Evaluating trophic linkages in mangrove-based food webs using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen
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Date
2006-04-19
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science University of Miami
Abstract
An understanding of the energy flow pathways and trophic linkages in estuarine food webs is essential for managing estuaries and their ecosystems sustainably. These pathways are complex, given the dynamics in physico-chemical processes, variety and area of habitats. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) were measured for a variety of fish, invertebrate, and crustacean species collected from saltmarsh and mangrove habitats in Botany Bay and Homebush Bay, NSW, Australia. The work is on-going, however, initial observations indicate specific prey-predator linkages evident within a complex trophic structure. Results also advocate the role of certain non-commercial estuarine species as important conduits of energy and nutrition to higher trophic-order commercially valuable species, linking these with specific estuarine habitats. This work seeks to model the source of energy and nutrition in mangrove and saltmarsh-based food webs and to determine the chemical linkages between high trophic order species and different habitat resources. © The Authors.
Description
Keywords
Mangroves, Food chains, Stable isotopes, Carbon isotopes, Nitrogen isotopes, New South Wales, Australia
Citation
Mazumder, D., Szymczak, R., Saintilan, N., & Williams, R. J. (2006). Evaluating trophic linkages in mangrove-based food webs using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Presentation to the First International Symposium on Mangroves as Fish Habitat 2006, 19 - 21 April, Miami, Florida, (pp. 36). Retrieved from: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/project/9999/1st_intl_symposium_mfh_program.pdf