Stable isotope analysis in two sympatric populations of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus: evidence of resource partitioning?

Autor:	Jason Newton, J. Martínez-Cedeira, Susana García-Tiscar, M. Begoña Santos, Ruth Fernández, Graham J. Pierce, Alfredo López
Rok vydání:	2011
Předmět:	Sympatry education.field_of_study Ecology Stable isotope ratio Population Cetacea Aquatic Science Biology Blue whiting biology.organism_classification Predation education Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Isotope analysis Trophic level
Zdroj:	Marine Biology. 158:1043-1055
ISSN:	1432-1793 0025-3162
Popis:	Skin and muscle from 43 bottlenose dolphins (38 juveniles/adults, 5 calves) stranded in NW Spain were analysed to determine whether stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) could be used to assess dietary variation, habitat segregation and population substructure. Results were compared with published stomach contents data. Stable isotope ratios from 17 known prey species were also determined. Isotope ratios of the main prey (blue whiting, hake) varied significantly in relation to fish body size. Dolphin calves showed significant heavy isotope enrichments compared to adult females. Excluding calves, δ15N decreased with increasing dolphin body size, probably related to an ontogenetic shift in diet towards species at lower trophic levels, e.g. on blue whiting as suggested by stomach content results. Bottlenose dolphins were divided into two putative populations (North, South) based on previous genetic studies, and values of δ13C and δ15N differed significantly between these two groups, confirming the existence of population structuring.
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_________::06164c4d96b0f55e171eabda3b91c5ce https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1629-3 Zobrazit plný text záznamu Plný text ve formátu PDF