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Aquaculture Disturbance Impacts the Diet but not Ecological Linkages of a Ubiquitous Predatory Fish

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Abstract

Aquaculture operations are a frequent and prominent cause of anthropogenic disturbance to marine and estuarine communities and may alter species composition and abundance. However, little is known about how such disturbances affect trophic linkages or ecosystem functions. In Puget Sound, Washington, aquaculture of the Pacific geoduck clam (Panopea generosa) is increasing and involves placing nets and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes in intertidal areas to protect juvenile geoducks from predators. Initial studies of the structured phase of the farming cycle have documented limited impacts on the abundance of some species. To examine the effect of geoduck aquaculture on ecological linkages, the trophic relationships of a local ubiquitous consumer, Pacific staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus), to its invertebrate prey were compared between geoduck aquaculture sites and nearby reference areas with no aquaculture. Mark-recapture data indicated that sculpin exhibit local site fidelity to cultured and reference areas. The stomach contents of sculpin and stable isotope signatures of sculpin and their prey were examined to study the trophic ecology of cultured and reference areas. Results showed that the structured phase of geoduck aquaculture initiated some changes to staghorn sculpin ecology, as reflected in sculpin diet through stomach content analysis. However, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes revealed that the general food web function of sculpin remained unchanged. The source of carbon at the base of the food web and the trophic position of sculpin were not impacted by geoduck aquaculture. The study has important implications for geoduck aquaculture management and will inform regulatory decisions related to shellfish aquaculture policy.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the staff and management of Taylor Shellfish Farms, Inc. and the Adams, Foss, and Rolfs families for kindly allowing access to field sites across private property. Katherine Armintrout, Kristin Connelly, Brittany Cummings, Julia Eggers, Ava Fuller, Mariko Langness, Jordan Lee, and Frank Stevick provided valuable field and laboratory support. Jeff Cordell and Megan Dethier provided crucial guidance in developing taxonomic accuracy in processing sampled small invertebrates by our research team. Research funding was provided in part by Washington Sea Grant, the National Aquaculture Research Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Washington State Departments of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Point No Point Treaty Council and the US Geological Survey (USGS). This study was performed under the auspices of University of Washington animal use protocol #2887-17. Scientific collection permits were obtained from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. We thank the administrative authorities of USGS for supporting the content of this paper. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of funding agencies other than USGS. Any use of trade product or firm name is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government.

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  1. School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Kathleen C. McPeek, P. Sean McDonald & Glenn R. VanBlaricom

  2. US Geological Survey, Ecosystems Mission Area, Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Glenn R. VanBlaricom

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  1. Kathleen C. McPeek
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McPeek, K.C., McDonald, P.S. & VanBlaricom, G.R. Aquaculture Disturbance Impacts the Diet but not Ecological Linkages of a Ubiquitous Predatory Fish. Estuaries and Coasts 38, 1520–1534 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-014-9909-z

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