Poster (Scientific congresses and symposiums)
Trophic plasticity of Antarctic echinoids under contrasted environmental conditions
Michel, Loïc; David, Bruno; Dubois, Philippe et al.
2016VLIZ Marine Scientist Day
 

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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
Environmental sciences & ecology
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
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 :
12 February 2016
Number of pages :
A0
Event name :
VLIZ Marine Scientist Day
Event organizer :
Vlaams Instituut voor Zee - VLIZ
Event place :
Bruges, Belgium
Event date :
12/02/2016
Audience :
International
Name of the research project :
vERSO (BR/132/A1/vERSO)
Funders :
BELSPO - SPP Politique scientifique - Service Public Fédéral de Programmation Politique scientifique
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
Available on ORBi :
since 22 January 2016

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