Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic Water
The southern king crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> is one of the most economically important fishery species in the southern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A combination of stomach content and stable isotope analyses was used to reveal the potential dietary characteristics, isot...
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/56 |
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| author | Claudia Andrade Cristóbal Rivera Erik Daza Eduardo Almonacid Fernanda Ovando Flavia Morello Luis Miguel Pardo |
| author_facet | Claudia Andrade Cristóbal Rivera Erik Daza Eduardo Almonacid Fernanda Ovando Flavia Morello Luis Miguel Pardo |
| author_sort | Claudia Andrade |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The southern king crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> is one of the most economically important fishery species in the southern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A combination of stomach content and stable isotope analyses was used to reveal the potential dietary characteristics, isotopic niche, overlap among maturity stages and sexes, and trophic relationships of an <i>L. santolla</i> population in the Nassau Bay, Cape Horn region. Stable isotope analyses indicated that <i>L. santolla</i> assimilated energy from a basal carbon source, the giant kelp <i>Macrocystis pyrifera</i>, forming the trophic baseline of the benthic food web. Moreover, the trophic position of <i>L. santolla</i> varied among late juveniles and adults, suggesting that the southern king crab does undergo an ontogenetic diet shift. <i>L. santolla</i> exhibited intraspecific isotopic niche variation, reflecting niche differentiation which allows the species to partition resources. The trophic relationships of <i>L. santolla</i> with the associated fauna suggested some potential interactions for food resources/habitat use when they are limited. This study is the first attempt to characterize the trophic dynamics of the southern king crab in the Cape Horn area and, by generating more data, contributes to the conservation of the king crab population and the long-term management of local fisheries that rely on this resource. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:37:39Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:37:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
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| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-9fb714a7d66840edbd7d3cfe436bc8252023-11-23T13:31:20ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182022-01-011415610.3390/d14010056Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic WaterClaudia Andrade0Cristóbal Rivera1Erik Daza2Eduardo Almonacid3Fernanda Ovando4Flavia Morello5Luis Miguel Pardo6Laboratorio de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de la Patagonia, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas 6210427, ChileLaboratorio de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de la Patagonia, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas 6210427, ChileInstituto de Fomento Pesquero, Punta Arenas 6210549, ChileInstituto de Fomento Pesquero, Punta Arenas 6210549, ChileLaboratorio de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de la Patagonia, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas 6210427, ChileCentro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Instituto de la Patagonia, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas 6210427, ChileLaboratorio Costero de Calfuco, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, ChileThe southern king crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> is one of the most economically important fishery species in the southern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A combination of stomach content and stable isotope analyses was used to reveal the potential dietary characteristics, isotopic niche, overlap among maturity stages and sexes, and trophic relationships of an <i>L. santolla</i> population in the Nassau Bay, Cape Horn region. Stable isotope analyses indicated that <i>L. santolla</i> assimilated energy from a basal carbon source, the giant kelp <i>Macrocystis pyrifera</i>, forming the trophic baseline of the benthic food web. Moreover, the trophic position of <i>L. santolla</i> varied among late juveniles and adults, suggesting that the southern king crab does undergo an ontogenetic diet shift. <i>L. santolla</i> exhibited intraspecific isotopic niche variation, reflecting niche differentiation which allows the species to partition resources. The trophic relationships of <i>L. santolla</i> with the associated fauna suggested some potential interactions for food resources/habitat use when they are limited. This study is the first attempt to characterize the trophic dynamics of the southern king crab in the Cape Horn area and, by generating more data, contributes to the conservation of the king crab population and the long-term management of local fisheries that rely on this resource.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/56Crustaceatrophic ecology<i>Macrocystis pyrifera</i>isotopic nichestable isotopesstomach content |
| spellingShingle | Claudia Andrade Cristóbal Rivera Erik Daza Eduardo Almonacid Fernanda Ovando Flavia Morello Luis Miguel Pardo Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic Water Diversity Crustacea trophic ecology <i>Macrocystis pyrifera</i> isotopic niche stable isotopes stomach content |
| title | Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic Water |
| title_full | Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic Water |
| title_fullStr | Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic Water |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic Water |
| title_short | Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab <i>Lithodes santolla</i> in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic Water |
| title_sort | trophic niche dynamics and diet partitioning of king crab i lithodes santolla i in chile s sub antarctic water |
| topic | Crustacea trophic ecology <i>Macrocystis pyrifera</i> isotopic niche stable isotopes stomach content |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/56 |
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