Isotope-based inferences of the trophic niche of short-finned pilot whales in the Webbnesia.

Autor: Escánez A; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Madeira, Portugal; Department of Ecology and Animal Biology, Campus As Lagoas-Marcosende, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain; Asociación Tonina, La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. Electronic address: aescanez@uvigo.gal., Marrero-Pérez J; Asociación Tonina, La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain., Dromby M; Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Madeira Tecnopolo, Funchal, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal., Pimentel-González A; Asociación Tonina, La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain., Dias E; CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Matosinhos, Portugal., García-Pastor EM; Asociación Tonina, La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain., Weyn M; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Madeira, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Évora, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal., Ferreira R; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Madeira, Portugal; Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Madeira Tecnopolo, Funchal, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal., Montañés-Pérez A; Asociación Tonina, La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain., Fernandez M; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Madeira, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal., Dinis A; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Madeira, Portugal; Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Madeira Tecnopolo, Funchal, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal., Alves F; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Madeira, Portugal; Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Madeira Tecnopolo, Funchal, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Marine environmental research [Mar Environ Res] 2024 Oct; Vol. 201, pp. 106700. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 18.
DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106700
Abstrakt: Knowledge of predator-prey interactions is key in ecological studies and understanding ecosystem function, yet this is still poorly explored in the deep-sea environment. Carbon (δ 13 C: 13 C/ 12 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N: 15 N/ 14 N) stable isotope ratios of a deep-diving species, the short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus), were used to explore knowledge gaps on its ecological niche and foraging habitats in the Webbnesia marine ecoregion (Tenerife Island, n = 27 animals vs. Madeira, n = 31; 500 km apart) where animals display distinct levels of site fidelity. Specifically, we tested whether intraspecific isotopic variation results from differences between geographic areas (due to possible foraging plasticity between regions), sexes, and/or years (2015-2020) using Generalized Linear Models. In general, significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in the stable isotope profiles of pilot whales between the two archipelagos, which were also reflected in their isotopic niche. The higher mean and wider range of δ 15 N values in Tenerife suggest that pilot whales consume prey of higher trophic levels and more diverse than Madeira. The higher mean and wider range of δ 13 C values in Madeira suggest that in that island, pilot whales rely on prey from more diverse habitats. There was significant variation between some years, but not between sexes. Finally, we discuss pilot whales' foraging strategies worldwide and infer the reliance on benthic or benthopelagic food sources in the Webbnesia.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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