The trophic niche of Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Testudines: Chelidae): evidence from stable isotopes

Marques, Thiago S.; Brito, Elizângela Silva de; Lara, Neliton R. F.; Beloto, Luciana M.; Valadão, Rafael Martins; Camargo, Plínio Barbosa de; Verdade, Luciano Martins

doi:10.3897/zoologia.34.e19985

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Podocnemis unifilis , Trachemys scripta , Apalone ferox ) and some species where it does (e.g. Podocnemis expansa , Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei , Chelydra serpentina , Sternotherus odoratus ; Lara et al, 2012; Aresco, Travis & MacRae, 2015; Marques et al, 2017). Diet composition of S. bealei was generally similar between sexes and among age groups.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing the diet of the endangered Beale’s eyed turtle (Sacalia bealei) using faecal content and stable isotope analyses: Implications for conservation

Sung

Liew

Chan

et al. 2021

Aquatic Conservation

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Turtles from Asia are on the brink of extinction with 53% of species considered endangered or critically endangered. Unfortunately, the ecology of many threatened species remains largely unknown. In this study, the diet of the endangered Beale’s eyed turtle (Sacalia bealei) was investigated using two methods, visual faecal content analysis and stable isotope analysis. Results from both methods indicated that S. bealei is highly reliant on riparian resources, especially fruits and terrestrial insects. Stable isotope data indicated that terrestrial resources made up around half (47–53%) of all assimilated food resources. These findings suggest that S. bealei facilitates energy flow from riparian forests to stream ecosystems. Moreover, S. bealei is likely to be a seed disperser for riparian plants. This study represents the first application of stable isotope methods to examine the diet of Asian freshwater turtles and their resource use. We stress the importance of similar studies to improve our understanding of remnant turtle populations before they disappear as a result of human activities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For stable isotope analysis, nail tips (<5 mm) were collected from the hindlimbs of individuals using pet nail clippers (Marques et al, 2017; Marchand, Poulin & Somers, 2018). All nail samples were collected starting in mid‐2016 between March and April (spring) and between August and October (summer) (Figure S1).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the diet of the endangered Beale’s eyed turtle (Sacalia bealei) using faecal content and stable isotope analyses: Implications for conservation

Sung

Liew

Chan

et al. 2021

Aquatic Conservation

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“…Published δ 15 N data 11 , 36 , 37 , 63 , 64 , published databases 65 and original data on crocodilians, turtles, lizards, and fishes were included in the analyses. In these studies, the δ 15 N data were collected specifically to evaluate trophic position, but in most cases baseline δ 15 N data were not collected (except for lizards) and/or possible differences in basal sources were not controlled, which can bias interpretation of δ 15 N data 66 , especially since organisms can switch from low to high baseline δ 15 N values or high to low δ 15 N baseline values throughout their lifespan 67 , 68 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body size predicts ontogenetic nitrogen stable-isotope (δ15N) variation, but has little relationship with trophic level in ectotherm vertebrate predators

Villamarín,

Jardine,

Bunn

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Large predators have disproportionate effects on their underlying food webs. Thus, appropriately assigning trophic positions has important conservation implications both for the predators themselves and for their prey. Large-bodied predators are often referred to as apex predators, implying that they are many trophic levels above primary producers. However, theoretical considerations predict both higher and lower trophic position with increasing body size. Nitrogen stable isotope values (δ15N) are increasingly replacing stomach contents or behavioral observations to assess trophic position and it is often assumed that ontogenetic dietary shifts result in higher trophic positions. Intraspecific studies based on δ15N values found a positive relationship between size and inferred trophic position. Here, we use datasets of predatory vertebrate ectotherms (crocodilians, turtles, lizards and fishes) to show that, although there are positive intraspecific relationships between size and δ15N values, relationships between stomach-content-based trophic level (TPdiet) and size are undetectable or negative. As there is usually no single value for 15N trophic discrimination factor (TDF) applicable to a predator species or its prey, estimates of trophic position based on δ15N in ectotherm vertebrates with large size ranges, may be inaccurate and biased. We urge a reconsideration of the sole use of δ15N values to assess trophic position and encourage the combined use of isotopes and stomach contents to assess diet and trophic level.

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“…(Newsome et al, 2007;Jackson et al, 2011). The isotopic niche is defined as the hypervolume of the isotopic space (n-dimensional), where the axes are the isotopic compositions that represent the bionomic and scenopoetic components of the niche (Newsome et al, 2007;Marques et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The isotopic niche of the macrobenthos in a major mangrove area of the southern Caribbean Sea

Sandoval

2023

Invertzool

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Trophic organization of the mangrove macrobenthos communities is poorly known. Using nitrogen (δ 15 N) and carbon (δ 13 C) stable isotope analysis, and Bayesian models, this paper assesses the isotopic niche size and overlap between the trophic guilds of the macrobenthos in the Atrato River Delta estuary (Colombia). A total of 10 species encompassed four trophic guilds. A compact food web supports the macrobenthos, where the isotopic niche size of the community was 3.3‰ 2 . The isotopic niche size was larger for deposit feeders (4.3‰ 2 ) than omnivores (3.3‰ 2 ), followed by herbivores (1.9‰ 2 ) and carnivores (1.3‰ 2 ). Considerable overlap of isotopic niche space was found between herbivores (crabs of the Sesarmidae family) and deposit feeders (crabs of the Ocypodidae family). Both former trophic guilds constituted the first consumers within the trophic structure of the system. There also was considerable overlap between the highest trophic levels (omnivores and carnivores). These results can potentially be useful to understanding and monitoring changes in this community. How to cite this article: Sandoval L.A. 2023. The isotopic niche of the macrobenthos in a major mangrove area of the southern Caribbean Sea // Invert.

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The trophic niche of Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Testudines: Chelidae): evidence from stable isotopes

Abstract: ABSTRACT. Ecological niche is the multidimensional space comprising the resources used by an organism. These results suggest that individuals of both sexes and throughout their ontogenetic development exploit food resources with the same isotopic baseline.

Cited by 7 publications

References 28 publications

Assessing the diet of the endangered Beale’s eyed turtle (Sacalia bealei) using faecal content and stable isotope analyses: Implications for conservation

Assessing the diet of the endangered Beale’s eyed turtle (Sacalia bealei) using faecal content and stable isotope analyses: Implications for conservation

Body size predicts ontogenetic nitrogen stable-isotope (δ15N) variation, but has little relationship with trophic level in ectotherm vertebrate predators

The isotopic niche of the macrobenthos in a major mangrove area of the southern Caribbean Sea

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