Asset Details
Do you wish to reserve the book?
Isotopic Niches and Trophic Levels of Myctophid Fishes and Their Predators in the Southern Ocean
Hey, we have placed the reservation for you!
By the way, why not check out events that you can attend while you pick your title.
Oops! Something went wrong.
Looks like we were not able to place the reservation. Kindly try again later.
Are you sure you want to remove the book from the shelf?
Isotopic Niches and Trophic Levels of Myctophid Fishes and Their Predators in the Southern Ocean
Do you wish to request the book?
Isotopic Niches and Trophic Levels of Myctophid Fishes and Their Predators in the Southern Ocean
Please be aware that the book you have requested cannot be checked out. If you would like to checkout this book, you can reserve another copy
We have requested the book for you!
Your request is successful and it will be processed during the Library working hours. Please check the status of your request in My Requests.
Oops! Something went wrong.
Looks like we were not able to place your request. Kindly try again later.
Journal Article
Isotopic Niches and Trophic Levels of Myctophid Fishes and Their Predators in the Southern Ocean
2010
Overview
We report the trophic structure of a myctophid assemblage by measuring the isotopic niches of 14 species living in Kerguelen waters, southern Indian Ocean. Most of the species show distinct isotopic niches that differ by at least one of the two niche axes (δ¹³C habitat and δ¹⁵N trophic position), indicating trophic partitioning within the assemblage. Strong niche segregation occurs within each of the three most common genera of myctophids (Electrona, Gymnoscopelus, and Protomyctophum), illustrating the different mechanisms (habitat and dietary segregation) that allow coexistence of closely related species. Calculated trophic levels (TLs) of myctophids ranged from 3.3 to 4.2, showing that they are secondary and tertiary consumers in the pelagic ecosystem. The positive relationship between TL and standard length of fish points out a structuring effect of size, with larger species (Gymnoscopelus spp.) occupying a higher trophic position than smaller species (Krefftichthys anderssoni and Protomyctophum spp.). Myctophids occupy an intermediate trophic position between macrozooplanktonic crustaceans and seabirds and marine mammals within the pelagic ecosystem. However, the TLs of large myctophids overlap those of crustacean-eating seabirds [e.g., Eudyptes spp. (crested penguins) and Pachyptila belcheri]. The isotopic niche of myctophids indicates that Aptenodytes patagonicus (king penguin) adults prey upon K. anderssoni when they feed for themselves, thus exemplifying the usefulness of isotopic datasets on potential prey of predators to depict trophic relationships.
Publisher
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography,Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography
