Mesograzer identity, not host algae, determines consumer stable isotope ratios

ABSTRACT

Species-specific foraging habits or feeding preferences influence the overall trophic functioning in consumer assemblages. We set out to assess the in situ trophic diversity in a mesograzer assemblage (isopods, amphipods and gastropods) associated with marine littoral macroalgae. More specifically, we set out to establish whether stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) are dependent on primary consumer identity or expressed in relation to the identity of the algal host, i.e. the habitat of the consumer. Consumer locations in bivariate isotope space revealed significant differences among grazer taxa, but no effect of the algal host. This suggests that grazer-specific foraging is more important in driving the qualitative range of feeding in the consumer assemblage than host diversity per se within a macrohabitat, such as a bay or a lagoon. The stable isotope ratios of the mesoherbivores were in line with expectations based on the known feeding ecology of the grazers. However, the trophic diversity suggested by stable isotope analysis implies that even an established concept such as the mesograzer guild may encompass simplifications in terms of functional group membership.

RESPONSIBLE EDITOR:

• Haakon Hop

KEYWORDS:

• Food web
• biodiversity
• herbivore
• macroalgae
• stable isotopes
• Baltic Sea

Acknowledgements

We thank staff and students at Husö biologiska station, Åbo Akademi University, for help with fieldwork, and Johan Lindholm for assistance in the laboratory.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Marie C. Nordström http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5763-1813

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Åbo Akademi University Endowment (Stiftelsen för Åbo Akademi).