Low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian beaches
We studied abundance and feeding behaviour of wintering Sanderling Calidris alba at five beaches along the Belgian coast, and focused on the role of polychaete worms in their diet. On average 10.0 Sanderlings were present per km stretched beach, of which 87.8% were involved in foraging activities. H...
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ftvliz:oai:oma.vliz.be:134398 2023-05-15T15:48:08+02:00 Low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian beaches Vanermen, N. Stienen, E.W.M. De Meulenaer, B. Van Ginderdeuren, K. Degraer, S. 2009 http://www.vliz.be/nl/open-marien-archief?module=ref&refid=134398 en eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000269622900010 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/doi.org/10.5253/078.097.0110 http://www.vliz.be/nl/open-marien-archief?module=ref&refid=134398 info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess %3Ci%3EArdea+97%281%29%3C%2Fi%3E%3A+81-87.+%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.5253%2F078.097.0110%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.5253%2F078.097.0110%3C%2Fa%3E Abundance Benthic fauna Ecology Feeding behaviour Sandy beaches Calidris alba (Pallas 1764) [sanderling] Scolelepis squamata (O.F. Müller 1789) ANE Belgium Belgian Coast info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2009 ftvliz https://doi.org/10.5253/078.097.0110 2022-05-01T09:15:21Z We studied abundance and feeding behaviour of wintering Sanderling Calidris alba at five beaches along the Belgian coast, and focused on the role of polychaete worms in their diet. On average 10.0 Sanderlings were present per km stretched beach, of which 87.8% were involved in foraging activities. Highest numbers of Sanderling occurred on the beach from 2 hours before to 4 hours after low tide. Detailed observations of individual birds revealed a mean pecking rate of 18.7 pecks per min. Birds exhibited several feeding modes, and we distinguished superficial pecking (mainly feeding on wreck) and probing for polychaetes. Feeding on wreck was observed frequently and throughout the tidal cycle. In contrast, probing for polychaetes was limited in time, and occurred primarily when the tide reached the upper intertidal zone, where peak densities of Scolelepis squamata were found. Based on our observations, we conservatively estimated that during each tidal cycle this benthic species may provide only 2.0-9.0% of a Sanderling’s daily energy demand. Numbers of Sanderlings appeared to be lowest when capture rates on polychaetes were highest. We therefore suggest that polychaetes are of minor importance for Sanderlings foraging along Belgian beaches. Article in Journal/Newspaper Calidris alba Sanderling Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Open Marine Archive (OMA) Ardea 97 1 81 87 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Open Marine Archive (OMA) |
op_collection_id |
ftvliz |
language |
English |
topic |
Abundance Benthic fauna Ecology Feeding behaviour Sandy beaches Calidris alba (Pallas 1764) [sanderling] Scolelepis squamata (O.F. Müller 1789) ANE Belgium Belgian Coast |
spellingShingle |
Abundance Benthic fauna Ecology Feeding behaviour Sandy beaches Calidris alba (Pallas 1764) [sanderling] Scolelepis squamata (O.F. Müller 1789) ANE Belgium Belgian Coast Vanermen, N. Stienen, E.W.M. De Meulenaer, B. Van Ginderdeuren, K. Degraer, S. Low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian beaches |
topic_facet |
Abundance Benthic fauna Ecology Feeding behaviour Sandy beaches Calidris alba (Pallas 1764) [sanderling] Scolelepis squamata (O.F. Müller 1789) ANE Belgium Belgian Coast |
description |
We studied abundance and feeding behaviour of wintering Sanderling Calidris alba at five beaches along the Belgian coast, and focused on the role of polychaete worms in their diet. On average 10.0 Sanderlings were present per km stretched beach, of which 87.8% were involved in foraging activities. Highest numbers of Sanderling occurred on the beach from 2 hours before to 4 hours after low tide. Detailed observations of individual birds revealed a mean pecking rate of 18.7 pecks per min. Birds exhibited several feeding modes, and we distinguished superficial pecking (mainly feeding on wreck) and probing for polychaetes. Feeding on wreck was observed frequently and throughout the tidal cycle. In contrast, probing for polychaetes was limited in time, and occurred primarily when the tide reached the upper intertidal zone, where peak densities of Scolelepis squamata were found. Based on our observations, we conservatively estimated that during each tidal cycle this benthic species may provide only 2.0-9.0% of a Sanderling’s daily energy demand. Numbers of Sanderlings appeared to be lowest when capture rates on polychaetes were highest. We therefore suggest that polychaetes are of minor importance for Sanderlings foraging along Belgian beaches. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Vanermen, N. Stienen, E.W.M. De Meulenaer, B. Van Ginderdeuren, K. Degraer, S. |
author_facet |
Vanermen, N. Stienen, E.W.M. De Meulenaer, B. Van Ginderdeuren, K. Degraer, S. |
author_sort |
Vanermen, N. |
title |
Low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian beaches |
title_short |
Low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian beaches |
title_full |
Low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian beaches |
title_fullStr |
Low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian beaches |
title_full_unstemmed |
Low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian beaches |
title_sort |
low dietary importance of polychaetes in opportunistic feeding sanderlings calidris alba on belgian beaches |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://www.vliz.be/nl/open-marien-archief?module=ref&refid=134398 |
genre |
Calidris alba Sanderling |
genre_facet |
Calidris alba Sanderling |
op_source |
%3Ci%3EArdea+97%281%29%3C%2Fi%3E%3A+81-87.+%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.5253%2F078.097.0110%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.5253%2F078.097.0110%3C%2Fa%3E |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000269622900010 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/doi.org/10.5253/078.097.0110 http://www.vliz.be/nl/open-marien-archief?module=ref&refid=134398 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5253/078.097.0110 |
container_title |
Ardea |
container_volume |
97 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
81 |
op_container_end_page |
87 |
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