Article (Scientific journals)
Effects of fish predation on Posidonia oceanica amphipod assemblages
Sturaro, Nicolas; Gobert, Sylvie; Pérez-Perera, Amanda et al.
2016In Marine Biology, 163, p. 58
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
 

Files


Full Text
Sturaro et al (2016).pdf
Publisher postprint (700.06 kB)
Download

All documents in ORBi are protected by a user license.

Send to



Details



Keywords :
Posidonia oceanica seagrass; fish predation; amphipod; marine protected area; caging experiment; Mediterranean Sea
Abstract :
[en] Amphipod assemblages that inhabit Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows are potentially relevant trophic resources for ichthyofauna. However, the effects of fish predation on amphipod assemblages in this system have received little attention. To address this gap in knowledge, experimental manipulations of predation intensity (exclusion and inclusion cages) were conducted at two sites in a Mediterranean marine protected area, where different levels of fish predation were expected to occur. We found that in the absence of predatory fishes (exclusion cages), total amphipod density and biomass were higher than in uncaged areas and partially controlled cages. At the species level, Caprella acanthifera and Iphimedia minuta responded to caging with increased abundance, while in most cases different species did not exhibit differences in density or biomass between treatments. The presence of one enclosed labrid fish predator (inclusion cages) resulted in a lower density and biomass of Aora spinicornis and a lower biomass of Phtisica marina, although total amphipod density and biomass were unchanged. In the inclusion cages, a size-frequency analysis revealed that predators mainly targeted large A. spinicornis and Apherusa chiereghinii individuals. Our results suggest that predation by fish may be an important factor in controlling amphipod abundances and biomasses in P. oceanica meadows. Overall, amphipod community composition was not affected by exclusion or inclusion of fish predators. However, some significant effects at the species level point to more complex interactions between some amphipods and fish.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Zoology
Author, co-author :
Sturaro, Nicolas ;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Océanographie biologique
Gobert, Sylvie  ;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Océanographie biologique
Pérez-Perera, Amanda
Caut, Stéphane
Panzalis, Pier Augusto
Navone, Augusto
Lepoint, Gilles  ;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Océanographie biologique
Language :
English
Title :
Effects of fish predation on Posidonia oceanica amphipod assemblages
Publication date :
2016
Journal title :
Marine Biology
ISSN :
0025-3162
eISSN :
1432-1793
Publisher :
Springer Science & Business Media B.V., New York, United States - New York
Volume :
163
Pages :
58
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
FRIA - Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture [BE]
Special Research Fund of the University of Liege - FSR
Available on ORBi :
since 01 May 2016

Statistics


Number of views
100 (12 by ULiège)
Number of downloads
280 (12 by ULiège)

Scopus citations®
 
8
Scopus citations®
without self-citations
8
OpenCitations
 
7

Bibliography


Similar publications



Contact ORBi