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Food web analysis in intertidal Zostera marina and Zostera noltii communities in winter and summer

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Abstract

The food web of two intertidal seagrass (Zostera marina and Zostera noltii) beds that may be influenced by the seasonal variation in food source abundance was studied in winter and in summer with δ13C and δ15N analysis. In spite of high relative variation of abundance of main primary producers at the two sites, the food web did not vary between winter and summer. The δ13C range of primary producers was wide. Zostera leaves, the most 13C-enriched source, were not consumed directly by grazers. Deposit and filter feeders have a similar δ13C and could use a mix of suspended and sedimented organic particulate matter, largely composed of detritus from macroalgae to seagrass. This trophic pathway allows the local incorporation of the high biomass produced by seagrasses. The wide δ15N range of predators was linked either to a large variety from omnivore to carnivore predators or to the also wide ranges of δ15N of primary consumers.

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Acknowledgments

This study forms part of the Ph.D. thesis of V. Ouisse and was financially supported by the “Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche”. The authors would like to thank G. Schaal for his knowledge of isotope stable analyses, the Service Mer et Observation, R. Michel and L. Oppliger for their help in field sampling. We also would like to thank the two anonymous referees, whose comments greatly contributed to the improvement of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR7144, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Roscoff, France

    Vincent Ouisse, Pascal Riera, Aline Migné, Cédric Leroux & Dominique Davoult

  2. CNRS, UMR7144, Equipe Réseaux Trophiques et Production Benthique, Station Biologique, Place Georges Teissier, 29682, Roscoff, France

    Vincent Ouisse, Pascal Riera, Aline Migné & Dominique Davoult

  3. CNRS, FR2424, Station Biologique, Place Georges Teissier, 29682, Roscoff, France

    Cédric Leroux

Authors
  1. Vincent Ouisse
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  2. Pascal Riera
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  3. Aline Migné
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  4. Cédric Leroux
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  5. Dominique Davoult
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Correspondence to Vincent Ouisse.

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Communicated by U. Sommer.

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Ouisse, V., Riera, P., Migné, A. et al. Food web analysis in intertidal Zostera marina and Zostera noltii communities in winter and summer. Mar Biol 159, 165–175 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1796-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1796-2

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