods, brachyuran crustaceans, and opal fishes were the main prey of small‐scaled notothenid.  相似文献   

2.
Data on the food consumption, feeding activity and periodicity of two burrowing fish, the congrid eel Gnathophis mystax (Delaroche, 1809) and the false moray Chlopsis bicolor Rafinesque, 1810 are presented. In all, 455 specimens were collected by bottom trawl in the central Mediterranean Sea at depths ranging from 140 to 160 m during four 24‐h day–night sampling cycles. The diet of G. mystax and C. bicolor was investigated by means of stomach content analysis. Diet varied significantly with length and maturity stage. During ontogenetic development G. mystax occupied different trophic levels: diet shifted from amphipods, predominantly in the smaller congrid eels [<25 cm total length (TL)] to fish in the larger individuals (>30 cm TL). Before the transition to the icthyophagous phase, the congrid eel showed a more generalistic foraging behaviour where decapods (Solenocera membranacea, Parapenaeus longirostris, Alpheus glaber), cephalopods (Sepiola spp. and Alloteuthis media), benthic (Gobiidae, Callionymus maculatus, Arnoglossus laterna) and benthopelagic fish (Argentina sphyraena) dominated the diet. Smaller C. bicolor (<25 cm TL) fed primarily on amphipods and cephalopods; bigger specimens fed also on decapods both natantian (A. glaber, Processa canaliculata) and reptantian (Medorippe lanata, Goneplax rhomboides). Daily ration values, computed from the Eggers method, ranged from 2.48% to 2.99% wet body weight for C. bicolor and G. mystax, respectively. Diel patterns in stomach fullness and the trophic niche overlap between the two species were also discussed.  相似文献   

3.
Food and feeding of small fish in the Rakaia River,New Zealand   总被引：1，自引：1，他引：0  
Benthic macroinvertebrates and fish species were collected at monthly intervals during a 12‐month period, from 3 areas of the lower Rakaia River. The composition and abundance of the benthos and stomach contents of the fish were analysed for seasonal trends, food niche breadth and overlap between pairs of fish species, and overlap between the benthos and the diet of each fish species. The diets of bluegilled bully (Gobiomorphus hubbsi), upland bully (G. breviceps), juvenile longfinned eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii), Galaxias brevipinnis, G. paucispondylus, and juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) were similar to the proportions of prey species in the benthos. Deleatidium and chironomid larvae dominated the benthos in all seasons and formed the majority of food items in the diet of these species. Food niche overlap between these species was high, indicating potential competition, but preferred habitat and feeding habit differences plus low fish population density and abundance of main prey items probably eliminate the occurrence of any serious competition. The diet of the other fish species differed from this pattern. The common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) ate proportionally more chironomid larvae and fish eggs than occurred in the benthos; torrentfish (Cheimarrichthys fosteri) ate proportionally more chironomid larvae than occurred in the benthos; and quinnat salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) depended largely upon prey species of terrestial origin, such as adult Deleatidium and dipterans.  相似文献   

4.
The feeding behaviour of two potentially competing species, the longspine snipefish, Macroramphosus scolopax, and the boarfish Capros aper was examined. While both species are very abundant along the Mediterranean coast and are regularly caught by demersal trawlers, they are of no commercial value. The diets of boarfish and longspine snipefish were investigated from samples collected between January 2001 and May 2002. Variations in the diet with fish size and season, as well as diet overlap and diversity were explored. Mysid shrimps, amphipods and gastropods were the most important food items in the diet of longspine snipefish. During ontogenetic development, M. scolopax occupies different trophic levels: the diet shifts from being predominantly composed of mysids (Anchialina agilis, Lophogaster typicus, Erythrops sp., Leptomysis spp.) in the smaller longspine snipefish [<6.5 cm total length (TL)] towards decapods (Anapagurus laevis) and amphipods (Leucothoe incisa, Eusirus longipes, Hyperidea) in the larger individuals (>6.5 cm TL). Crustacean decapods and copepods were the most important prey in the stomachs of boarfish. Mysids (Lo. typicus), euphausiids and nematodes were present in the larger individuals (>8 cm TL). A more generalist diet, still containing copepods, crustacean decapods, gastropods (Limacina retroversa) and a large variety of amphipods (e.g. Phtysica marina, Stenotoe bosphorana) and mysids (e.g. A. agilis, Leptomysis spp., Erythrops sp.), dominated the diet of C. aper between 2 and 8 cm TL. Diet overlap between longspine snipefish and boarfish was very low and the differences in stomach species diversity were explained by season and fish size.  相似文献   

5.
The food choice of juvenile flounder (Platichthys flesus) and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) was studied in the northern Baltic Sea during the years 1988, 1989, 1994 and 1995. The diet included organisms from 30 species/taxa in flounder (n = 306) and 10 species/taxa in turbot (n = 41). Flounder 45 mm mainly consumed meiofauna (dominating taxon: Harpacticoida, Copepoda) and larger fish (46–101 mm) consumed macrofauna (dominating taxa: Oligochaeta, Amphipoda and Chironomidae). In terms of biomass, macrofauna dominated for all sizes of flounders, and meiofauna was important only for the smallest fish. A strong seasonal variation could be detected in the diet. In spring, macrofauna dominated for all size classes of fish (only fish > 30 mm were caught in spring), while in summer and autumn meiofauna dominated the diets for fish 45 mm in size. Juvenile turbot (22–88 mm) consumed macrofauna and small fish. Turbot 30 mm consumed mainly amphipods, while > 30 mm turbot consumed mysid shrimps, amphipods and fish.The ontogenetic shift from meio- to macrofauna-sized prey in flounders occurs at a larger fish size in the northern Baltic Sea than reported in other areas, possibly depending on the increased relative importance of meiofauna in the northern Baltic. The seasonal variation in the diet could be due to seasonally changing abundances in the zoobenthos, or for the small fish (1-group, spring), to switching from meio- to macrofauna in order to optimize their energy gain. The 0-group flounders consumed meiofauna for a long period, possibly due to a learning-process or simply due to easy availability of meiofauna. Turbot has a much larger mouth gap than flounders, thus allowing them to consume macrofauna from the beginning of their benthic life.  相似文献   

6.
Marine turtles are considered keystone consumers in tropical coastal ecosystems and their decline through overexploitation has been implicated in the deterioration of reefs and seagrass pastures in the Caribbean. In the present study, we analysed stomach contents of green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) harvested in the legal turtle fishery of the Turks and Caicos Islands (Caribbean) during 2008–2010. Small juveniles to adult‐sized turtles were sampled. Together with data from habitat surveys, we assessed diet composition and the taxonomic distinctness (and other species diversity measures) in the diets of these sympatric marine turtle species. The diet of green turtles (n = 92) consisted of a total of 47 taxa: including three species of seagrass (present in 99% of individuals), 29 species of algae and eight sponge species. Hawksbill turtles (n = 45) consumed 73 taxa and were largely spongivorous (16 species; sponges present in 100% of individuals) but also foraged on 50 species of algae (present in 73% of individuals) and three species of seagrass. Plastics were found in trace amounts in 4% of green turtle and 9% of hawksbill turtle stomach samples. We expected to find changes in diet that might reflect ontogenetic shifts from small (oceanic‐pelagic) turtles to larger (coastal‐benthic) turtles. Dietary composition (abundance and biomass), however, did not change significantly with turtle size, although average taxonomic distinctness was lower in larger green turtles. There was little overlap in prey between the two turtle species, suggesting niche separation. Taxonomic distinctness routines indicated that green turtles had the most selective diet, whereas hawksbill turtles were less selective than expected when compared with the relative frequency and biomass of diet items. We discuss these findings in relation to the likely important trophic roles that these sympatric turtle species play in reef and seagrass habitats.  相似文献   

7.
The diet of at least 28 species of mesopelagic fish from the Pacific coast of Hokkaido was examined. The dominant family was the Gonostomatidae (42%) which was represented by five species. The most abundant species wasCyclothone atraria which together with the other species of this genus preyed predominantly on copepods. Euphausiids and copepods were dominant in the diet ofGonostoma gracile. The next most abundant family was the Myctophidae (32%) which was represented by seven species. The dominant species,Stenobrachius nannochir, preyed mainly on copepods. Copepods were also the dominant food item of the other myctophids except forLampanyctus jordani which fed mainly on euphausiids. The other important family was the Bathylagidae (21%).Leuroglossus schmidti was the dominant species and its diet was more diverse with ostracods, copepods, molluscs and larvaceans being the most important food items.Bathylagus ochotensis had a similar diet. Copepods were the most important food items for all but a few species and their occurrence in the fish stomachs was related to the known vertical distribution of both predators and prey. Ostracods and euphausiids were also important prey items, the latter especially in large fish species. Molluscs and larvaceans were restricted to the two species of the family Bathylagidae.  相似文献   

8.
The spatial size distribution of grunts and snappers have previously indicated the separation of juveniles in nursery habitats from the adults on the coral reef. This implies life cycle migrations from nursery habitats (such as seagrass beds and mangroves) to the coral reef. If diet shifts are related to such migrations, then the diets of these fish must change before or around the fish size at which such migrations take place. A wide size range of juveniles of two grunt species (Haemulon sciurus and Haemulon flavolineatum) and of two snapper species (Lutjanus apodus and Ocyurus chrysurus) were caught in seagrass beds and mangroves, and their gut contents identified and quantified. Regression analysis between fish size and dietary importance of small crustaceans showed a negative relationship in all four species. Positive relations were found for H. sciurus, L. apodus and O. chrysurus between fish length and the dietary importance of decapods, and for L. apodusand O. chrysurus between fish length and prey fish importance. Critical changes in the fish diets with fish size were examined by application of a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). The CCA yielded three clusters of size-classes of fishes with similar diets, and application of a Mantel test showed that each of these clusters had significantly different diets, and that each cluster diet was significantly specialised. The size at which a fish species ‘switched’ from one cluster to another was compared with size-at-maturity data and with the typical size at which these species migrate from the nursery habitats to the coral reef. H. sciurus and H. flavolineatum may be prompted to migrate from the nursery habitats to coral reef habitats because of dietary changes, or because of the development of the gonads. For L. apodus and O. chrysurus, a dietary changeover forms a more likely explanation for nursery-to-reef migrations than does sexual maturation because these species reach maturity at sizes much larger than the maximum size of individuals found in nursery habitats. Although other factors may theoretically initiate or promote the migration patterns, the results of this study indicate that ontogenetic dietary changes may crucially influence the nursery-to-coral reef migrations of these reef fish species.  相似文献   

9.
We have compared the distribution of mesopelagic, benthopelagic and benthic fauna between two areas: one on the continental side of the Catalan Sea (cCS: northwestern Mediterranean) and one to the SW of the Balearic Islands (SWB: southwestern Mediterranean) at depths between 147 and 2266 m. Based on 88 bathyal fish and crustaceans (Decapoda and Peracarida) dominant in these communities, we compared the maximum depth of occurrence (MDO) of (upper) middle-slope species and the minimum depth of occurrence (mDO) of lower-slope dwelling species. Mid-slope fish, decapods, peracarids and, within the latter, amphipods and cumaceans had a deeper MDO in the cCS than in the SWB. Depth differences between MDO of species were significant for all taxa, except isopods. In the same way, lower slope fish and decapods had a shallower mDO in the SWB than in the cCS. Within peracarids, the dominant taxon (amphipods) also followed this trend. Depth differences in mDO of species between the areas were significant for decapods and for amphipods (not for fish, nor all peracarids nor cumaceans). In summary, most taxa showed a deeper depth distribution of middle-slope species in the cCS, and a shallower depth distribution of lower-slope dwelling species in the SWB. This suggests that the whole community, from small detritus-feeders (peracarids) to top predators (fish) have a similar response to a common signal. Much basic information on the biology and possible environmental factors affecting deep-sea species distribution is not available, so causes of the trends demonstrated here cannot be fully evaluated. In spite of these obvious limitations, we have shown that (1) mesopelagic decapods (e.g., Gennadas elegans and Sergia robusta), with a higher dependence upon primary sources of food close to the surface primary production, showed greater differences in their mDO between the areas than benthopelagic (e.g., Acanthephyra eximia, Nematocarcinus exilis) and benthic (e.g., Stereomastis sculpta, Munida tenuimana, Geryon longipes) species, and (2) fish at lower trophic levels, deduced from fractional trophic levels, showed higher differences in the MDO than fish at higher trophic levels. Trophic position of species in food webs seems the most important factor affecting the distributional differences between contrasting areas.  相似文献   

10.
Six species of skates were trawled commonly on the continental shelf off the Southern Cape during routine surveys of demersal fish between 1986 and 1990. Raja miraletus is a small skate found principally in shallow (<50 m) water that feeds mainly on small crustaceans, such as mysids and macrurans. The large Raja alba occurs over most of the continental shelf, is a piscivore throughout its life and preys heavily on flatfish, especially Cynoglossus zanzibarensis. R. cf. clavata is ubiquitous on the shelf but most abundant between 50 and 150 m deep. Feeding predominantly on crustaceans, this skate switches from carids, penaeids and mysids when small to brachyurans and small benthic fish when larger. R. pullopunctata is found over a similar depth range but attains a much larger size. It eats small mysids and macrurans when small, but brachyurans and fish become more important in the diet with increasing size of the predator. R. wallacei is most commonly taken at depths of 80–>200 m, feeds initially on small crustaceans, but switches to fish, including eels, as it grows. The small Cruriraja parcomaculata is found at the edge of the continental shelf and over the upper slope; it preys on small crustaceans, including mysids, isopods and macrurans. The distribution pattern of the skates and their prey suggest overlap in prey taken, the overlap being greatest in those species which feed on crustaceans. The large biomass of skates in the area suggests that they are an important component of the demersal faunal assemblage of the continental shelf there, and also that they may have a significant impact on the benthic fauna.  相似文献   

11.
In the late 1990s, the southeastern Bering Sea exhibited a number of anomalous conditions, including a major die-off of short-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris), a trans-equatorial migrant that constitutes a major portion of the marine bird biomass in the southeastern Bering Sea. As part of a larger study of the ecological role of the inner or structural front over the southeastern Bering Sea shelf, in 1997–1999, we collected short-tailed shearwaters to determine diet composition. In spring 1997, we found that short-tailed shearwaters were consuming predominately the euphausiid Thysanoessa raschii, a diet expected on the basis of past studies. However, in subsequent years, short-tailed shearwater diets in spring contained increasingly larger proportions of fish, in particular, sandlance (Ammodytes hexapterus), as well as other species of euphausiids (T. inermis in 1999). In summer and fall collections, short-tailed shearwater diets were more varied than in spring, and included both fish (age-0 gadids, 21–35% by weight) and a wider variety of euphausiid species (T. inermis and T. spinifera). In summer and fall, crab zoea (August 1998) and copepods (August 1999) were eaten by shearwaters collected while feeding within the inner front. Diets in 1997–1999 were broader than those found in previous studies of short-tailed shearwaters over the inner shelf and Bristol Bay, which had documented diets composed almost solely of T. raschii. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that euphausiids were less available to short-tailed shearwaters foraging over the middle and coastal domains of the southeastern Bering Sea in 1997–1999 than has previously been true. Our results are also consistent with hypothesis that the inner front can affect the availability of prey to shearwaters.  相似文献   

12.
The bearded goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus has come to replace sardine Sardinops sagax in the diets of many top predators within the marine environment off Namibia, and it is playing a key role within the region's foodweb. Previously published information on the diet of the bearded goby has been derived from small samples and has been contradictory. We investigated the gut contents of over 3 500 specimens of S. bibarbatus from two separate studies. The results indicate that the species has a fairly generalised diet, feeding mostly on benthic and pelagic animals (phytoplankton was rare), in a way that reflects ontogeny, habitat and likely prey availability. Smaller, more pelagic individuals included a substantial number of pelagic organisms in their diet and the proportion of benthic organisms increased with the size of the goby. Given the importance of this species in recycling benthic carbon through the foodweb of the northern Benguela ecosystem, there is a need to describe and quantify the benthic food environment.  相似文献   

13.
The proximate chemistry of the white muscle and liver of 18 species of demersal fish from the eastern North Pacific was studied to determine trends with depth, locomotory mode and buoyancy mechanism, foraging strategy and to elucidate energetic strategies. Data for 24 species from shallow water were taken from the literature and included for analysis of muscle water content. Benthopelagic species, primarily gadiforms, have significantly larger lipid-rich livers than benthic species. The benthopelagic species may use this lipid to add buoyancy, but it is also used as energy storage. Buoyancy mechanism was directly related to proximate composition. Fishes using gasbladders had normal muscle composition. The two species of benthopelagic fishes without gasbladders have either very high muscle lipid content (Anoplopoma fimbria) or gelatinous muscle (Alepocephalus tenobrosus) to aid in achieving neutral buoyancy. The macrourid, Albatrossia pectoralis, has a very small gasbladder and also has gelatinous muscle. Both of these benthopelagic fishes with gelatinous muscle feed on pelagic organisms. Gelatinous muscle was also found in two flatfishes that inhabit the oxygen minimum zone. For these fishes, high water content may serve to lower metabolic costs while maintaining large body size. Scavengers such as Coryphaenoides armatus and Coryphaenoides acrolepis have lipid rich livers and others such as A. fimbria and Pachycara sp. have high and variable muscle lipid content. Thus foraging mode also acts to influence proximate composition. Several depth-related trends in proximate composition were found. White muscle water content increased significantly with depth, and all four gelatinous species occurred at bathyal depths. This adds evidence in support of the hypothesis that decreasing light levels shorten reactive distances and relax the selective pressure for high locomotory capacity. In addition significant declines in liver protein content were observed, suggesting that the rates of metabolism in this organ also decline with depth. There was little evidence for food availability affecting proximate composition. There were no significant changes in either muscle or liver lipid or caloric density with depth. Total lipid stores actually increased significantly, but they were driven primarily by the abyssal scavenger C. armatus suggesting that foraging strategy rather than depth may be the most important factor determining total lipid stores.  相似文献   

14.
The senegale sole, Solea senegalensis Kaup, 1858, is a commercially valuable fish and it is beginning to be cultured in a semi-intensive way in fish farms in southern European countries. The present study was initiated to investigate the diet of S. senegalensis under semi-extensive conditions. The feeding habits of sole were studied in two earthen ponds of a fish farm in the Sado estuary. In one earthen pond, artificial fish ration was given. S. senegalensis feeds on few prey items, its diet is mainly composed of insect larvae (Chironomus salinarus) and polychaeta (Hediste diversicolor). The diet composition of this species suggests feeding specialization, by consuming mainly annelids and insect larvae and by avoiding other items, extremely abundant in the environment, such as gastropods. In the water reservoir where ration was given, some fish consumed simultaneously benthic organism together with ration. However, benthic organisms seem to be the most important component of S. senegalensis diet.  相似文献   

15.
We report on the extraordinary findings of several endemic species of North Pacific deepwater fish and squid on the continental slope of the Falkland Islands in the Southwest Atlantic, namely the giant rattail grenadier Albatrossia pectoralis (Macrouridae), pelagic eelpout Lycodapus endemoscotus (Zoarcidae) and squid Gonatopsis octopedatus (Gonatidae). These deepwater dwellers might have moved more than 15,000 km from their common species ranges with Pacific Deep Water along the western slopes of both Americas and through the Drake Passage. Our findings provide further evidence of the possible role of deepwater currents in the dispersal of bathypelagic and benthopelagic animals from one polar region to another across various climatic zones of the world ocean.  相似文献   

16.
Abstract. The waters surrounding the Pribilof Islands are an important nursery ground for juvenile walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), an important forage fish in the pelagic food web of the productive Bering Sea shelf region. The diet of juvenile pollock was studied in two consecutive years along a transect line crossing from a well‐mixed coastal domain, through a frontal region to stratified water farther offshore. Variability in stomach fullness was high and evidence for increased feeding intensity in the front was weak. Prey diversity and prey size generally increased with increasing fish size, shifting from predominantly small copepods to larger, more evasive prey items such as euphausiids, crab megalopae and fish. The diet of the fish reflected changes in the relative abundance of copepods and euphausiids in the prey fields between years. Juvenile pollock showed increased feeding rates at dusk, and stomach fullness as well as prey condition were generally lowest just before sunrise; however, the proportion of euphausiids increased in the diet of pollock caught at night, suggesting that some food was also ingested during darkness. Juvenile pollock and their euphausiid prey both vertically migrated above the thermocline at night, although each had a different daytime depth.  相似文献   

17.
Several studies in the last 20 years have revealed that morphological asymmetry in fish can be characterized as ‘antisymmetry’. Antisymmetry is a lateral dimorphism in which each population consists of individuals with well‐developed left sides (lefties) and well‐developed right sides (righties). This dimorphism influences predator–prey interactions. In some piscivorous fishes, it has been found that predators can catch more prey of the opposite morphological type to themselves (cross‐predation) than of the same morphological type (parallel‐predation). Our previous work clarified that the predominance of cross‐predation is caused by lateralized behaviors of predators and prey that correspond to their morphological antisymmetry. Moreover, based on the results of our behavioral observations, we hypothesized that parallel‐predation can predominate when predators encounter the potential prey frontally. To test this hypothesis, in the present study we investigated the relationship between lateral morphological types of anglerfish (Lophiomus setigerus) and those of the prey fishes found in their stomachs. Anglerfish attract potential prey using their first dorsal fin (illicium) as a lure, and their frontal encounters with potential prey fishes were photographed in situ and observed in an aquarium. The results of a stomach contents analysis indicated that parallel‐predation predominated in five benthopelagic prey fish species (perches and eels). By contrast, five benthic prey fishes (gobies and weevers) exhibited the predominance of cross‐predation. These results not only demonstrate the predominance of parallel‐predation in a natural fish community, but also suggest that the relationship between morphological types of predator and prey species can be reversed depending on the lifestyle of prey.  相似文献   

18.
Fulton's K condition factor was applied, for the first time, to inter‐tidal specimens of the shanny (Lipophrys pholis) and long‐spined scorpion fish (Taurulus bubalis) from two English rocky shore and two Welsh rocky shore sites during summer 2010 and winter 2011. As both species contribute to the diet of commercial species such as cod (Gadus morhua) and near‐threatened species such as the European otter (Lutra lutra), their condition may affect that of these predators. Fulton's K found that inter‐tidal Welsh fish maintained a ‘good’ condition between seasons, whereas the inter‐tidal English fish were in a poorer condition during winter. Although condition also changed amongst the sites on each coast, further studies are needed into fish morphologies, environmental parameters, prey availabilities and abundances, and fish specimen sex and maturities.  相似文献   

19.
Fish, epibenthos and macroinfauna were collected in a Zostera marina bed and nearby unvegetated sediments in the estuary of the Damariscotta River, on the mid-coast of Maine. Samples of epibenthic fauna and fish were collected at low tides both during day and night, and samples of infauna at low tides during the day. The mean density of Zostera shoots in the study area was 335 m−2. Abundance and species number of fish were greater at night than during the day and greater in eelgrass beds (Z. marina) than in unvegetated habitats. Daytime fish collections were dominated by Atlantic silversides (Medinia medinia), while juvenile winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) dominated night collections. Also Zostera-associated epifaunal abundances and number of species were significantly higher at night than during the day. Mysis stenolepis, Idotea balthica and Littorina obtusata were dominant species in the epifauna samples. Of the total of 37 invertebrate species encountered, only five occurred both in the infaunal and epifaunal samples. Nineteen different taxa were collected from the benthic core samples. The most abundant invertebrate infaunal taxa were sipunculids, the polychaete Nereis virens, and oligochaetes. Infaunal invertebrate abundances and species diversity were significantly higher in eelgrass beds than in unvegetated sediments. The abundance and number of species of benthic invertebrates were also positively correlated to seagrass biomass. Community diversity values (H′) were relatively low but fit well in the general pattern of decreasing diversity towards northern latitudes.  相似文献   

20.
The invasion of Mont-Saint-Michel Bay salt marshes (France) by a grass species (Elymus athericus) has led to important changes in vegetation cover, which is likely to modify the habitat for many invertebrates. Some of them constitute the main food items for several fish species, such as young sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus), that feed in salt marsh creeks during high tides. As a result, fish nursery functions of salt marshes could be modified by the E. athericus invasion. In order to test this hypothesis, gut contents of the two most abundant fish species (sea bass and sand goby) were compared before and after E. athericus invasion in the same salt marsh creek and using the same methodology. The accessibility and availability of the main food item, the semi-terrestrial amphipod Orchestia gammarella, were estimated and compared between invaded (dominated by E. athericus) and original areas (dominated by Atriplex portulacoides). Gut content analysis showed a significantly greater percentage of fish leaving with empty guts from E. athericus areas than from A. portulacoides areas. The sea bass diet composition study showed a major shift in the relative importance of the main food items: before E. athericus invasion, diets were dominated by the semi-terrestrial species O. gammarella, whereas after the E. athericus invasion they were dominated by a marine mysid Neomysis integer. The same trend was found for sand gobies, with a shift of the main food item from O. gammarella before invasion to the polychaete Hediste diversicolor after invasion. These trophic changes may be explained by the lower accessibility and availability of O. gammarella in invaded communities than in natural ones. The E. athericus invasion, observed throughout northern Europe, is thus likely to disturb trophic function of natural salt marshes for fish. This preliminary study of the E. athericus invasion is also an illustration that invasive species are an urgent problem in conservation biology.  相似文献   

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