Food web structure of the benthic community at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (NE Atlantic): a stable isotope analysis

Iken, Katrin; Brey, Thomas; Wand, Ulrich; Voigt, J.; Junghans, P.

doi:10.1016/s0079-6611(01)00062-3

Cited by 324 publications

(288 citation statements)

References 78 publications

(86 reference statements)

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“…However, this is not necessarily true of all abyssal ophiuroid species. In the NE Atlantic Ophiocten hastatum has been shown to have an isotopic composition indicative of feeding on fresh phytodetritus (Iken et al 2001) and to change radically in its abundance in response to changes in POC flux Gage et al 2004).…”

Section: Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The reproductive ecology of deep-sea ophiuroids around the Crozet plateau, Southern Indian ocean, under contrasting productivity regimes

Billett

Bett

Evans

et al. 2013

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

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The reproductive characteristics of six ophiuroid species, Ophiura irrorata loveni, Ophiura lienosa, Amphioplus daleus, Ophiacantha cosmica, Ophiernus quadrispinus and Ophioplexa condita, were studied at two localities in the vicinity of the Crozet Islands in the Southern Indian Ocean. The two localities were notable in having almost identical environmental characteristics other than major differences in surface-water primary productivity and organic matter flux, whilst at the same time being only 460km apart. Three species were sufficiently abundant at the two sites to compare their reproductive biology under different productivity regimes. Ophiura irrorata loveni showed significant differences in oocyte size distributions and population size distributions between the two sites which appeared to be related to the characteristics of organic matter flux at those localities. Ophiacantha cosmica and Ophioplexa condita showed differences in abundance between the two sites. This appeared to be related to the availability of suitable substrata.

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Section: Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The reproductive ecology of deep-sea ophiuroids around the Crozet plateau, Southern Indian ocean, under contrasting productivity regimes

Billett

Bett

Evans

et al. 2013

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

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“…Moreover, the steep slopes of the trench walls restrict the spatial extent of the habitat. Consequently, we expect that competition among scavengers for both food and space is likely to be severe (Iken et al 2001). Some of this competition is probably relieved through habitat partitioning, which is manifested by species inhabiting distinct depth zones ( Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme food webs: Foraging strategies and diets of scavenging amphipods from the ocean’s deepest 5 kilometers

Blankenship

Levin

2007

Limnology & Oceanography

106

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We explore hypotheses that alternate foraging strategies, diet, or nutrient partitioning could help explain the success of scavenging Lysianassoids (Amphipoda) in hadal oligotrophic trenches (depths of 6-11 km) by examining the nutritional strategies of four lysianassoid species (Eurythenes gryllus, Scopelocheirus schellenbergi, Hirondellea dubia, and Uristes sp. nov.) collected with baited traps (6.3-10.8 km) from the oligotrophic Tonga and Kermadec Trenches (southwest Pacific Ocean). Diets and foraging strategies were examined by use of (1) the nascent DNA-based analysis of hindgut contents, which provides a 'snapshot' of recently ingested organisms, and (2) natural abundance isotopic signatures, which reflect the source of nutrition and relative trophic position. The scavenging guild exhibits remarkable trophic plasticity, and each amphipod species employs alternate foraging modes, including detrivory or predation, to supplement necrophagy. The nutritional strategies of some species appear to shift with age, depth, and even between trenches. Thus, there is no single ubiquitous hadal food web; rather it is influenced by depth and overlying surface productivity. Isotopic data suggest that coexisting species partition the dietary items, providing evidence of competition among members of the scavenging guild. The extreme foraging flexibility of scavenging amphipods may ultimately contribute to their success in severely foodlimited hadal ecosystems.

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“…The deep sea is generally considered to be food limited Iken et al, 2001). The significantly higher faunal density, diversity and evenness we observed following years of elevated food input suggest that HG I is also food limited.…”

Section: Interannual Differences In Diversity and Evennessmentioning

confidence: 77%

Interannual variation in the epibenthic megafauna at the shallowest station of the HAUSGARTEN observatory (79° N, 6° E)

Meyer¹,

Bergmann

Soltwedel

2013

Biogeosciences

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Epibenthic megafauna play an important role in the deep-sea environment and contribute significantly to benthic biomass, but their population dynamics are still understudied. We used a towed deep-sea camera system to assess the population densities of epibenthic megafauna in 2002, 2007, and 2012 at the shallowest station (HG I, ∼1300 m) of the deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN, in the eastern Fram Strait. Our results indicate that the overall density of megafauna was significantly lower in 2007 than in 2002, but was significantly higher in 2012, resulting in overall greater megafaunal density in 2012. Different species showed different patterns in population density, but the relative proportions of predator/scavengers and suspension-feeding individuals were both higher in 2012. Variations in megafaunal densities and proportions are likely due to variation in food input to the sea floor, which decreased slightly in the years preceding 2007 and was greatly elevated in the years preceding 2012. Both average evenness and diversity increased over the time period studied, which indicates that HG I may be food-limited and subject to bottom-up control. The community of HG I may be unique in its response to elevated food input, which resulted in higher evenness and diversity in 2012

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Food web structure of the benthic community at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (NE Atlantic): a stable isotope analysis

Cited by 324 publications

References 78 publications

The reproductive ecology of deep-sea ophiuroids around the Crozet plateau, Southern Indian ocean, under contrasting productivity regimes

The reproductive ecology of deep-sea ophiuroids around the Crozet plateau, Southern Indian ocean, under contrasting productivity regimes

Extreme food webs: Foraging strategies and diets of scavenging amphipods from the ocean’s deepest 5 kilometers

Interannual variation in the epibenthic megafauna at the shallowest station of the HAUSGARTEN observatory (79° N, 6° E)

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