Trophic assessment of three sympatric batoid species in the Southern Gulf of California.
PeerJ
; 11: e16117, 2023.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37753172
ABSTRACT
The competitive exclusion principle establishes that the coexistence of closely related species requires a certain degree of resource partitioning. However, populations have individuals with different morphological or behavioral traits (e.g., maturity stages, sexes, temporal or spatial segregation). This interaction often results in a multi-level differentiation in food preferences and habits. We explored such resource partitioning between and within three batoid species Hypanus dipterurus, Narcine entemedor, and Rhinoptera steindachneri in the southern Gulf of California, Mexico, using a combination of stomach content (excluding R. steindachneri) and stable isotope analyses. We found a clear differentiation between H. dipterurus and N. entemedor, where the latter exhibited more benthic habitats, supported by a greater association to infaunal prey and higher δ13C values. Though the degree and patterns of intra-specific segregation varied among species, there was a notable differentiation in both sex and stage of maturity, corresponding to changes in specialization (i.e., isotopic niche breadth) or trophic spectrum (varying prey importance and isotopic values per group). This work is a promising step towards understanding the dietary niche dynamics of these species in a potentially important feeding area within the southern Gulf of California, as well as the biological and ecological mechanisms that facilitate their coexistence.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Avaliação Nutricional
/
Geraniaceae
Limite:
Humans
País como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article