Bivalve trophic ecology in the Mediterranean: Spatio-temporal variations and feeding behavior. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Purroy, Ariadna; Najdek, Mirjana; Isla, Enrique; Župan, Ivan; Thébault, Julien; Peharda, Melita
• Is Part Of: Marine environmental research. Volume 142(2018)
• Page Start: 234
• Page End: 249
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Feeding ecology -- Bivalves -- Suspension feeder -- Biochemical variables -- Stable isotopes -- Fatty acids -- Adriatic sea -- Niche partitioning -- Coastal ecosystems; Marine pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Marine ecology -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Écologie marine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 577.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.10.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-1136

Abstract

Abstract: The trophic ecology of two bivalves, the clam Callista chione and the cockle Glycymeris bimaculata was studied using environmental and biochemical variables of the suspended particulate matter and the sediment. Samples were collected from two shallow sites, Pag and Cetina, in the coastal oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea, during a 17 month period. The temporal variation of the particulate matter reflected a mixture between marine and terrestrial sources throughout the year, with a clear marine influence during summer and fall, and predominance of terrestrial inputs during spring and winter. The digestive gland was a useful rapid turnover tissue, where the carbon isotope signal was species-specific and the nitrogen isotope one was site-specific. FA markers in the digestive gland revealed a mixed diet where Callista chione fed more upon fresh material than G. bimaculata which relied largely on bacteria-derived detritus. Overall, little feeding niche overlap was observed between the two species during the year, indicating resource partitioning, expected for a food-limited system. The present trophic ecology study in co-occurring species allowed identifying species-specific feeding adaptations to environmental variability. Highlights: Particulate matter biochemical proxies show terrestrial inputs in the Adriatic Sea. POM quality in the shallow oligotrophic Adriatic Sea is best in spring and summer. Bivalve species show feeding adaptations to environmental variation. Bacterial diazotroph biomass has major importance in G. bimaculata diet. Feeding niche overlap between species is low, indicating resource partitioning.