Adaptation of benthic invertebrates to food sources along marine-terrestrial boundaries as indicated by carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes

Lange, G.J. de; Haynert, Kristin; Dinter, Thomas; Scheu, Stefan; Kröncke, Ingrid

doi:10.1016/j.seares.2017.10.002

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Disturbance is known to strongly determine ecological patterns and processes, affecting diversity and dynamics, as well as the food web structure of communities [ 6 , 20 , 22 , 23 ]. Consequently, ecological settings are complex and largely control the isotopic structure of salt marsh soil food webs [ 10 , 14 , 24 – 26 ]. However, despite the central role of terrestrial soil mesofauna in facilitating energy and carbon flows between trophic levels, their structure, trophic ecology and habitat-related diet shifts in salt marsh food webs is virtually unknown.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The structure of salt marsh soil mesofauna food webs – The prevalence of disturbance

et al. 2017

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Mesofauna taxa fill key trophic positions in soil food webs, even in terrestrial–marine boundary habitats characterized by frequent natural disturbances. Salt marshes represent such boundary habitats, characterized by frequent inundations increasing from the terrestrial upper to the marine pioneer zone. Despite the high abundance of soil mesofauna in salt marshes and their important function by facilitating energy and carbon flows, the structure, trophic ecology and habitat-related diet shifts of mesofauna species in natural salt marsh habitats is virtually unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effects of natural disturbance (inundation frequency) on community structure, food web complexity and resource use of soil mesofauna using stable isotope analysis (15N, 13C) in three salt marsh zones. In this intertidal habitat, the pioneer zone is exposed to inundations twice a day, but lower and upper salt marshes are less frequently inundated based on shore height. The mesofauna comprised 86 species / taxa dominated by Collembola, Oribatida and Mesostigmata. Shifts in environmental disturbances influenced the structure of food webs, diversity and density declined strongly from the land to the sea pointing to the importance of increasing levels of inundation frequency. Accordingly, the reduced diversity and density was associated by a simplification of the food web in the pioneer zone as compared to the less inundated lower and upper salt marsh with a higher number of trophic levels. Strong variations in δ15N signatures demonstrated that mesofauna species are feeding at multiple trophic levels. Primary decomposers were low and most mesofauna species functioned as secondary decomposers or predators including second order predators or scavengers. The results document that major decomposer taxa, such as Collembola and Oribatida, are more diverse than previously assumed and predominantly dwell on autochthonous resources of the respective salt marsh zone. The results further suggest that Mesostigmata mostly adopt an intraguild predation lifestyle. The high trophic position of a large number of predators suggests that intraguild predation is of significant importance in salt marsh food webs. Presumably, intraguild predation contributes to stabilizing the salt marsh food web against disturbances.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The structure of salt marsh soil mesofauna food webs – The prevalence of disturbance

et al. 2017

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“…δ 15 N can also be used to indicate scenopoetic dimensions, such as marine‐terrestrial (Lange et al., 2018 ) and eutrophication (Gooddy et al., 2016 ). Generally, the difference in habitat conditions is mainly related to the scenopoetic dimensions where a high δ 15 N value indicates a marine characteristic while a low value indicate a terrestrial characteristic; a high value also indicates a eutrophic area while a low value indicates a pristine area (Newsome et al., 2007 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural distinction of carbon and nitrogen isotopic niches in common fish species across marine biotopes in the Yellow River estuary

Qü

Pang

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Estuarine biotopes display distinct trophic structures of biocoenosis driven by the supply and transformation of multiple energy sources (Underwood, 2010), while flowing waters sustain riverine and marine biodiversity, and make important contributions to global biogeochemical cycles (Palmer & Ruhi, 2019). It has been widely recognized that most adjacent marine ecosystems are strongly connected due to the water transference of organic matter and

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“…Prior to analysis, carbonates were removed by treatment with HCl (10%). The precision of the measurement was <0.2% (for a detailed description, see Lange et al, 2018).…”

Section: Modern Surface Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights into Holocene relative sea‐level changes in the southern North Sea using an improved microfauna‐based transfer function

Scheder

Bungenstock

Haynert

et al. 2021

J Quaternary Science

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In light of global warming and rising relative sea level (RSL), detailed reconstructions of RSL histories and their controlling processes are essential in order to manage coastal-protection challenges. This study contributes to unravelling Holocene RSL change on the East Frisian North Sea coast in high resolution and with a new approach for the German Bight. For the first time, a transfer function (vertical error: 29.7 cm ≙ ~11% of the mean tidal range) for RSL change based on a combined training set of benthic foraminifers and ostracods from the back-barrier tidal basin of Spiekeroog is applied to the Holocene record of the back-barrier tidal basin of Norderney. The resulting RSL curve for the Norderney tidal basin is corrected for decompaction and shows a deceleration in RSL rise between 6000 and 5000 cal BP. The smallest possible error envelope (~1 m) results from the good suitability of salt-marsh layers between 5000 and 4000 cal BP. The RSL curve provides an approach towards the closure of the common data gap of peat-based curves for the southern North Sea related to a lack of basal peats in the youngest age range, and verifies regional differences in glacial isostatic adjustment.

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Adaptation of benthic invertebrates to food sources along marine-terrestrial boundaries as indicated by carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes

Cited by 14 publications

References 69 publications

The structure of salt marsh soil mesofauna food webs – The prevalence of disturbance

The structure of salt marsh soil mesofauna food webs – The prevalence of disturbance

Natural distinction of carbon and nitrogen isotopic niches in common fish species across marine biotopes in the Yellow River estuary

Insights into Holocene relative sea‐level changes in the southern North Sea using an improved microfauna‐based transfer function

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