Article
Biodiversity Conservation
M. C. Neves, M. Vannuci-Silva, G. Montanini, A. F. Azevedo, J. Lailson-Brito, T. L. Bisi
Summary: Species in sympatry can coexist by niche partitioning, as observed in the Ilha Grande Bay where four cetacean species frequently occur. Niche overlap was high for species with site fidelity, while the rough-toothed dolphin showed high segregation. The bay is a biodiversity hotspot, providing diverse resources for the studied cetacean community.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brandon D. Hoenig, Brian K. Trevelline, Andrea Kautz, Steven C. Latta, Brady A. Porter
Summary: This study explores the utility of combining molecular and chemical techniques for dietary characterizations. By using DNA metabarcoding and stable isotope analysis, the researchers investigated the dietary niche of breeding Louisiana waterthrush. The results suggest that the waterthrush prefers pollution-intolerant, aquatic prey and the dietary characterizations from each approach were often uncorrelated.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jing Wang, Ri-Jin Jiang, Yi Xiao, Rui Yin, Feng Chen, Yong-dong Zhou, Han-Xiang Xu
Summary: This study investigates the ecological niche differences and resource sharing among five Sciaenid fish species in the waters of the Zhoushan Archipelago. The results show significant differences in carbon and nitrogen isotopic values in the muscle tissues of these fish species. Zooplankton is a key food resource for all species, and some species also feed on benthos organisms. Differences in trophic niche width and overlap are observed among the species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Li Yang, Tao Chen, Lu Zhang, Pengfei Fan
Summary: Stable habitat is crucial for the long-term persistence of species, providing sufficient food and acting as a refuge. We identified the stable habitat for the critically endangered western black crested gibbon in Mt. Wuliang, and found that their habitat is recovering. The stable habitat, mainly located at mid-elevation, plays a crucial role in protecting the gibbon population.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Wanxin Lei, Wei Wei, Dan Pu, Shibu Qubi, Hong Zhou, Mingsheng Hong, Junfeng Tang, Han Han
Summary: By measuring the isotopes in the hair of giant pandas, researchers found that the trophic niche widths of the Qinling population were significantly larger than those of the Sichuan population, and both populations occupied a unique trophic position in the ecosystem. The difference in isotopes between bamboo shoots and other food parts, as well as the pandas' feeding choices, accounted for the discrepancy. This study provides new insights into the resource use and trophic ecology of giant pandas.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Hending
Summary: Ecological niche modeling is a valuable tool for understanding a species' ecology and determining factors influencing their distribution. This study focused on the conservation biogeography of fork-marked lemurs in Madagascar, revealing distinct ecological niches and suggesting the presence of potentially undescribed species.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rongliang Zhang, Hui Liu, Qianqian Zhang, Hua Zhang, Jianmin Zhao
Summary: This study assessed the function of artificial reefs as alternative habitats for two common reef-associated predatory fishes. The results suggested that artificial reefs have strong ecological adaptability for predatory fishes, but prey availability differs from natural reefs, leading to different degrees of resource partitioning between the two reef types.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenfang Zhao, Guanyu Hu, Zhou Fang, Jinhui Li, Bilin Liu, Xinjun Chen
Summary: In this study, the feeding strategies and coexistence patterns of large-, medium-, and small-sized groups of D. gigas were investigated using beak morphology and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes analysis. The results showed high niche overlap between medium- and small-sized groups, whereas the large-sized group differed significantly. Additionally, the niche width of females was larger than that of males in all groups. These findings demonstrated that the three different size groups of D. gigas adopted a feeding strategy with inter- and intra-group regulation to maximize resource utilization and enable coexistence.
MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lily S. R. Tao, Yanny K. Y. Mak, Valerie C. M. Ho, Ronia C-T Sham, Tommy T. Y. Hui, Danny C. P. Lau, Kenneth M. Y. Leung
Summary: The study aimed to test the effectiveness of a trawl ban on the recovery of a predatory fish population, showing that the ban promoted the growth and restoration of the predatory fish population.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tommy Andriollo, Johan R. Michaux, Manuel Ruedi
Summary: Using DNA metabarcoding, this study investigated the differential diet of three closely-related bat species in sympatry, revealing strong seasonal and spatial variations in diet composition at both intra- and interspecific levels. It was found that each bat species utilized different feeding grounds and hunting techniques, primarily driven by habitat, highlighting the importance of temporally comprehensive samples in understanding species coexistence. Valuable information on species coexistence and resource partitioning can be derived from the taxonomic identity of prey obtained by metabarcoding.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
K. M. MacKenzie, C. Lydersen, T. Haug, H. Routti, J. Aars, C. M. Andvik, K. Borga, A. T. Fisk, S. Meier, M. Biuw, A. D. Lowther, U. Lindstrom, K. M. Kovacs
Summary: The Arctic is warming rapidly, posing a threat to marine mammals and their ecosystem. The study of stable isotopes and trophic webs reveals clear separation in trophic behavior and carbon sources among different species, indicating significant niche partitioning. This could have implications for the structure and connectivity of the Arctic ecosystem.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shulin Han, Guoping Zhu
Summary: This study investigated the trophic niches and accumulation and transfer of four trace elements (Cu, Cd, Zn, and Pb) from Antarctic krill to mackerel icefish. The concentrations of these elements in krill were significantly higher than in icefish. There was a bio-dilution effect of these elements from krill to icefish, with Cu having the lowest biomagnification factor. Cu concentration in krill was correlated with δ15N and δ13C, while Pb enrichment in icefish was affected by δ15N.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jamerson Aguiar-Santos, Pieter DeHart, Bruce Forsberg, Carlos Freitas
Summary: Individual dietary specialization is an important factor in promoting variation in resource use at the individual level. This study found that undammed rivers provide better conditions for promoting individual dietary specialization. These findings contribute to our understanding of the impact of fragmentation on the specific life history characteristics of generalist predator populations in megadiverse environments such as the Amazon basin.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kang Wang, Yongcui Sha, Jun Xu, Tanglin Zhang, Wei Hu, Zuoyan Zhu
Summary: Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can drive global change, with transgenic fish showing potential to improve aquaculture production. A study on transgenic and non-transgenic carp found that they alter their trophic niche to facilitate coexistence through local niche partitioning, highlighting the importance of changing interspecific interactions for ecological risk assessment. The competitive niche partitioning between transgenic and non-transgenic carp may make it difficult for escaped transgenic carp to establish a more successful population than wild carp.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Christian H. Brown, Heather P. Griscom
Summary: Ecological niche modeling is a common practice in ecology, but understanding the diverse terminology and carefully interpreting model inputs and outputs are crucial. This study demonstrates the importance of modeling species distribution and habitat suitability separately, showcasing different outcomes based on modeling methods.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Ilaria de Meo, Kjartan Ostbye, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Brian Hayden, Marius Magnus, Antonio B. S. Poleo
Summary: This study investigated the trophic ecology of crucian carp using stable isotope and gut content analysis, and found that their resource use and food preferences were highly dynamic and varied among individuals and lakes.
ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Benjamin Yost Hayden
Summary: The parcellation of the primate cerebral cortex into numbered regions, based on cytoarchitecture, has been helpful to understand cognition. However, these maps limit functional neuroanatomy and it is time to think more broadly in order to incorporate emergentist organization and interactional complexity into neuroscience.
JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Per-Arne Amundsen, Matilda Henriksson, Amanda Poste, Sebastian Prati, Michael Power
Summary: This study examines the interaction between trophic ecology and mercury contamination in the fish communities of two lakes in a pollution-impacted subarctic watercourse. The findings suggest that the complexity of the food web and the composition of species play a role in the transfer of mercury in fish. Piscivorous fish were found to have higher mercury concentrations, with some species exceeding health authorization limits, potentially impacting fishing and human consumption.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Aatu Turunen, Andres Salgado-Ismodes, Hannu Huuskonen, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Mikko Olin, Jukka Ruuhijarvi, Anssi Vainikka
Summary: Management of inland recreational fisheries can benefit from data on stock abundance and size structure. Ice fishing, using standardized angling methods, can provide information on the abundance of different-sized fish in small lakes. Our study found that the length distribution of fish caught through ice fishing was similar to the traditional gillnets method, indicating it can be a valid indicator for management purposes.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
David Jofre Madariaga, Maria Teresa Gonzalez, Christopher Dias Borquez, Erasmo C. Macaya, Chris Harrod, Martin Thiel
Summary: Codium fragile, an invasive seaweed, has successfully colonized coastal habitats in temperate regions but is rarely found in lower latitudes. In a study conducted in Chile, Codium was primarily found in mid and high tidepools, with larger individuals in the high intertidal pools and reproductive individuals in mid tidepools. The presence of Codium in these habitats can be attributed to lower consumer pressure and its tolerance to extreme environmental conditions.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carlos Angulo-Preckler, Marta Turon, Kim Praebel, Conxita Avila, Owen S. Wangensteen
Summary: This study examined the molecular eukaryotic biodiversity patterns in shallow hard-bottom Antarctic benthic communities using community DNA metabarcoding. Polar ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate change and benthic macroinvertebrate communities have shown rapid responses to various pressures. However, there is limited knowledge about the biodiversity of Antarctic benthos associated with hard-bottom habitats.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
J. A. Canseco, L. Chavez, E. J. Niklitschek, C. Yarnes, C. Harrod
Summary: Diet studies are important for understanding predator-prey dynamics and diet changes in marine ecosystems. However, there is limited research on the sensitivity and variability of different diet estimation methods, especially for fishes in the Southern Ocean. This study compared stomach content analysis and stable isotope analysis to characterize the diet of Champsocephalus gunnari. The results showed that the estimates from stable isotope analysis were highly sensitive to assumptions about trophic enrichment factors and nitrogen isotope values.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ossi Keva, Jaakko J. Litmanen, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Ursula Strandberg, Mikko Kiljunen, Heikki Hamalainen, Sami J. Taipale
Summary: Eutrophication and lake browning affect the nutritional quality and feeding preference of phytoplankton and zooplankton. Lake chemistry and morphology do not explain these effects well. Zooplankton show selective feeding, possibly by foraging in high-quality algae patches or selectively assimilating PUFAs.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Mahsa Hajisafarali, Jouni Taskinen, Antti P. Eloranta, Mikko Kiljunen
Summary: Chemical preservatives can alter stable isotope ratios in animal tissues. This study investigated the effects of ethanol preservation on delta C-13, delta N-15, and delta H-2 values in the freshwater pearl mussel (FPM). Ethanol preservation significantly increased delta C-13 values and had a tissue-dependent effect on delta H-2 values.
Article
Ecology
Antti P. Eloranta, Tommi Perala, Anna Kuparinen
Summary: Current research in ecology and ecosystem management emphasizes the need for a better understanding of the abiotic factors driving community dynamics, such as the impact of temperature on species interactions and biomass accumulation. Allometric trophic network (ATN) models, which simulate carbon transfer in trophic networks based on metabolic rates, offer a promising framework for studying consumer-resource interactions. However, these models usually overlook temporal changes in key abiotic drivers that affect consumer metabolism and producer growth. Here, we assess how changes in carrying capacity, light-dependent growth rate of producers, and temperature-dependent metabolic rate of consumers influence ATN model dynamics, specifically seasonal biomass accumulation and standing stock biomass of different trophic groups. Our findings highlight the importance of considering seasonality and adjusting abiotic parameters in ATN models to simulate temporal fluctuations in food-web dynamics and evaluate community-level responses to environmental changes.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anna Kuparinen, Silva Uusi-Heikkila, Tommi Perala, Fabio Ercoli, Antti P. P. Eloranta, Fabien Cremona, Peeter Noges, Alo Laas, Tiina Noges
Summary: Invasive species pose a threat to native populations and the structure of food webs. Using an ecological network model, we predict the impact of Amur sleeper invasion on a lake ecosystem. The establishment of Amur sleeper leads to a decrease in biomass of top predator fishes.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. J. Piro, S. J. Taipale, H. M. Laiho, E. S. Eerola, K. K. Kahilainen
Summary: A year-round study reveals that the seasonal variability has a significant impact on the concentration and bioaccumulation of THg in fish. Different fish species show variations in THg levels and bioaccumulation slopes across seasons, highlighting the importance of standardized sampling in long-term monitoring.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Natalia Kozak, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Hannu K. Pakkanen, Brian Hayden, Kjartan o Stbye, Sami J. Taipale
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between total mercury (THg) content in northern pike and amino acids, as well as various environmental and biological factors. The study found a positive relationship between THg and proline, while seven out of sixteen analyzed amino acids were significantly negatively related to warmer and more productive lakes. The study highlights the importance of both biological and environmental variables in determining THg levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Cyril Rigaud, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Marco L. Calderini, Matthias Pilecky, Martin J. Kainz, Marja Tiirola, Sami J. Taipale
Summary: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are critical for reproduction and thermal adaptation in fish. In a study on European perch in a boreal lake, the expression of the fatty acid desaturase 2 (fads2) gene in the liver was found to vary with individual size, sex, and maturity, as well as the stable isotopes values and fatty acids content in their diet. The production of ARA and DHA, two important PUFA, was limited to the summer months, but perch required more of these fatty acids during winter when their muscle content was higher. The expression of fads2 in perch liver increased during winter, particularly in mature females, who stored DHA in their gonads even before the spawning season in spring. These findings suggest that perch can regulate the biosynthesis of physiologically required PUFA in response to stress or high energetic demand.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marco L. Calderini, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Satu Estlander, Elina Peltomaa, Alexander J. Piro, Cyril Rigaud, Jukka Ruuhijarvi, Pauliina Salmi, Jussi Vesterinen, Kristiina Vuorio, Sami J. Taipale
Summary: This study assessed the impact of eutrophication on the food web in 12 Finnish boreal lakes. The results showed that eutrophication led to increased biomass of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish communities, but also affected species composition. Additionally, eutrophication negatively affected the synthesis and transfer of fatty acids.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)