Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats

Abstract Mobile, apex predators are commonly assumed to stabilize food webs through trophic coupling across spatially distinct habitats. The assumption that trophic coupling is common remains largely untested, despite evidence that individual behaviors might limit trophic coupling. We used stable is...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales:	Carl S. Cloyed, Rachel M. Wilson, Brian C. Balmer, Aleta A. Hohn, Lori H. Schwacke, Eric S. Zolman, Mandy C. Tumlin, Randall S. Wells, Aaron A. Barleycorn, Jason B. Allen, Ruth H. Carmichael
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/ec343629d0f94d8b84a3a425007b310c
Etiquetas:	Agregar Etiqueta Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!

id	oai:doaj.org-article:ec343629d0f94d8b84a3a425007b310c
record_format	dspace
spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:ec343629d0f94d8b84a3a425007b310c2021-12-02T19:16:19ZSpecialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats10.1038/s41598-021-99017-12045-2322https://doaj.org/article/ec343629d0f94d8b84a3a425007b310c2021-10-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99017-1https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Mobile, apex predators are commonly assumed to stabilize food webs through trophic coupling across spatially distinct habitats. The assumption that trophic coupling is common remains largely untested, despite evidence that individual behaviors might limit trophic coupling. We used stable isotope data from common bottlenose dolphins across the Gulf of Mexico to determine if these apex predators coupled estuarine and adjacent, nearshore marine habitats. δ13C values differed among the sites, likely driven by environmental factors that varied at each site, such as freshwater input and seagrass cover. Within most sites, δ13C values differed such that dolphins sampled in the upper reaches of embayments had values indicative of estuarine habitats while those sampled outside or in lower reaches of embayments had values indicative of marine habitats. δ15N values were more similar among and within sites than δ13C values. Data from multiple tissues within individuals corroborated that most dolphins consistently used a narrow range of habitats but fed at similar trophic levels in estuarine and marine habitats. Because these dolphins exhibited individual habitat specialization, they likely do not contribute to trophic coupling between estuarine and adjacent marine habitats at a regional scale, suggesting that not all mobile, apex predators trophically couple adjacent habitats.Carl S. CloyedRachel M. WilsonBrian C. BalmerAleta A. HohnLori H. SchwackeEric S. ZolmanMandy C. TumlinRandall S. WellsAaron A. BarleycornJason B. AllenRuth H. CarmichaelNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Carl S. Cloyed Rachel M. Wilson Brian C. Balmer Aleta A. Hohn Lori H. Schwacke Eric S. Zolman Mandy C. Tumlin Randall S. Wells Aaron A. Barleycorn Jason B. Allen Ruth H. Carmichael Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats
description	Abstract Mobile, apex predators are commonly assumed to stabilize food webs through trophic coupling across spatially distinct habitats. The assumption that trophic coupling is common remains largely untested, despite evidence that individual behaviors might limit trophic coupling. We used stable isotope data from common bottlenose dolphins across the Gulf of Mexico to determine if these apex predators coupled estuarine and adjacent, nearshore marine habitats. δ13C values differed among the sites, likely driven by environmental factors that varied at each site, such as freshwater input and seagrass cover. Within most sites, δ13C values differed such that dolphins sampled in the upper reaches of embayments had values indicative of estuarine habitats while those sampled outside or in lower reaches of embayments had values indicative of marine habitats. δ15N values were more similar among and within sites than δ13C values. Data from multiple tissues within individuals corroborated that most dolphins consistently used a narrow range of habitats but fed at similar trophic levels in estuarine and marine habitats. Because these dolphins exhibited individual habitat specialization, they likely do not contribute to trophic coupling between estuarine and adjacent marine habitats at a regional scale, suggesting that not all mobile, apex predators trophically couple adjacent habitats.
format	article
author	Carl S. Cloyed Rachel M. Wilson Brian C. Balmer Aleta A. Hohn Lori H. Schwacke Eric S. Zolman Mandy C. Tumlin Randall S. Wells Aaron A. Barleycorn Jason B. Allen Ruth H. Carmichael
author_facet	Carl S. Cloyed Rachel M. Wilson Brian C. Balmer Aleta A. Hohn Lori H. Schwacke Eric S. Zolman Mandy C. Tumlin Randall S. Wells Aaron A. Barleycorn Jason B. Allen Ruth H. Carmichael
author_sort	Carl S. Cloyed
title	Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats
title_short	Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats
title_full	Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats
title_fullStr	Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats
title_full_unstemmed	Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats
title_sort	specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/ec343629d0f94d8b84a3a425007b310c
work_keys_str_mv	AT carlscloyed specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT rachelmwilson specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT briancbalmer specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT aletaahohn specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT lorihschwacke specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT ericszolman specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT mandyctumlin specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT randallswells specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT aaronabarleycorn specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT jasonballen specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats AT ruthhcarmichael specializationofamobileapexpredatoraffectstrophiccouplingamongadjacenthabitats
_version_	1718377004629229568

Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats

Ejemplares similares