Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates
Abstract Invertebrates have a central role in food webs and ecosystem functioning. By boosting productivity, allochthonous nutrient inputs influence the food webs of recipient communities. Understanding how allochthonous nutrient subsidies affect invertebrates is crucial, particularly in highly prod...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Ecosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70121 |
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| author | Jennifer Appoo Nicholas A. J. Graham Christopher W. Jones Sébastien Jaquemet Nancy Bunbury |
| author_facet | Jennifer Appoo Nicholas A. J. Graham Christopher W. Jones Sébastien Jaquemet Nancy Bunbury |
| author_sort | Jennifer Appoo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Invertebrates have a central role in food webs and ecosystem functioning. By boosting productivity, allochthonous nutrient inputs influence the food webs of recipient communities. Understanding how allochthonous nutrient subsidies affect invertebrates is crucial, particularly in highly productive coastal areas. Here, we examine how mangrove macroinvertebrates are impacted by nutrient‐rich guano delivered by nesting seabird populations at Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean. We compare nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios and nitrogen composition of basal resources and macroinvertebrate consumers in mangroves with and without nesting seabirds. Seabird‐derived nutrient enrichment increased the nitrogen content of basal food sources and herbivorous littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs. In mangroves with breeding seabirds, mean carapace widths of sesarmid and omnivorous portunid crabs were 6% and 11% larger, respectively. Isotopic niches of littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs were larger and had higher overlap at seabird compared to non‐seabird sites. Epiphytic macroalgae and guano comprised >50% of resource contributions to littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs at seabird sites. This differed markedly from non‐seabird sites where the main resource contributions were 77% mangrove leaves for littorinid gastropods, 36% sediment organic matter, and 41% mangrove leaves for sesarmid crabs. The increased sizes of mangrove crabs suggest that seabird nutrient enrichment can promote mangrove crab fisheries productivity and benefit the provisioning of mangrove ecosystem services. By shifting resource use of functionally important macroinvertebrates, we discuss how seabirds modify trophic interactions, with potential consequences for mangrove ecosystem processes and resilience. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fb1956b97ee7488aad25708240fe4cd6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-fb1956b97ee7488aad25708240fe4cd62025-01-27T14:51:33ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252024-12-011512n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.70121Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebratesJennifer Appoo0Nicholas A. J. Graham1Christopher W. Jones2Sébastien Jaquemet3Nancy Bunbury4UMR ENTROPIE Université de La Réunion Saint Denis La Réunion FranceLancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UKSeychelles Islands Foundation Victoria Mahé SeychellesUMR ENTROPIE Université de La Réunion Saint Denis La Réunion FranceSeychelles Islands Foundation Victoria Mahé SeychellesAbstract Invertebrates have a central role in food webs and ecosystem functioning. By boosting productivity, allochthonous nutrient inputs influence the food webs of recipient communities. Understanding how allochthonous nutrient subsidies affect invertebrates is crucial, particularly in highly productive coastal areas. Here, we examine how mangrove macroinvertebrates are impacted by nutrient‐rich guano delivered by nesting seabird populations at Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean. We compare nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios and nitrogen composition of basal resources and macroinvertebrate consumers in mangroves with and without nesting seabirds. Seabird‐derived nutrient enrichment increased the nitrogen content of basal food sources and herbivorous littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs. In mangroves with breeding seabirds, mean carapace widths of sesarmid and omnivorous portunid crabs were 6% and 11% larger, respectively. Isotopic niches of littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs were larger and had higher overlap at seabird compared to non‐seabird sites. Epiphytic macroalgae and guano comprised >50% of resource contributions to littorinid gastropods and sesarmid crabs at seabird sites. This differed markedly from non‐seabird sites where the main resource contributions were 77% mangrove leaves for littorinid gastropods, 36% sediment organic matter, and 41% mangrove leaves for sesarmid crabs. The increased sizes of mangrove crabs suggest that seabird nutrient enrichment can promote mangrove crab fisheries productivity and benefit the provisioning of mangrove ecosystem services. By shifting resource use of functionally important macroinvertebrates, we discuss how seabirds modify trophic interactions, with potential consequences for mangrove ecosystem processes and resilience.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70121allochthonous nutrientscrabsgastropodsisotopic nichemangrove trophodynamicsresource contribution |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer Appoo Nicholas A. J. Graham Christopher W. Jones Sébastien Jaquemet Nancy Bunbury Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates Ecosphere allochthonous nutrients crabs gastropods isotopic niche mangrove trophodynamics resource contribution |
| title | Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates |
| title_full | Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates |
| title_fullStr | Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates |
| title_short | Seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates |
| title_sort | seabird nutrient subsidy alters size and resource use of functionally important mangrove macroinvertebrates |
| topic | allochthonous nutrients crabs gastropods isotopic niche mangrove trophodynamics resource contribution |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70121 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jenniferappoo seabirdnutrientsubsidyalterssizeandresourceuseoffunctionallyimportantmangrovemacroinvertebrates AT nicholasajgraham seabirdnutrientsubsidyalterssizeandresourceuseoffunctionallyimportantmangrovemacroinvertebrates AT christopherwjones seabirdnutrientsubsidyalterssizeandresourceuseoffunctionallyimportantmangrovemacroinvertebrates AT sebastienjaquemet seabirdnutrientsubsidyalterssizeandresourceuseoffunctionallyimportantmangrovemacroinvertebrates AT nancybunbury seabirdnutrientsubsidyalterssizeandresourceuseoffunctionallyimportantmangrovemacroinvertebrates |