A temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming Arctic

Climate change is leading to northward shifts in species distributions that is altering interspecific interactions at low- and mid-trophic levels. However, little attention has been focused on the effects of redistributions of species on the trophic ecology of a high trophic-level predator assemblag...

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Published in:Royal Society Open Science
Main Authors: David J. Yurkowski, Nigel E. Hussey, Steven H. Ferguson, Aaron T. Fisk
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Royal Society 2018
Subjects:
Q
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.180259
https://doaj.org/article/e080dc470b96405b9d8cfb1ad89e39d8
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spelling ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:e080dc470b96405b9d8cfb1ad89e39d8 2023-05-15T14:54:18+02:00 A temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming Arctic David J. Yurkowski Nigel E. Hussey Steven H. Ferguson Aaron T. Fisk 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.180259 https://doaj.org/article/e080dc470b96405b9d8cfb1ad89e39d8 EN eng The Royal Society https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.180259 https://doaj.org/toc/2054-5703 2054-5703 doi:10.1098/rsos.180259 https://doaj.org/article/e080dc470b96405b9d8cfb1ad89e39d8 Royal Society Open Science, Vol 5, Iss 10 (2018) climate change community-wide metrics fishes food web structure marine mammals stable isotopes Science Q article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.180259 2022-12-31T12:51:21Z Climate change is leading to northward shifts in species distributions that is altering interspecific interactions at low- and mid-trophic levels. However, little attention has been focused on the effects of redistributions of species on the trophic ecology of a high trophic-level predator assemblage. Here, during a 22-year period (1990–2012) of increasing sea temperature (1.0°C) and decreasing sea ice extent (12%) in Cumberland Sound, Nunavut, Canada, we examined the trophic structure of a near-apex predator assemblage before (1990–2002) and after (2005–2012) an increase in the availability of capelin—generally an indicator species in colder marine environments for a warming climate. Stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) were used in a Bayesian framework to assess shifts in diet, niche size and community-wide metrics for beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) and anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). After 2005, consumption of forage fish increased for all predator species, suggesting diet flexibility with changing abiotic and biotic conditions. An associated temporal shift from a trophically diverse to a trophically redundant predator assemblage occurred where predators now play similar trophic roles by consuming prey primarily from the pelagic energy pathway. Overall, these long-term ecological changes signify that trophic shifts of a high trophic-level predator assemblage associated with climate change have occurred in the Arctic food web. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Beluga Beluga* Climate change Cumberland Sound Delphinapterus leucas Greenland Nunavut Pusa hispida Salvelinus alpinus Sea ice Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Canada Cumberland Sound ENVELOPE(-66.014,-66.014,65.334,65.334) Greenland Nunavut Royal Society Open Science 5 10 180259
institution Open Polar
collection Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles
op_collection_id ftdoajarticles
language English
topic climate change
community-wide metrics
fishes
food web structure
marine mammals
stable isotopes
Science
Q
spellingShingle climate change
community-wide metrics
fishes
food web structure
marine mammals
stable isotopes
Science
Q
David J. Yurkowski
Nigel E. Hussey
Steven H. Ferguson
Aaron T. Fisk
A temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming Arctic
topic_facet climate change
community-wide metrics
fishes
food web structure
marine mammals
stable isotopes
Science
Q
description Climate change is leading to northward shifts in species distributions that is altering interspecific interactions at low- and mid-trophic levels. However, little attention has been focused on the effects of redistributions of species on the trophic ecology of a high trophic-level predator assemblage. Here, during a 22-year period (1990–2012) of increasing sea temperature (1.0°C) and decreasing sea ice extent (12%) in Cumberland Sound, Nunavut, Canada, we examined the trophic structure of a near-apex predator assemblage before (1990–2002) and after (2005–2012) an increase in the availability of capelin—generally an indicator species in colder marine environments for a warming climate. Stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) were used in a Bayesian framework to assess shifts in diet, niche size and community-wide metrics for beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) and anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). After 2005, consumption of forage fish increased for all predator species, suggesting diet flexibility with changing abiotic and biotic conditions. An associated temporal shift from a trophically diverse to a trophically redundant predator assemblage occurred where predators now play similar trophic roles by consuming prey primarily from the pelagic energy pathway. Overall, these long-term ecological changes signify that trophic shifts of a high trophic-level predator assemblage associated with climate change have occurred in the Arctic food web.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author David J. Yurkowski
Nigel E. Hussey
Steven H. Ferguson
Aaron T. Fisk
author_facet David J. Yurkowski
Nigel E. Hussey
Steven H. Ferguson
Aaron T. Fisk
author_sort David J. Yurkowski
title A temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming Arctic
title_short A temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming Arctic
title_full A temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming Arctic
title_fullStr A temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming Arctic
title_full_unstemmed A temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming Arctic
title_sort temporal shift in trophic diversity among a predator assemblage in a warming arctic
publisher The Royal Society
publishDate 2018
url https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.180259
https://doaj.org/article/e080dc470b96405b9d8cfb1ad89e39d8
long_lat ENVELOPE(-66.014,-66.014,65.334,65.334)
geographic Arctic
Canada
Cumberland Sound
Greenland
Nunavut
geographic_facet Arctic
Canada
Cumberland Sound
Greenland
Nunavut
genre Arctic
Beluga
Beluga*
Climate change
Cumberland Sound
Delphinapterus leucas
Greenland
Nunavut
Pusa hispida
Salvelinus alpinus
Sea ice
genre_facet Arctic
Beluga
Beluga*
Climate change
Cumberland Sound
Delphinapterus leucas
Greenland
Nunavut
Pusa hispida
Salvelinus alpinus
Sea ice
op_source Royal Society Open Science, Vol 5, Iss 10 (2018)
op_relation https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.180259
https://doaj.org/toc/2054-5703
2054-5703
doi:10.1098/rsos.180259
https://doaj.org/article/e080dc470b96405b9d8cfb1ad89e39d8
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.180259
container_title Royal Society Open Science
container_volume 5
container_issue 10
container_start_page 180259
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