Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift
Current knowledge on the feeding ecology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), a potential top predator in arctic marine ecosystems, is based on small sample sizes as well as narrow size ranges of sharks. Therefore, potential size-related feeding patterns remain poorly documented. Using...
Published in: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/greenland-shark-somniosus-microcephalus-stomach-contents-and-stable-isotope-values-reveal-an-ontogenetic-dietary-shift(048109b3-3432-4792-913e-1722f1e87259).html https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00125 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064606327&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
id |
ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/048109b3-3432-4792-913e-1722f1e87259 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/048109b3-3432-4792-913e-1722f1e87259 2023-07-30T04:01:55+02:00 Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift Nielsen, Julius Christiansen, Jørgen Schou Grønkjær, Peter Bushnell, Peter Steffensen, John Fleng Kiilerich, Helene Overgaard Præbel, Kim Hedeholm, Rasmus 2019-04 https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/greenland-shark-somniosus-microcephalus-stomach-contents-and-stable-isotope-values-reveal-an-ontogenetic-dietary-shift(048109b3-3432-4792-913e-1722f1e87259).html https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00125 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064606327&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Nielsen , J , Christiansen , J S , Grønkjær , P , Bushnell , P , Steffensen , J F , Kiilerich , H O , Præbel , K & Hedeholm , R 2019 , ' Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift ' , Frontiers in Marine Science , vol. 6 , 125 . https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00125 Diet Feeding ecology Greenland shark Isotopes Stomach content article 2019 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00125 2023-07-12T22:58:07Z Current knowledge on the feeding ecology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), a potential top predator in arctic marine ecosystems, is based on small sample sizes as well as narrow size ranges of sharks. Therefore, potential size-related feeding patterns remain poorly documented. Using stomach content data (N = 88) and stable isotope values of white muscle tissue (N = 40), this study evaluates the diet of sharks ranging in size from 81 to 474 cm (total length). The importance of prey categories ("Fish," "Mammal," "Squid," "Crustacean," and "Other") was evaluated based on the reconstructed prey biomass of the stomach contents. Stable isotope values of δ 13 C and δ 15 N ranged between -14.4 to -19.9‰ and 11.8 to 17.2‰, respectively. The importance of each prey category was estimated by the Index of Relative Importance (IRI). Our findings suggest that the smallest Greenland sharks (<200 cm) feed on lower trophic level prey, predominantly squids. Larger sharks (>200 cm) mainly feed on higher trophic level prey such as seals, epibenthic and benthic fishes including gadoids (Gadidae), skates (Rajidae), righteye flounders (Pleuronectidae), lumpfish (Cyclopteridae), wolffish (Anarhichadidae), and redfish (Sebastidae). Redfish were, however, only found to be important in the largest sharks sampled (>400 cm). In addition to demonstrating ontogenetic shifts in their feeding preferences, this study supports that Greenland sharks are capable of active predation on fast swimming seals and large fishes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Greenland Somniosus microcephalus Aarhus University: Research Arctic Greenland Frontiers in Marine Science 6 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Diet Feeding ecology Greenland shark Isotopes Stomach content |
spellingShingle |
Diet Feeding ecology Greenland shark Isotopes Stomach content Nielsen, Julius Christiansen, Jørgen Schou Grønkjær, Peter Bushnell, Peter Steffensen, John Fleng Kiilerich, Helene Overgaard Præbel, Kim Hedeholm, Rasmus Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift |
topic_facet |
Diet Feeding ecology Greenland shark Isotopes Stomach content |
description |
Current knowledge on the feeding ecology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), a potential top predator in arctic marine ecosystems, is based on small sample sizes as well as narrow size ranges of sharks. Therefore, potential size-related feeding patterns remain poorly documented. Using stomach content data (N = 88) and stable isotope values of white muscle tissue (N = 40), this study evaluates the diet of sharks ranging in size from 81 to 474 cm (total length). The importance of prey categories ("Fish," "Mammal," "Squid," "Crustacean," and "Other") was evaluated based on the reconstructed prey biomass of the stomach contents. Stable isotope values of δ 13 C and δ 15 N ranged between -14.4 to -19.9‰ and 11.8 to 17.2‰, respectively. The importance of each prey category was estimated by the Index of Relative Importance (IRI). Our findings suggest that the smallest Greenland sharks (<200 cm) feed on lower trophic level prey, predominantly squids. Larger sharks (>200 cm) mainly feed on higher trophic level prey such as seals, epibenthic and benthic fishes including gadoids (Gadidae), skates (Rajidae), righteye flounders (Pleuronectidae), lumpfish (Cyclopteridae), wolffish (Anarhichadidae), and redfish (Sebastidae). Redfish were, however, only found to be important in the largest sharks sampled (>400 cm). In addition to demonstrating ontogenetic shifts in their feeding preferences, this study supports that Greenland sharks are capable of active predation on fast swimming seals and large fishes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nielsen, Julius Christiansen, Jørgen Schou Grønkjær, Peter Bushnell, Peter Steffensen, John Fleng Kiilerich, Helene Overgaard Præbel, Kim Hedeholm, Rasmus |
author_facet |
Nielsen, Julius Christiansen, Jørgen Schou Grønkjær, Peter Bushnell, Peter Steffensen, John Fleng Kiilerich, Helene Overgaard Præbel, Kim Hedeholm, Rasmus |
author_sort |
Nielsen, Julius |
title |
Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift |
title_short |
Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift |
title_full |
Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift |
title_fullStr |
Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift |
title_full_unstemmed |
Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift |
title_sort |
greenland shark (somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/greenland-shark-somniosus-microcephalus-stomach-contents-and-stable-isotope-values-reveal-an-ontogenetic-dietary-shift(048109b3-3432-4792-913e-1722f1e87259).html https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00125 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064606327&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
geographic |
Arctic Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Greenland Somniosus microcephalus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Greenland Somniosus microcephalus |
op_source |
Nielsen , J , Christiansen , J S , Grønkjær , P , Bushnell , P , Steffensen , J F , Kiilerich , H O , Præbel , K & Hedeholm , R 2019 , ' Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) stomach contents and stable isotope values reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift ' , Frontiers in Marine Science , vol. 6 , 125 . https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00125 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00125 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Marine Science |
container_volume |
6 |
_version_ |
1772812664055005184 |