Prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the Bay of Biscay
International audience Ecosystem-based management requires a clear understanding of marine ecosystem functioning, particularly the transfer of energy (consumption) to higher trophic levels. However, robust estimates of consumption are generally hampered by a dearth of data for predators (diet and ab...
Published in: | Progress in Oceanography |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , |
Other Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
HAL CCSD
2018
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hal.science/hal-02264589 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 |
id |
ftinsu:oai:HAL:hal-02264589v1 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftinsu:oai:HAL:hal-02264589v1 2023-05-15T15:37:14+02:00 Prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the Bay of Biscay Spitz, J. Ridoux, V. Trites, A.W. Laran, S. Authier, M. Observatoire PELAGIS UMS 3462 (PELAGIS) LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés - UMR 7266 (LIENSs) Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC) Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries MMRU Canada Marine Mammal Research Unit Canada 2018-09 https://hal.science/hal-02264589 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 en eng HAL CCSD Elsevier info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 hal-02264589 https://hal.science/hal-02264589 doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 ISSN: 0079-6611 Progress in Oceanography https://hal.science/hal-02264589 Progress in Oceanography, 2018, 166, pp.148-158. ⟨10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013⟩ [SDE]Environmental Sciences info:eu-repo/semantics/article Journal articles 2018 ftinsu https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 2023-02-15T19:35:11Z International audience Ecosystem-based management requires a clear understanding of marine ecosystem functioning, particularly the transfer of energy (consumption) to higher trophic levels. However, robust estimates of consumption are generally hampered by a dearth of data for predators (diet and abundance), and by methodological weaknesses. We undertook a comprehensive assessment of energy requirements and prey consumption for the 10 most abundant cetacean species in the Bay of Biscay (northeastern Atlantic Ocean, France) by combining recent data on their abundances from aerial surveys, and diets from stomach content analyses. We also incorporated functional considerations to group prey and address interspecific differences in the cost of living of cetaceans that are independent of body size. Species considered included harbour porpoise, common dolphins, striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, long-finned pilot whales, Risso's dolphins, sperm whales, Cuvier's beaked whales, minke whales and fin whales. We used Monte Carlo resampling methods to estimate annual and seasonal (winter and summer) consumption over the continental shelf and slope—and found that small toothed whale populations (which were much more abundant than other cetacean groups) required about twice as much resources as baleen whales and deep-diving toothed whales combined. Our results show that small energy-rich schooling fish are the key prey group sustaining a large part of the cetacean community in the Bay of Biscay. The biomass removal of small energy-rich schooling fish by cetaceans is 6 times higher than removals of all other prey groups. High quality nutritional resources appear to be crucial to sustaining cetaceans and maintaining ecosystem functions and services in the Bay of Biscay, and should be carefully monitored. Article in Journal/Newspaper baleen whales Harbour porpoise toothed whale toothed whales Institut national des sciences de l'Univers: HAL-INSU Progress in Oceanography 166 148 158 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Institut national des sciences de l'Univers: HAL-INSU |
op_collection_id |
ftinsu |
language |
English |
topic |
[SDE]Environmental Sciences |
spellingShingle |
[SDE]Environmental Sciences Spitz, J. Ridoux, V. Trites, A.W. Laran, S. Authier, M. Prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the Bay of Biscay |
topic_facet |
[SDE]Environmental Sciences |
description |
International audience Ecosystem-based management requires a clear understanding of marine ecosystem functioning, particularly the transfer of energy (consumption) to higher trophic levels. However, robust estimates of consumption are generally hampered by a dearth of data for predators (diet and abundance), and by methodological weaknesses. We undertook a comprehensive assessment of energy requirements and prey consumption for the 10 most abundant cetacean species in the Bay of Biscay (northeastern Atlantic Ocean, France) by combining recent data on their abundances from aerial surveys, and diets from stomach content analyses. We also incorporated functional considerations to group prey and address interspecific differences in the cost of living of cetaceans that are independent of body size. Species considered included harbour porpoise, common dolphins, striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, long-finned pilot whales, Risso's dolphins, sperm whales, Cuvier's beaked whales, minke whales and fin whales. We used Monte Carlo resampling methods to estimate annual and seasonal (winter and summer) consumption over the continental shelf and slope—and found that small toothed whale populations (which were much more abundant than other cetacean groups) required about twice as much resources as baleen whales and deep-diving toothed whales combined. Our results show that small energy-rich schooling fish are the key prey group sustaining a large part of the cetacean community in the Bay of Biscay. The biomass removal of small energy-rich schooling fish by cetaceans is 6 times higher than removals of all other prey groups. High quality nutritional resources appear to be crucial to sustaining cetaceans and maintaining ecosystem functions and services in the Bay of Biscay, and should be carefully monitored. |
author2 |
Observatoire PELAGIS UMS 3462 (PELAGIS) LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés - UMR 7266 (LIENSs) Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC) Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries MMRU Canada Marine Mammal Research Unit Canada |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Spitz, J. Ridoux, V. Trites, A.W. Laran, S. Authier, M. |
author_facet |
Spitz, J. Ridoux, V. Trites, A.W. Laran, S. Authier, M. |
author_sort |
Spitz, J. |
title |
Prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the Bay of Biscay |
title_short |
Prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the Bay of Biscay |
title_full |
Prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the Bay of Biscay |
title_fullStr |
Prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the Bay of Biscay |
title_full_unstemmed |
Prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the Bay of Biscay |
title_sort |
prey consumption by cetaceans reveals the importance of energy-rich food webs in the bay of biscay |
publisher |
HAL CCSD |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://hal.science/hal-02264589 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 |
genre |
baleen whales Harbour porpoise toothed whale toothed whales |
genre_facet |
baleen whales Harbour porpoise toothed whale toothed whales |
op_source |
ISSN: 0079-6611 Progress in Oceanography https://hal.science/hal-02264589 Progress in Oceanography, 2018, 166, pp.148-158. ⟨10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013⟩ |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 hal-02264589 https://hal.science/hal-02264589 doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2017.09.013 |
container_title |
Progress in Oceanography |
container_volume |
166 |
container_start_page |
148 |
op_container_end_page |
158 |
_version_ |
1766367688660090880 |