Trophic Dynamics of the Fish assemblages collected from discards of Arte Xavega in Praia de Mira (Portugal, NE Atlantic)
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1
Universidade de Aveiro, Departamento de Biologia, Portugal
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2
Universidade de Aveiro, Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Portugal
Trophic relationships are fundamental to understand biological interactions in animal communities especially when a high diversity and trophic complexity is present. Segregation and competition between species may be the result of combinations of several niche aspects (distribution, diet, etc.), one of which may possibly be preponderant over the others. The use of isotope biochemistry analysis is an effective approach in these studies since allows to determine the food sources and to estimate the trophic positions in aquatic systems.
The stable isotope analysis of 15N and 13C was used to investigate the trophic dynamics and feeding ecology of fishes from beach seine (Arte Xávega) discards in Praia de Mira (Portugal, NE Atlantic). Muscle tissue samples were collected from 17 species of fishes of various lengths over a one year survey. Possible preys (cephalopods and crustaceans) were also collected and analyzed in parallel in order to assess the trophic levels and differences in the potential food sources.
The 15N and 13C signatures in the muscle tissue showed evidence of shifts to higher trophic levels with an increase in fish size and the formation of distinct trophic groups. This study will provide valuable baseline data on fish ecology from coastal ecosystems.
Acknowledgements
Thanks are due, for the financial support to CESAM (UID/AMB/50017), to FCT/MEC through national funds, and the co-funding by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020. C.F. Rodrigues is supported by the FCT grant (SFRH/BPD/64154/2009)
Keywords:
Stable isotopes,
Niche separation,
Food sources,
fish ecology,
Beach seine
Conference:
IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2016, Peniche, Portugal, 14 Jul - 15 Jul, 2016.
Presentation Type:
Poster presentation
Topic:
Fisheries and Management
Citation:
Guerreiro
M,
Louro
I,
Cunha
MR and
Rodrigues
CF
(2016). Trophic Dynamics of the Fish assemblages collected from discards of Arte Xavega in Praia de Mira (Portugal, NE Atlantic).
Front. Mar. Sci.
Conference Abstract:
IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2016.
doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2016.04.00022
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Received:
02 Jun 2016;
Published Online:
13 Jul 2016.
*
Correspondence:
Miss. Milene Guerreiro, Universidade de Aveiro, Departamento de Biologia, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal, milene.guerreiro@ua.pt
Dr. Clara F Rodrigues, Universidade de Aveiro, Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal, clara.rodrigues@ua.pt