10.5061/DRYAD.4V80379
Matley, Jordan K.
University of Windsor
University of the Virgin Islands
Maes, Gregory E.
Center for Human Genetics
James Cook University
Devloo-Delva, Floriaan
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Huerlimann, Roger
James Cook University
Chua, Gladys
James Cook University
Tobin, Andrew J.
James Cook University
Fisk, Aaron T.
University of Windsor
Simpfendorfer, Colin A.
James Cook University
Heupel, Michelle R.
Australian Institute of Marine Science
James Cook University
Data from: Integrating complementary methods to improve diet analysis in
fishery-targeted species
Dryad
dataset
2018
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus maculatus
Plectropomus laevis
2018-09-10T13:04:26Z
2018-09-10T13:04:26Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4456
76145 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Developing efficient, reliable, cost-effective ways to identify diet is
required to understand trophic ecology in complex ecosystems and improve
food web models. A combination of techniques, each varying in their
ability to provide robust, spatially and temporally explicit information
can be applied to clarify diet data for ecological research. This study
applied an integrative analysis of a fishery-targeted species group -
Plectropomus spp.in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia by comparing
three diet-identification approaches. Visual stomach content analysis
provided poor identification with ~14% of stomachs sampled resulting in
identification to family or lower. A molecular approach was successful
with prey from ~80% of stomachs identified to genus or species, often with
several unique prey in a stomach. Stable isotope mixing models utilising
experimentally-derived assimilation data, identified similar prey as the
molecular technique but at broader temporal scales, particularly when
prior diet information was incorporated. Overall, Caesionidae and
Pomacentridae were the most abundant prey families (>50% prey
contribution) for all Plectropomus spp., highlighting the importance of
planktivorous prey. Less abundant prey categories differed among
species/colour phases indicating possible niche segregation. This study is
one of the first to demonstrate the extent of taxonomic resolution
provided by molecular techniques, and, like other studies, illustrates
that temporal investigations of dietary patterns are more accessible in
combination with stable isotopes. The consumption of mainly planktivorous
prey within this species group has important implications within coral
reef foodwebs and provides cautionary information regarding the effects
that changing resources could have in reef ecosystems.
Dryad_T1DNA data from sampled coral troutDryad_T2Stable isotope data from
sampled coral trout
Great Barrier Reef