Assessing the trophic niche of South American Terns integrating conventional and isotopic methods
| Autor: | Alejandro Javier Gatto, Pablo Yorio |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Otras Ciencias Biológicas Population STERNA HIRUNDINACEA BREEDING DIET 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Predation Ciencias Biológicas Anchovy PREY PROVISIONING education Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Nature and Landscape Conservation Isotope analysis Trophic level education.field_of_study biology Stable isotope ratio Ecology 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology Pelagic zone Marine invertebrates SELF-FEEDING biology.organism_classification ISOTOPIC NICHE PATAGONIA Animal Science and Zoology CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS |
| DOI: | 10.1071/MU15010 |
| Popis: | Conventional dietary studies combined with stable isotope analysis allowed the characterisation of the trophic niche of South American Terns (Sterna hirundinacea) breeding in Argentina. Direct observation of prey deliveries during mate- and chick-provisioning showed that the diet of South American Terns comprised at least 18 prey items, mainly pelagic schooling fish with smaller proportions of marine invertebrates. Argentine Anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) was the main fish prey. Adults delivered a higher proportion of fish and smaller prey to their chicks than to their mates. Analysis of stable isotope ratios in blood samples, using Bayesian stable isotope mixing models, indicated that adult Terns used a higher proportion of marine invertebrates for self-feeding than for mate- or chick-provisioning. Analyses of stable isotopes ratios in blood samples from chicks were consistent with the determination of diet from direct observation, and indicated differences from adults in both the proportion of different prey in the diet and trophic niche. In addition, isotopic niche analysis showed that chicks had a significantly higher trophic position compared with self-feeding adults during both mate-provisioning and chick stages. The results highlight the importance of combining stable isotope and conventional methods to adequately assess the food requirements of a population during the breeding season. Fil: Gatto, Alejandro Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina Fil: Yorio, Pablo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados Unidos |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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