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1.
Ecosystem dynamics driven by top-down controls have been well documented in rocky intertidal communities, while the effects of bottom-up influences are comparatively poorly understood. We hypothesized that large-scale signatures of the physical environment may be identifiable along the South African coastline as it is subject to two very different current systems (Benguela and Agulhas Currents) that profoundly influence primary production and thus both food type and availability. Through stable isotope analysis, we examined biogeographic patterns in multiple trophic levels at four sites along a 1400-km stretch of South African coastline and investigated the dietary role of macroalgal-derived organic carbon in rocky intertidal communities. The general positioning of trophic groups was comparable across all sites, with animals from the same trophic levels grouping together and with a δ15N fractionation of 1–2‰ between levels. The species found at all sites demonstrated east–west δ15N enrichment, presumably reflecting a biogeographic shift in nitrogen sources linked to upwelling on the west coast. Filter-feeders gave particularly clear results. Using discriminant analysis, mussels could be categorized into four geographic groups based on carbon and nitrogen signatures: east coast, southeast coast, south-west coast and west coast. Barnacles and polychaetes showed similar geographic groupings to mussels, but with shifts in actual values (1‰ depletion in δ13C and 3‰ enrichment in δ15N relative to mussels). This suggests that fractionation varies between species within a trophic level.  相似文献   

2.
The Cape gannet is endemic to the southern African coast where it currently breeds at six islands: Mercury, Ichaboe and Possession off South West Africa and Bird (Lambert's Bay), Malgas and Bird (Algoa Bay) off South Africa. Previously, breeding also occurred at Hollams Bird, Halifax and Seal (False Bay) Islands. Equivocal records for Marcus, Dassen and Dyer Islands are not accepted. Off South West Africa, gannets were breeding at Hollams Bird, Mercury and Ichaboe Islands at least as early as 1828, but they only occupied Halifax and Possession Islands sometime between that date and c. 1885, possibly as a result of displacement of gannets from Ichaboe Island during exploitation of accumulated guano deposits in the early 1840s. Gannets bred at Hollams Bird Island until at least 1938, but had ceased breeding at Halifax Island by 1928. Off South Africa the earliest records of breeding are 1648, 1687, 1755 and 1912 for Malgas, Seal (False Bay), Bird (Port Elizabeth) and Bird (Lambert's Bay) Islands respectively. Gannets have not been reported at Seal Island since the late 17th century. On the west coast of Africa the Cape gannet is a regular nonbreeding winter visitor as far north as 4°20′N 6°00′E, but west of 6°E it is rare. On the east coast of Africa it is a common winter visitor as far north as Delagoa Bay, but farther north it is rare. Within its normal range the Cape gannet seldom occurs farther off shore than 100 km; it hardly ever moves inland. Aerial censuses of Cape gannets at breeding islands in 1967, 1969, 1978, 1980 and 1981 are compared with an aerial census conducted in 1956 and other published estimates of abundance. Between 1956 and 1980 the estimated number of breeding pairs at all colonies decreased from c. 150 000 to c. 80 000 and numbers decreased at all three extant gannetries off South West Africa. These decreases are attributed to a greatly diminished food resource following the collapse of the South West African pilchard stock after the late 1960s. The number of gannets decreased at Bird (Lambert's Bay) and Malgas Islands between 1956 and the late 1960s but subsequently increased, trends that are related to performances of the Western Cape pilchard and anchovy resources respectively. At Bird Island (Algoa Bay) gannets were up to 3,5 times more abundant in the late 1970s than in 1956. Other marine resources located east of Cape Point have shown similar large increases in recent years. Rates of increase of gannets at islands off South Africa during the 1970s would have required an unrealistically high survival for the first year had other population parameters remained constant. It is possible that birds emigrated from the South West African Islands. Few gannets have been reported oiled, and conservation of the species seems to be mainly affected by greatly reduced prey availability and injudicious guano harvesting. Human exploitation of juvenile gannets off the West African coast is difficult to assess.  相似文献   

3.
Carbon and Nitrogen stable isotopes and stomach contents analyses were used to investigate an estuarine fish food web and identify the contribution of these two methods to the knowledge and understanding of the food web's structure and its functioning. The nine most abundant fish species during the warm period in the Gironde estuary (southwest France, Europe) are examined. Observation of the stomach contents reflects a variety of feeding modes between fish species that consume a diverse assortment of prey, with limited dietary overlap. Nevertheless, when regarding the whole fish community, few prey species dominate the stomach contents. Nitrogen isotope ratios indicate a high intraspecific variability inducing an interspecific covering of the signatures. However, a tendency to δ15N enrichment according to the trophic position of the species studied was observed. Fish assemblages show a trend towards enrichment of their carbon isotopic signatures from the upper estuary (−20.8 ± 1.8‰) towards the lower estuary (−18.3 ± 1.6‰). But whatever the capture zone considered, most of the individual δ13C values for each fish analysed are comprised between −22 and −16‰. Only few specimens, belonging to migratory amphihaline species, have significantly lighter values.  相似文献   

4.
Causes of variation in mobilization of mercury into Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus chicks were studied through analysis of stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen. Blood and breast feathers were collected from chicks in coastal saltpans during successive breeding seasons. Detritus samples and potential prey (macroinvertebrates) were also collected. Total mercury concentrations and stable isotope signatures were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy and isotope ratio mass spectrometry respectively. Mercury levels in Chironomidae, Corixidae and Hydrophilidae correlated with mercury levels in chick feathers. Differences of δ15N signatures between macroinvertebrate groups indicated that they belong to different trophic levels. δ15N signatures of invertebrates correlated with mercury levels in invertebrates and chicks, but not with δ15N signatures in chicks. Between-group and between-site differences of δ15N signatures and mercury levels in invertebrates suggested that they contribute differently to mercury mobilization into chicks, and their relative contribution depends on prey availability in each site. Inter-site differences in the biomagnification factor reinforced that idea. δ13C signatures in invertebrates marked a larger range of carbon sources than just detritus. Variation of water inflow regime and prey availability may cause between-group and between-site differences of δ13C signatures in prey. Discrepancies between feather and blood for δ13C signatures in Praias-Sado and Vaia suggested that temporal variation of prey availability may be the main factor affecting mercury mobilization into chicks in both those cases, since their water inflow regimes are the same. The lowest levels of δ13C signatures in Vau suggested that water inflow regime may be the main factor in this case, since no discrepancy existed in δ13C signatures between blood and feather.  相似文献   

5.
Macroalgae contribute to intertidal food webs primarily as detritus, with unclear implications for food web studies using stable isotope analysis. We examined differences in the thallus parts of two South African rhodophytes (Gelidium pristoides and Hypnea spicifera) and changes in overall δ13C, δ15N signatures and C:N ratios during degradation in both the field and laboratory. We hypothesized that both degrading macroalgal tissue and macroalgal-derived suspended particulate material (SPM) would show negligible changes in δ13C, but enriched δ15N signatures and lower C:N ratios relative to healthy plants. Only C:N laboratory ratios conformed to predictions, with both species of macroalgae showing decomposition related changes in δ13C and significant depletions in δ15N in both the field and laboratory. In the laboratory, algal tissue and SPM from each species behaved similarly (though some effects were non-significant) but with differing strengths. Gelidium pristoides δ13C increased and C:N ratios decreased over time in tissue and SPM; δ15N became depleted only in SPM. Hypnea spicifera, δ13C, δ15N and C:N ratios all decreased during degradation in both SPM and algae.  相似文献   

6.
We examined stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of 17 fish and 16 invertebrate taxa common to the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) continental shelf food web. Particular sampling emphasis was placed on Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and related prey species (e.g. shrimp, Pandalus borealis, and capelin, Mallotus villosus). We found highly significant (p < 0.0001) differences between near-shore (bays) and offshore (shelf edge) δ15N signatures for cod, ‘other fish’ (pooled) and invertebrates (pooled). In contrast, there were only minor differences in δ13C signatures of ‘other fish’ (p < 0.05) and no difference for cod and invertebrates among the two habitats. We sampled at two times of the year (January and June) and found no systematic effect of season on both δ13C and δ15N in cod, ‘other fish’ and invertebrates. We calculated isotopic fractionation factors for cod from the entire shelf (mixed diet) and for cod with diets composed mainly of capelin or shrimp. These values ranged between 2.2‰ and 3.9‰ for δ15N and −0.4‰ and 0.8‰ for δ13C and, for δ15N, may reflect diet-related differences in bioenergetic status. We discuss potential mechanisms for near-shore versus offshore enrichment of δ15N signatures, and demonstrate the implications of this spatial variation on δ15N-derived trophic position estimates.  相似文献   

7.
Talitrid amphipods are the most abundant herbivores on exposed sandy beaches. Despite their important role as trophic intermediates between macrophytes and higher levels (i.e. insect and bird) of beach food webs, very little information is available on their feeding patterns. The main aim of this study was to investigate intraspecific differences in the feeding behaviour of Talitrus saltator. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) adult females and males showed different isotope signatures and therefore relied on different sources of food; and (2) patterns of variation of isotope signatures of juveniles differed from those of adult specimens, evidencing a diet shift during the development. We used stable isotope signatures and tested for differences upon the level on the shore, times of the year and beaches experiencing similar morpho-dynamic and environmental conditions. Finally, we investigated the trophic significance of macrophyte detritus in the diet of males, females and juveniles. Results showed that adult males had a more variable diet than females and juveniles (inferred from δ13C and δ15N values). Dual-isotope graphs suggested that Sargassum muticum and Cystoseira baccata wrack could be among the main food sources for both juvenile and adult stage.  相似文献   

8.
The oxygen (δ18O) and carbon (δ13C) isotope ratios of 10 species of living Bryozoa collected from the Otago Shelf, New Zealand were analysed to assess the extent to which isotopic equilibrium (relative to inorganic equilibrium isotope fractionation) is attained during the precipitation of skeletal calcium carbonate. The data reveal that whereas eight species of Bryozoa synthesise skeletal carbonate in apparent oxygen isotope equilibrium with respect to environmental conditions, two species (Celleporina grandis and Hippomonavella flexuosa) yield δ18Ocalcite values which indicate significant disequilibrium oxygen isotope fractionation during calcification. Sufficient data are available from one species (C. grandis) to demonstrate that disequilibrium is probably related to kinetic factors associated with diffusion‐controlled transport of HCO3‐ to the site of calcite precipitation. Carbon isotope signatures indicate significant departures from inorganic isotope equilibrium in all but one bryozoan species (Hippomenella vellicata). Although greater uncertainties are associated with estimates of the isotopic composition of total dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13CSDIC), the data suggest that two factors—kinetic fractionation and incorporation of respiratory CO2—are important in controlling carbon isotope disequilibrium. Where bryozoan species exhibit evidence for disequilibrium in both oxygen and carbon isotope systems (C. grandis, H. flexuosa), it is likely that kinetic factors are primarily responsible for observed departures from carbon isotope equilibrium. In contrast, the probable explanation for those species which display evidence for carbon isotope disequilibrium only, is that skeletal carbonate is precipitated from a DIC pool modified by the incorporation of respiratory CO2. Differences between the carbon isotope composition of skeletal elements from the same species and co‐existing species living in the same community suggests that significant variations may occur in the extent to which marine DIC and respiratory CO2 are utilised during calcification. Additional studies of carbon pathways associated with calcification are required to assess the relative effects of kinetic, metabolic, and environmental factors on the carbon isotopic composition of bryozoan skeletal carbonate.  相似文献   

9.
Multiple stable isotope analyses were used to examine the trophic shifts at faunal assemblages within the invading macroalga Caulerpa racemosa in comparison to established communities of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. Sampling of macrobenthic invertebrates and their potential food sources of algal mats and seagrass meadows in Mallorca (NW Mediterranean) showed differences in species composition of faunal and primary producers among seagrass and C. racemosa. Accordingly, changes in food web structure and trophic guilds were observed, not only at species level but also at community level. The carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures of herbivores, detritivores and deposit feeders confirmed that the seagrass provided a small contribution to the macrofaunal organisms. δ13C at the P. oceanica seagrass and at the C. racemosa assemblages differed, ranging from −6.19 to −21.20‰ and −2.67 to −31.41‰, respectively. δ15N at the Caulerpa mats was lower (ranging from 2.64 to 10.45‰) than that at the seagrass meadows (3.51–12. 94‰). Significant differences in isotopic signatures and trophic level among trophic guilds at P. oceanica and C. racemosa were found. N fractionation at trophic guild level considerable differed between seagrass and macroalgae mats, especially for detritivores, deposit feeders, and herbivores. Filter feeders slightly differed with a relatively lower N signal at the seagrass and CR values at community level and at trophic guild level were higher in the C. racemosa invaded habitats indicating an increase in diversity of basal resource pools. C. racemosa did seem to broaden the niche diversity of the P. oceanica meadows it colonised at the base of the food web, may be due to the establishment of a new basal resource. The extent of the effects of invasive species on ecosystem functioning is a fundamental issue in conservation ecology. The observed changes in invertebrate and macrophytic composition, stable isotope signatures of concomitant species and consequent trophic guild and niche breadth shifts at invaded Caulerpa beds increase our understanding of the seagrass systems.  相似文献   

10.
Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope composition of a range of organisms collected from two intermittently connected floodplain pools in the Ross River estuary were analysed to assess the extent to which carbon fixed by terrestrial wetland producers is incorporated into adjacent aquatic food webs. The two pools differed in surrounding vegetation with one surrounded by mangroves and the other by the salt couch Sporobolus virginicus. At both pools, animals showed differences in δ13C, indicating differences in sources of carbon. Since δ13C values of C3 mangroves (−29.7 to −26.3‰) were very different from those of the C4 salt couch (−16.3 to −15.4‰), it was possible to determine the importance of terrestrial wetland producers by comparing isotope values of consumers between sites, in a species by species approach. Most animal species collected showed lower δ13C at the mangrove pool than at the Sporobolus pool, which indicates a greater incorporation of mangrove carbon at the mangrove pool. However, the animals’ isotopic shifts were also similar to that shown by epiphytes, and hence the differences in animal δ13C could also be a result of a dependence on these producers. The IsoSource model was useful to clarify this question, indicating that mangrove and salt marsh material was a crucial contributor to the diet of several fish and invertebrate species at both sites, indicating that carbon of terrestrial origin is incorporated in the estuarine food web.  相似文献   

11.
Cape fur seals Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus were estimated to kill some 6 000 Cape gannet Morus capensis fledglings around Malgas Island in the 2000/01 breeding season, 11 000 in 2003/04 and 10 000 in 2005/06. This amounted to about 29%, 83% and 57% of the overall production of fledglings at the island in these breeding seasons respectively. Preliminary modelling suggests this predation is not sustainable. There was a 25% reduction in the size of the colony, the second largest of only six extant Cape gannet colonies, between 2001/02 and 2005/06. There has been a large increase in predation by Cape fur seals on seabirds around southern African islands since the mid-1980s, coincidental with both an increase in the seal population, altered management of the islands and an altered distribution of prey for gannets and seals. At Malgas Island, most gannet fledglings were killed between 10:00 and 18:00, the period when most are in the water around the island, from mid-January to mid-March, the main fledging period. The Cape gannet is classified as Vulnerable.  相似文献   

12.
Individual terminal-feeding copepodite-V stage Neocalanus cristatus were collected systematically in the northern Gulf of Alaska (GOA) near 60°N from 1998 to 2004 from which the natural abundance of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes was measured. The data confirmed the existence of an isotopic cross-shelf gradient such that values low in 13C content are diagnostic of oceanic production from the GOA when measured in organisms taken from Prince William Sound (PWS). The mean 13C/12C cross-shelf gradient of 3–4 delta units was relatively strong, with generally good separation between GOA and Prince William Sound observations, whereas the mean 15N/14N gradient of ∼2 delta units was relatively weak, with frequent overlap between GOA and PWS observations. There was a seasonal 15N/14N increase in the GOA. The 13C/12C values observed in PWS were more consistent over time than those observed in the GOA. Distinctively high 13C/12C values that were similar to those typical of PWS were observed at the continental slope during three of the Mays in the 1998–2004 period. The circulation pattern associated with mesoscale eddies, when they occurred just south of the sampling line based on satellite sea-surface height anomaly data, suggested that cross-shelf flow in the offshore direction drove high slope 13C/12C values. These observations led to positing that high 13C/12C values reflect coastal carbon isotope signatures and diatom blooms. Based on samples from May 1996, the three GOA Neocalanus congeners had concordant isotopic patterns with relatively small systematic species differences confirming that the isotopic patterns observed for N. cristatus apply to other zooplankton.  相似文献   

13.
One hundred and ten carbon and nineteen strontium isotopic values of outcropping Cambrian Series 2 and Series 3 carbonate rocks in the Penglaiba section of the Keping area were analyzed. Effective isotopic data with little influence of diagenesis were used to address the global correlation. The δ13C values exhibit two major positive excursions (peaking at 3.1‰ and 3.3‰) and three major negative excursions (peaking at −3.0‰, −4.2‰ and −3.2‰). The carbon isotope excursions (peaking at −3.0‰ and −4.2‰) across the Cambrian Series 2-Series 3 boundary show good correlations with similar variations reported in Siberia, Laurentia, North China and South China. In contrast, the other three carbon isotope excursions (peaking at 3.1‰, 3.3‰ and −3.2‰) do not have a fairly good global correlation because of the lack of biostratigraphic data. With respect to the 87Sr/86Sr ratios, they show good correlation with those reported for Laurentia, and further support the global δ13C comparison. On the basis of these new data, it is showed that the combination of δ13C curves and 87Sr/86Sr variations serves as a powerful tool for correlation and subdivision of Cambrian strata in the Tarim Basin of northwest China, and provides new data for global correlation.  相似文献   

14.
There was a marked decrease in abundance of anchovy Engraulis capensis off South Africa between November 1988 and November 1990 caused by formation of poor year-classes in 1989 and 1990. The percentage of anchovy in the diet of Cape gannets Morus capensis indicated that the most marked decrease in anchovy biomass was between June and July 1989. A filament from the Benguela upwelling front was in the process of being entrained by a passing ring of Agulhas Current water at that time. The ring extracted a large volume of frontal water over a period of 2–3 months, prevented its return to the shelf region and possibly removed anchovy larvae and pre-recruits from the Benguela system. It may have played a role in depressing the 1989 anchovy year-class, and hence the 1989 recruit biomass.  相似文献   

15.
The trophic position of Calanus finmarchicus in the Trondheim Fjord in 2004 was determined through stable isotope analyses. Wild specimens were sampled monthly in the fjord and δ13C and δ15N signatures of the developmental stages from CIII to adults were measured. There were statistically significant differences in the δ13C and δ15N signatures of three identified groups: overwintered parental generation, developing new generation and new generation preparing for overwintering. C. finmarchicus individuals raised in a laboratory on a pure algal diet (Dunaliella tertiolecta and Isochrysis galbana) provided stable isotope signatures for purely herbivorous copepods. With these signatures as comparison, the trophic position of C. finmarchicus in the Trondheim Fjord in 2004 was determined as trophic level 2.4, thus indicating omnivory under natural conditions. Additionally, our data suggest that seasonal differences in the δ13C signatures of C. finmarchicus are due to the varying lipid content of the different developmental stages.  相似文献   

16.
17.
Foraging behavior and diet of breeding seabirds may be analysed simultaneously with the combined use of remote sensing devices and stable isotope analysis. Imperial shag, Phalacrocorax atriceps, breeding at Punta León colony, Argentina, were equipped with global positioning system (GPS) loggers to record foraging trips and blood samples were taken after removal of the devices in order to analyse their nitrogen and carbon stable isotope composition in whole blood and plasma. Whole blood was correlated to plasma isotopic composition for each individual (n = 35), linking diet in the short and medium term. Sexes did not differ in isotopic signatures. The maximum distance reached and the total number of dives that individuals made on two consecutive foraging trips were correlated to their plasma nitrogen isotopic signature. Individuals that went further from the colony and dived fewer times presented more positive signatures, indicative of benthic prey consumption (e.g. Raneya brasiliensis). Diet was predominantly benthic with some individuals incorporating pelagic prey (Engraulis anchoita) and even cephalopods (Octopus tehuelchus). Within breeding pairs (n = 9), different combinations of foraging and prey preferences were observed. Estimated trophic levels of these individuals were similar to those of the same species in other colonies further south along the Patagonian coast.  相似文献   

18.
生物固氮作用是一个重要的海洋新氮来源,在海洋生物地球化学循环中扮演着不可替代的角色。基于稳定同位素(15N2)示踪吸收法,是目前直接测定海洋生物固氮速率最有效的手段。其中,高效、洁净地将15N2引入海水培养体系,并准确定量培养体系底物的同位素示踪水平,是同位素示踪吸收法准确获取固氮速率的关键。本研究针对15N2同位素示踪剂引入这一关键环节进行了探讨,确认改进气泡法是将15N2引入海水培养体系的首选操作。在对培养体系造成的较小扰动的情况下,可将培养体系氮气底物的15N原子丰度提升至10%以上,相对于另一种导入同位素示踪剂的手段——预溶解海水法,改进气泡法将培养瓶中氮气底物的15N原子丰度提升了近200%。此外,改进气泡法还具有最小化痕量金属沾污、操作简便等优点。将改进气泡法结合与稳定同位素比值质谱测定结合,是准确测定水体生物固氮速率的推荐方法。  相似文献   

19.
The dietary importance of marsh vascular plants (primarilySalicornia virginica), algae and upland particulate inputs to macro-invertebrate consumers was studied in Carpinteria Salt Marsh, southern California, using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios. This marsh is predominantly a marine or hypersaline system and succulents are the most common vascular plant species. Of invertebrates collected from the vegetated marsh, tidal flats and channels, only detritivores from the vegetated marsh (Traskorchestia traskiana,Melampus olivaceus) had isotope values (δ13C=−20‰) that suggested some use ofSalicornia-derived carbon.T. traskianacultured in the laboratory on decomposingS. virginicaor blue-green micro-algal mat had distinctive isotopic signatures, reflecting the capability of this consumer to assimilate carbon and nitrogen derived from these sources. The δ13C values (generally −16‰ to −15‰) of species from tidal flats and channels (e.g.Cerithidea californica,Protothaca staminea,Mytilus galloprovincialis,Neotrypaea californiensis) were most similar to values for benthic algae and phytoplankton. Specimens ofM. galloprovincialisalong a gradient of presumed increase in marine influence had similar isotope values, suggesting little contribution to diet from upland runoff. The present results differ most noticeably from published values in the13C enrichment of suspension-feeders, suggesting the use of resuspended13C-enriched benthic microalgae in tidal channels by these consumers, and in the13C depletion and15N enrichment of plants and consumers along a portion of the marsh boundary receiving inputs of nutrient-enriched perched groundwater. In general, the isotopic composition of macro-invertebrates indicated the incorporation of algal production rather than ofS. virginicaor upland sources into the marsh food web.  相似文献   

20.
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