Sources of primary production supporting food webs in an arid coastal embayment
Author | Al-Maslamani, I. |
Author | Walton, M.E.M. |
Author | Kennedy, H. |
Author | Le Vay, L. |
Available date | 2024-03-25T04:28:08Z |
Publication Date | 2012 |
Publication Name | Marine Biology |
Resource | Scopus |
ISSN | 253162 |
Abstract | Penaeid shrimp can be useful ecological indicators of linkages between shallow tropical coastal habitats, acting as integrators of carbon and nitrogen sources due to their generalist feeding habits and their mobility between habitats and with tidal cycles. In the current study, the contribution of mangrove, seagrass and microbial mat to the nutrition of two penaeid shrimp species, Penaeus semisulcatus and Metapeneus ensis, in a shallow arid embayment in the Arabian Gulf was assessed through a combination of analysis of stomach contents and dual carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures. Shrimp tissue stable isotope signatures identified seagrass as a major source of carbon and nitrogen for both species, contributing 21–38 % (1–99 ‰). Microbial mat was also detected as a significant nutritional source for early-stage Metapenaeus affinis postlarvae (1–27 %). However, mangroves were not identified as a significant source, with the range of results including the possibility of a zero contribution. Moreover, the greatest possible contribution of mangroves as source of carbon was less than for the other primary producers. This may be due the high salinity and wide temperature range limiting mangrove productivity as well as the low export of dissolved and particulate organic material out of the mangroves due to low rainfall. |
Sponsor | Acknowledgments This research was supported by the Qatar National Research Foundation, National Priorities Research Programme research grant 09-129-018. |
Language | en |
Publisher | Springer Nature |
Subject | arid region coastal zone crustacean dissolved organic matter environmental indicator food web isotopic analysis mangrove microbial mat motility nutrition particulate organic matter primary production salinity seagrass stable isotope stomach content temperature effect temperature profile tidal cycle Arabian Sea Indian Ocean Persian Gulf Decapoda (Crustacea) Ensis Metapenaeus affinis Penaeidae Penaeus Penaeus semisulcatus Rhizophoraceae |
Type | Article |
Pagination | 1753-1762 |
Issue Number | 8 |
Volume Number | 159 |
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