Trophic Consistency of Benthic Invertebrates Among

Authors: Hyun Je Park Jung Hyun Kwak ChangKeun Kang

Publish Date: 2014/06/06

Volume: 38, Issue: 2, Pages: 599-611

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Abstract

The relative importance of different organic matter sources to macrobenthic consumers was investigated at two vegetational habitats Phragmites australis and Suaeda japonica and at a bare intertidal flat in Suncheon Bay in May and August 2010 using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope tracers The δ13C of consumers was much narrower in range than that of potential food sources microphytobenthos marsh plants and riverine and marine particulate organic matter and values were similar between sites However cluster analysis based on the consumer’s isotope values showed that they are divided according to functional groups rather than habitat type and taxonomical group suggesting that the exploitation of different dietary sources depends on feeding strategy Except for two suspension feeders and nonselective deposit feeders at the Phragmites bed most consumers had similar δ13C to those of microphytobenthos An isotopic mixing model calculation revealed the consistent importance of microphytobenthos to the nutrition of benthic invertebrates among wetland habitats in different seasons In contrast very little contribution of marsh plantderived organic matter to consumer nutrition was detected at all sites Furthermore our results suggest that the summer monsoon event does not lead to a seasonal shift in dietary sources of consumers in this coastal wetland systemThis research was supported by “Longterm change of structure and function in marine ecosystems of Korea” funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Korea An earlier draft of this manuscript was substantially improved thanks to the comments made by an anonymous reviewer and associate editor Carolyn A Currin

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