Determination of Trophic Transfer at a Created Intertidal Oyster (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea ariakensis</Emphasis>) Reef in the Yangtze River Estuary Using Stable Isotope Analyses |
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| Authors: | Wei-min Quan Austin T Humphries Li-yan Shi Ya-qu Chen |
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| Institution: | (1) Key and Open Laboratory of Marine and Estuarine Fishery Resource and Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 300 Jungong Road, YangPu District, Shanghai, 200090, China;(2) School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA;(3) Present address: Coastal Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | Oysters can create reefs that provide habitat for associated species resulting in elevated resident abundances, lower mortality
rates, and increased growth and survivorship compared to other estuarine habitats. However, there is a need to quantify trophic
relationships and transfer at created oyster reefs to provide a better understanding of their potential in creating suitable
nekton habitat. Stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) were conducted to examine the organic matter sources and potential energy flow pathways at a created intertidal oyster
(Crassostrea ariakensis; hereinafter, oyster) reef and adjacent salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary, China. The δ13C values of most reef-associated species (22 of 37) were intermediate between those of suspended particle organic matter (POM)
and benthic microalgae (BMI), indicating that both POM and BMI are the major organic matter sources at the created oyster
reef. The sessile and motile macrofauna colonizing the reef make up the main prey of transient nekton (e.g., spotted sea bass,
Asian paddle crab, and green mud crab), thus suggesting that the associated community was most important in supporting higher
trophic levels as opposed to the direct dietary subsidy of oysters. The created oyster reef consistently supported higher
trophic levels than the adjacent salt marsh habitat due to the dominance of secondary consumers. These results indicate that
through the provision of habitat for associated species, created oyster reefs provide suitable habitat and support a higher
average trophic level than adjacent salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary. |
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