Trophic structure of common marine species in the Bohai Strait, North China Sea, based on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios. (July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Qu, Pei; Wang, Qixiang; Pang, Min; Zhang, Zhipeng; Liu, Chengyue; Tang, Xuexi
• Is Part Of: Ecological indicators. Volume 66(2016)
• Page Start: 405
• Page End: 415
• Publication Date: 2016-07
• Subjects: Stable isotopes -- Trophic level -- Food source -- Bohai Strait; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Sustainable development -- Periodicals; 333.71405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.01.036
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-160X

Abstract

Highlights: Stable isotopes were used as tracers to analyze trophic structure in the Bohai Strait. We built two trophic level models on basis of nitrogen isotope and compared them. The principal food sources were identified in the study area. Abstract: Trophic relationships among common coastal species in the Bohai Strait, North China Sea, were investigated in this study using stable isotope ratios of carbon ( 13 C/ 12 C) and nitrogen ( 15 N/ 14 N) as tracers. During the research cruises of this study, 16 species of invertebrates and 18 species of fishes were collected, as were various food sources (phytoplankton, macroalgae, and sediment). The carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of all collected samples were measured and used for trophic level analyses. The results showed that the grazers Oregonia gracilis, Notoacmea schrenckii, Chlorostoma rustica, and Chelon affinis, preferentially consumed Zostera marina ( p < 0.01), whereas Anthocidaris crassispina preferred Ulva conglobata ( p < 0.01). Two trophic models based on nitrogen isotope ratios were built to identify the trophic level of each species. The model that combined food sources was more appropriate than the model that used a single primary producer to identify the relative trophic positions of primary consumers. Scombermorus niphonius, an important fishery resource, was at the top trophic level. The seastar Asterias amurensis was at the highest level among the invertebrates and directly threatened production of shellfish. Based on the trophic level and food source relationships identified in this study, we gave some advice for ecological restoration, such as optimizing the structure of food source distribution, limiting seastar numbers, and improving the applicability of habitat for fishery species.