Elucidating stygofaunal trophic web interactions via isotopic ecology

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dc.contributor.authorSaccò, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorBlyth, AJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHumphreys, WFen_AU
dc.contributor.authorKuhl, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMazumder, Den_AU
dc.contributor.authorSmith, Cen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGrice, Ken_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-08-19T07:05:21Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-08-19T07:05:21Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2019-10-16en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-08-17en_AU
dc.description.abstractSubterranean ecosystems host highly adapted aquatic invertebrate biota which play a key role in sustaining groundwater ecological functioning and hydrological dynamics. However, functional biodiversity studies in groundwater environments, the main source of unfrozen freshwater on Earth, are scarce, probably due to the cryptic nature of the systems. To address this, we investigate groundwater trophic ecology via stable isotope analysis, employing δ13C and δ15N in bulk tissues, and amino acids. Specimens were collected from a shallow calcrete aquifer in the arid Yilgarn region of Western Australia: a well-known hot-spot for stygofaunal biodiversity. Sampling campaigns were carried out during dry (low rainfall: LR) and the wet (high rainfall: HR) periods. δ13C values indicate that most of the stygofauna shifted towards more 13C-depleted carbon sources under HR, suggesting a preference for fresher organic matter. Conversion of δ15N values in glutamic acid and phenylalanine to a trophic index showed broadly stable trophic levels with organisms clustering as low-level secondary consumers. However, mixing models indicate that HR conditions trigger changes in dietary preferences, with increasing predation of amphipods by beetle larvae. Overall, stygofauna showed a tendency towards opportunistic and omnivorous habits—typical of an ecologically tolerant community—shaped by bottom-up controls linked with changes in carbon flows. This study provides baseline biochemical and ecological data for stygofaunal trophic interactions in calcretes. Further studies on the carbon inputs and taxa-specific physiology will help refine the interpretation of the energy flows shaping biodiversity in groundwaters. This will aid understanding of groundwater ecosystem functioning and allow modelling of the impact of future climate change factors such as aridification. Subterranean ecosystems host highly adapted aquatic invertebrate biota which play a key role in sustaining groundwater ecological functioning and hydrological dynamics. However, functional biodiversity studies in groundwater environments, the main source of unfrozen freshwater on Earth, are scarce, probably due to the cryptic nature of the systems. To address this, we investigate groundwater trophic ecology via stable isotope analysis, employing δ13C and δ15N in bulk tissues, and amino acids. Specimens were collected from a shallow calcrete aquifer in the arid Yilgarn region of Western Australia: a well-known hot-spot for stygofaunal biodiversity. Sampling campaigns were carried out during dry (low rainfall: LR) and the wet (high rainfall: HR) periods. δ13C values indicate that most of the stygofauna shifted towards more 13C-depleted carbon sources under HR, suggesting a preference for fresher organic matter. Conversion of δ15N values in glutamic acid and phenylalanine to a trophic index showed broadly stable trophic levels with organisms clustering as low-level secondary consumers. However, mixing models indicate that HR conditions trigger changes in dietary preferences, with increasing predation of amphipods by beetle larvae. Overall, stygofauna showed a tendency towards opportunistic and omnivorous habits—typical of an ecologically tolerant community—shaped by bottom-up controls linked with changes in carbon flows. This study provides baseline biochemical and ecological data for stygofaunal trophic interactions in calcretes. Further studies on the carbon inputs and taxa-specific physiology will help refine the interpretation of the energy flows shaping biodiversity in groundwaters. This will aid understanding of groundwater ecosystem functioning and allow modelling of the impact of future climate change factors such as aridification. © 2019 Saccò et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.en_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumbere0223982en_AU
dc.identifier.citationSaccò, M., Blyth, A. J., Humphreys, W. F., Kuhl, A., Mazumder, D., Smith, C., & Grice, K. (2019). Elucidating stygofaunal trophic web interactions via isotopic ecology. PLOS ONE, 14(10), e0223982. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0223982en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203en_AU
dc.identifier.issue10en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitlePLOS ONEen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223982 https://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/11395en_AU
dc.identifier.volume14en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherPLOS Oneen_AU
dc.subjectInvertebratesen_AU
dc.subjectGround wateren_AU
dc.subjectEcologyen_AU
dc.subjectSpecies diversityen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_AU
dc.subjectEarth planeten_AU
dc.subjectStable isotopesen_AU
dc.subjectAmino acidsen_AU
dc.subjectWestern Australiaen_AU
dc.subjectCarbonen_AU
dc.subjectGlutamic aciden_AU
dc.subjectBeetlesen_AU
dc.titleElucidating stygofaunal trophic web interactions via isotopic ecologyen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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