Article (Scientific journals)
Trophic plasticity of Antarctic echinoids under contrasted environmental conditions
Michel, Loïc; David, Bruno; Dubois, Philippe et al.
2016In Polar Biology, 39 (5), p. 913-923
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Keywords :
Antarctic; Echinoids; Feeding behaviour; Stable isotopes; Ecological plasticity; diet shift
Abstract :
[en] Echinoids are common members of Antarctic zoobenthos, and different groups can show important trophic diversity. As part of the ANT-XXIX/3 cruise of RV Polarstern, trophic plasticity of sea urchins was studied in three neighbouring regions (Drake Passage, Bransfield Strait and Weddell Sea) featuring several depth-related habitats offering different trophic environments to benthic consumers. Three families with contrasting feeding habits (Cidaridae, Echinidae and Schizasteridae) were studied. Gut content examination and stable isotopes ratios of C and N suggest that each of the studied families showed a different response to variation in environmental and food conditions. Schizasteridae trophic plasticity was low, and these sea urchins were bulk sediment feeders relying on sediment-associated organic matter in all regions and/or depth-related habitats. Cidaridae consumed the most animal-derived material. Their diet varied according to the considered area, as sea urchins from Bransfield Strait relied mostly on living and/or dead animal material, while specimens from Weddell Sea fed on a mixture of dead animal material and other detritus. Echinidae also showed important trophic plasticity. They fed on various detrital items in Bransfield Strait, and selectivity of ingested material varied across depth-related habitats. In Weddell Sea, stable isotopes revealed that they mostly relied on highly 13C-enriched food items, presumably microbially-reworked benthic detritus. The differences in adaptive strategies could lead to family-specific responses of Antarctic echinoids to environmental and food-related changes.
Research center :
MARE - Centre Interfacultaire de Recherches en Océanologie - ULiège
Disciplines :
Zoology
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Michel, Loïc  ;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Océanographie biologique
David, Bruno;  Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France > Biogéosciences, UMR CNRS 6282
Dubois, Philippe;  Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB > Laboratoire de Biologie Marine
Lepoint, Gilles  ;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Océanographie biologique
De Ridder, Chantal;  Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB > Laboratoire de Biologie Marine
Language :
English
Title :
Trophic plasticity of Antarctic echinoids under contrasted environmental conditions
Publication date :
May 2016
Journal title :
Polar Biology
ISSN :
0722-4060
eISSN :
1432-2056
Publisher :
Springer Science & Business Media B.V., New York, United States - New York
Special issue title :
High environmental variability and steep biological gradients in the waters off the northern Antarctic Peninsula
Volume :
39
Issue :
5
Pages :
913-923
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Name of the research project :
vERSO (BR/132/A1/vERSO)
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
BELSPO - SPP Politique scientifique - Service Public Fédéral de Programmation Politique scientifique
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