Stable Isotopes Reveal the Food Sources of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in the Arid Mangrove Ecosystem of the Persian Gulf

Noghabi, Nazanin Akbari; Shojaei, Mehdi Ghodrati; Farahani, Melika Mashhadi; Weigt, Maryam

doi:10.1007/s12237-022-01083-9

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 76 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman experience extreme environmental pressures, including salinity and temperature fluctuations, which place organisms at the limits of their physiological tolerance to environmental conditions [26]. As a diverse and important coastal habitat, mangroves are threatened by natural and anthropogenic pressures, which makes further studies of their biodiversity and function imperative.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polychaete Diversity and Functional Trait Composition in Subtropical Mangrove Ecosystems

Miri,

Seyfabadi,

Ghodrati Shojaei

et al. 2023

Diversity

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Polychaetes play a vital role in the structure and functioning of benthic communities in mangrove ecosystems. Nevertheless, our understanding of the diversity and functional structure of polychaete assemblages across different habitats in the mangrove ecosystems along the coast of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman is limited. In this study, we investigated the species and trait composition of polychaetes and environmental variables, in vegetated and mudflat habitats of three subtropical mangroves. The results showed that Neanthes glandicincta was widely distributed across all regions and habitats. The three-factor ANOVA showed that the abundance and taxonomic diversity of polychaetes differed significantly between two habitats and three mangrove ecosystems. The abundance of polychaetes was observed to be higher in mud habitats than in vegetated habitats. There was a significant difference in species and trait composition between different regions and habitats. Vegetated habitats had higher proportions of crawler predatory species that are longer lived (3–5 years), with larger body size (80–100 mm), and are upward conveyors, whereas mudflat habitats had higher proportions of mobile (burrower) omnivore species that are moderately lived (1–3 years), with larger body size (>100 mm), and are biodiffusers. The three-factor ANOVA showed a significant difference in the community weighted mean (CWM) index between two habitats and three mangrove ecosystems. Thus, the species and trait composition of polychaetes depend on the structural complexity of their respective habitats. The DistLM analysis showed that total organic carbon content of the sediment was the main predictor variable influencing species composition, while silt/clay content and salinity were the main predictor variables influencing the traits’ composition. The results showed how the composition of traits and the structure of polychaete communities change in mangrove ecosystems, which can be used for future studies on conservation strategies for mangrove ecosystems throughout the world.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polychaete Diversity and Functional Trait Composition in Subtropical Mangrove Ecosystems

Miri,

Seyfabadi,

Ghodrati Shojaei

et al. 2023

Diversity

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates

Appoo,

Graham,

Jones

et al. 2024

Ecosphere

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Invertebrates have a central role in food webs and ecosystem functioning. By boosting productivity, allochthonous nutrient inputs influence the food webs of recipient communities. Understanding how allochthonous nutrient subsidies affect invertebrates is crucial, particularly in highly productive coastal areas. Here, we examine how mangrove macroinvertebrates are impacted by nutrient‐rich guano delivered by nesting seabird populations at Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean. We compare nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios and nitrogen composition of basal resources and macroinvertebrate consumers in mangroves with and without nesting seabirds. Seabird‐derived nutrient enrichment increased the nitrogen content of basal food sources and herbivorous littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs. In mangroves with breeding seabirds, mean carapace widths of sesarmid and omnivorous portunid crabs were 6% and 11% larger, respectively. Isotopic niches of littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs were larger and had higher overlap at seabird compared to non‐seabird sites. Epiphytic macroalgae and guano comprised >50% of resource contributions to littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs at seabird sites. This differed markedly from non‐seabird sites where the main resource contributions were 77% mangrove leaves for littorinid gastropods, 36% sediment organic matter, and 41% mangrove leaves for sesarmid crabs. The increased sizes of mangrove crabs suggest that seabird nutrient enrichment can promote mangrove crab fisheries productivity and benefit the provisioning of mangrove ecosystem services. By shifting resource use of functionally important macroinvertebrates, we discuss how seabirds modify trophic interactions, with potential consequences for mangrove ecosystem processes and resilience.

show abstract

The effect of habitat structural complexity on gastropods in an arid mangrove wetland

Ebadzadeh,

Shojaei,

Seyfabadi

2023

Wetlands Ecol Manage

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Stable Isotopes Reveal the Food Sources of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in the Arid Mangrove Ecosystem of the Persian Gulf

Cited by 5 publications

References 76 publications

Polychaete Diversity and Functional Trait Composition in Subtropical Mangrove Ecosystems

Polychaete Diversity and Functional Trait Composition in Subtropical Mangrove Ecosystems

Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates

The effect of habitat structural complexity on gastropods in an arid mangrove wetland

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About