Eurasian otters modify their trophic niche after the introduction of non-native prey in Mediterranean fresh waters

Autor:	David Almeida, Raquel Merino-Aguirre, Rafael Barrientos, David H. Fletcher
Rok vydání:	2013
Předmět:	Ecology biology Foraging Introduced species biology.organism_classification Crayfish Otter Predation Fishery Animal ecology biology.animal Lutra Carnivore Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics
Zdroj:	Biological Invasions. 16:1573-1579
ISSN:	1573-1464 1387-3547
Popis:	Biological invasions are a major driver behind disturbances in freshwater community structure. We investigated how the foraging strategy of the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra (L.) has responded to this change in a Mediterranean catchment of the Iberian Peninsula, over a 30-year time span (1980 vs. 2010). We found that, despite continuing to feed on a considerable amount of native fish, this carnivore has adapted its trophic niche to accommodate non-native species. Prior to the massive introductions of these new food items (1980), otters diversified their diet during the limiting season (i.e. summer drought). However, otters had largely incorporated non-native prey into their diet in 2010, with red-swamp crayfish being their main food resource, especially in the summer. This increased crayfish consumption reflects a narrowing of trophic niche during the summer drought in 2010. We discuss how this heavy specialisation may compromise the conservation of otters and their endemic fish prey.
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_________::60769ac58265ac61394a60f5c7f4d789 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-013-0622-9 Zobrazit plný text záznamu Full text from SpringerLink