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Trophic niche dynamics of three nearshore benthic predators in The Bahamas

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Abstract

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) were used to examine trophic niche dynamics of three co-occurring predators in The Bahamas. Variable estimates of core trophic niche width and total trophic niche overlap were observed between nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum), southern stingrays (Hypanus americanus), and Atlantic chupare stingrays (Styracura schmardae). Nurse sharks exhibited little trophic overlap with either species of stingray and exhibited higher δ15N values, suggesting limited potential resource competition. Southern and Atlantic chupare stingrays exhibited higher total trophic niche overlap, highlighting higher levels of resource competition. Nurse sharks exhibited the broadest δ13C range, implying utilization of multiple resource pools to facilitate energetic requirements, compared with southern stingrays and Atlantic chupare stingrays. Southern stingrays exhibited the smallest core trophic niche width, highlighting reliance upon a narrower range of resource pools, likely supported by a single habitat type. We postulate that the persistence of the three sub-sampled predator populations is supported by potential resource partitioning and utilization of multiple trophic resource pools. Further information regarding trophic niche dynamics and patterns of resource use is required for data-poor species to identify how populations and communities may respond to the adverse effects of exploitation, such as fisheries impacts, habitat alteration, and pollution.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Cape Eleuthera Foundation and Cape Eleuthera Island School for supporting fieldwork costs. Sample analysis was supported by an NSERC Discovery Grant to Michael Power. Special thanks go to the Shark Research and Conservation Program interns, who provided invaluable field assistance throughout this project. Finally, we would like to thank the anonymous reviewers who helped to strengthen and improve the quality of this manuscript.

Funding

This work was funded by private donations to the Cape Eleuthera Foundation and Cape Eleuthera Institute, and a NSERC Discovery Grant awarded to Michael Power.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, 11794, NY, USA

    Oliver N. Shipley & Michael G. Frisk

  2. Shark Research and Conservation Program, The Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, Bahamas

    Oliver N. Shipley, Owen R. O’Shea, Maggie M. Winchester & Edward J. Brooks

  3. Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA

    Karen J. Murchie

  4. Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada

    Jessie Pearson & Michael Power

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  1. Oliver N. Shipley
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  2. Karen J. Murchie
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  4. Owen R. O’Shea
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Correspondence to Oliver N. Shipley.

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Research was conducted under permits MAF/FIS/17 and MAF/FIS/13, issued by the Bahamian Department of Marine Resources. Animal care procedures followed the guidelines of the Association for the study of Animal Behaviour and Animal Behavior Society (Rollin & Kessel, 1998).

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Shipley, O.N., Murchie, K.J., Frisk, M.G. et al. Trophic niche dynamics of three nearshore benthic predators in The Bahamas. Hydrobiologia 813, 177–188 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3523-1

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