Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet
Abstract Although massive biomass fluctuations of coastal-pelagic fishes are an iconic example of the impacts of climate variability on marine ecosystems, the mechanisms governing these dynamics are often elusive. We construct a 45-year record of nitrogen stable isotopes measured in larvae of Northe...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42966-0 |
| _version_ | 1797397874550505472 |
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| author | Rasmus Swalethorp Michael R. Landry Brice X. Semmens Mark D. Ohman Lihini Aluwihare Dereka Chargualaf Andrew R. Thompson |
| author_facet | Rasmus Swalethorp Michael R. Landry Brice X. Semmens Mark D. Ohman Lihini Aluwihare Dereka Chargualaf Andrew R. Thompson |
| author_sort | Rasmus Swalethorp |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Although massive biomass fluctuations of coastal-pelagic fishes are an iconic example of the impacts of climate variability on marine ecosystems, the mechanisms governing these dynamics are often elusive. We construct a 45-year record of nitrogen stable isotopes measured in larvae of Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) in the California Current Ecosystem to assess patterns in food chain length. Larval trophic efficiency associated with a shortened food chain increased larval survival and produced boom periods of high adult biomass. In contrast, when larval food chain length increased, and energy transfer efficiency decreased, the population crashed. We propose the Trophic Efficiency in Early Life (TEEL) hypothesis, which states that larval fishes must consume prey that confer sufficient energy for survival, to help explain natural boom-bust dynamics of coastal pelagic fishes. Our findings illustrate a potential for trophic indicators to generally inform larval survival and adult population dynamics of coastal-pelagic fishes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:17:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5dc227e4425e441a8ca0cffc3c3332b4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:17:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-5dc227e4425e441a8ca0cffc3c3332b42023-12-10T12:23:17ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-12-0114111210.1038/s41467-023-42966-0Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval dietRasmus Swalethorp0Michael R. Landry1Brice X. Semmens2Mark D. Ohman3Lihini Aluwihare4Dereka Chargualaf5Andrew R. Thompson6Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California - San DiegoScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California - San DiegoScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California - San DiegoScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California - San DiegoScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California - San DiegoNOAA Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science CenterNOAA Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science CenterAbstract Although massive biomass fluctuations of coastal-pelagic fishes are an iconic example of the impacts of climate variability on marine ecosystems, the mechanisms governing these dynamics are often elusive. We construct a 45-year record of nitrogen stable isotopes measured in larvae of Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) in the California Current Ecosystem to assess patterns in food chain length. Larval trophic efficiency associated with a shortened food chain increased larval survival and produced boom periods of high adult biomass. In contrast, when larval food chain length increased, and energy transfer efficiency decreased, the population crashed. We propose the Trophic Efficiency in Early Life (TEEL) hypothesis, which states that larval fishes must consume prey that confer sufficient energy for survival, to help explain natural boom-bust dynamics of coastal pelagic fishes. Our findings illustrate a potential for trophic indicators to generally inform larval survival and adult population dynamics of coastal-pelagic fishes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42966-0 |
| spellingShingle | Rasmus Swalethorp Michael R. Landry Brice X. Semmens Mark D. Ohman Lihini Aluwihare Dereka Chargualaf Andrew R. Thompson Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet Nature Communications |
| title | Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet |
| title_full | Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet |
| title_fullStr | Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet |
| title_short | Anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet |
| title_sort | anchovy boom and bust linked to trophic shifts in larval diet |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42966-0 |
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