New perspectives on the feeding ecology and trophic dynamics of fishes

Brodeur, Richard D.; Smith, Brian E.; McBride, Richard S.; Heintz, Ron A.; Farley, Ed

doi:10.1007/s10641-017-0594-1

Cited by 22 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 18 publications

(16 reference statements)

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“…Dietary studies are vital to understanding the ecological role of organisms and their trophic interactions (Duffy et al 2007), which for large marine vertebrates are often not well understood (Matich et al 2011). Moreover, a better understanding of dietary requirements may help resource managers respond to shifts in trophic interactions between taxa (Brodeur et al 2017) and, for sea turtles, more effectively prioritize conservation zones and policies for foraging grounds (Hamann et al 2010;Rees et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global review of green turtle diet: sea surface temperature as a potential driver of omnivory levels

et al. 2020

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To better understand dietary requirements, trophic shifts, and trophic interactions of the threatened green turtle (Chelonia mydas), we conducted a comprehensive global review and literature tabulation (177 studies) reporting diets of individuals > 25 cm carapace length. We analysed those studies involving natural sites and healthy animals that reported relative proportions of all diet components (67 studies, 89 datasets at 75 sites, 13 geographic sub-regions, 3 oceans). We compared diets by sub-region and foraging site relative to four diet components, i.e., seagrass, macroalgae, terrestrial plants (including mangroves) and animal matter. To assess sea surface temperature (SST) as an environmental driver, values were extracted from satellite data (single year) and site-specific observations (study durations) and examined relative to diet composition. Satellite data indicated that at warmer sites with temperatures > 25 °C (≥ 6 months annually), diet was predominantly herbivorous (mean = 92.97%; SE = 9.85; n = 69 datasets). At higher latitude sites and in cold-water currents with SST < 20 °C (≥ 6 months annually), dietary animal matter featured prominently (mean = 51.47%; SE = 4.84; n = 20 datasets). Site-specific observations indicated that SST had a small but significant effect on contributions of animal matter (r2 = 0.17, P = < 0.001) and seagrass (r2 = 0.24, P = < 0.001) but not macroalgae and terrestrial plants. Our study presents the first quantitative evidence at a global scale that temperature may be an important driver of omnivory, providing a new perspective on variations in green turtle diet, especially in light of global warming and climate change.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global review of green turtle diet: sea surface temperature as a potential driver of omnivory levels

et al. 2020

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“…The detailed description of consequences of altered river thermal conditions, which directly disturb the population dynamics of macroinvertebrates, but also through these changes indirectly affect fish located on the higher trophic levels is of high importance for our understanding of the potential climatic effects on feeding ecology of freshwater fish 22 . The results presented, indicate that reservoir-induced thermal alterations in the rivers, similarly to climate change, can lead to a chain of consequences and disturb previous predator-prey interactions in the water ecosystems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the complexity of many ecosystems, we often lack profound knowledge of the potential climatic effects on feeding ecology of freshwater fish 22 . Improved understanding, monitoring, and forecasting of these effects are thus crucial for researchers, policymakers and biodiversity managers 23 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cascading effects of temperature alterations on trophic ecology of European grayling (Thymallus thymallus)

Smoliński

Głazaczow

2019

Sci Rep

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The aims of this project were to study: diet composition, food selectivity and the phenology of different prey items in grayling’s (Thymallus thymallus) diet. It was hypothesized, that alterations in mayfly emergence, caused by reservoir-induced thermal changes, have consequences for trophic ecology of drift-feeding fish. Sampling of fish and macroinvertebrates were conducted in two closely located rivers, one human-modified and the other an undisturbed river. Grayling preyed mainly on aquatic insects, but only mayflies were preferred. Seasonal changes of the fish diet were observed, and air temperature is considered a predictor of prey occurrence with different time lags, depending on the biology of the organisms. Significant differences in the abundances and probability of mayfly occurrence between two studied rivers were shown. The observed phenological shift suggests that distorted environmental cues were experienced by the Ephemeroptera in the modified river. The “lost generation” of insects which failed to complete development became a new food for fish. The results presented indicate that reservoir-induced thermal alterations in the rivers, similarly to climate change, can lead to a chain of consequences in the ecosystems. Taking into consideration the projected climate scenarios, further monitoring and forecasting of these effects are considered an important step for future mitigating actions and adaptive management of water resources.

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“…Fisheries managers are now adopting ecosystem‐based approaches in resource management, which requires a basic knowledge of trophic interactions. Since predator–prey interactions are difficult to observe directly, dietary studies are a common method used to determine feeding ecology and trophic dynamics (Brodeur, Smith, McBride, Heintz, & Farley, ). Resolving the diets of Mobula rays, which encompass a wide range of body sizes and converge in specific locations, can help characterize trophic links in critical foraging areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

DNA metabarcoding assays reveal a diverse prey assemblage for Mobula rays in the Bohol Sea, Philippines

Bessey

Jarman

Stat

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Diet studies provide base understanding of trophic structure and are a valuable initial step for many fields of marine ecology, including conservation and fisheries biology. Considerable complexity in marine trophic structure can exist due to the presence of highly mobile species with long life spans. Mobula rays are highly mobile, large, planktivorous elasmobranchs that are frequently caught either directly or as bycatch in fisheries, which, combined with their conservative life history strategy, makes their populations susceptible to decline in intensely fished regions. Effective management of these iconic and vulnerable species requires an understanding of the diets that sustain them, which can be difficult to determine using conventional sampling methods. We use three DNA metabarcode assays to identify 44 distinct taxa from the stomachs ( n = 101) of four sympatric Mobula ray species ( Mobula birostris , Mobula tarapacana , Mobula japanica , and Mobula thurstoni ) caught over 3 years (2013–2015) in a direct fishery off Bohol in the Philippines. The diversity and incidence of bony fishes observed in ray diets were unprecedented. Nevertheless, rays showed dietary overlap, with krill ( Euphausia ) dominating their diet. Our results provide a more detailed assessment of sympatric ray diets than was previously described and reveal the complexity that can exist in food webs at critical foraging habitats.

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New perspectives on the feeding ecology and trophic dynamics of fishes

Cited by 22 publications

References 18 publications

A global review of green turtle diet: sea surface temperature as a potential driver of omnivory levels

A global review of green turtle diet: sea surface temperature as a potential driver of omnivory levels

Cascading effects of temperature alterations on trophic ecology of European grayling (Thymallus thymallus)

DNA metabarcoding assays reveal a diverse prey assemblage for Mobula rays in the Bohol Sea, Philippines

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