Abstract
The ratio of 15N/14N (δ15N) from consumer and prey tissue is commonly used in ecological studies to determine trophic level, food web structure, and mean trophic level in aquatic ecosystems. There is a predictable positive relationship between the δ15N values in tissue and trophic level, caused by the bioaccumulation of 15N in tissues of consumers with each step up the food chain. Reconstructing trophic structure or food chain length over time may provide resource managers with insights about ecosystem biodiversity and resilience. Yet, in many marine systems the absence of baseline information before anthropogenic disturbances makes comparative studies addressing ecosystem responses extremely difficult. Here we attempt to retrospectively reconstruct trophic position in four species of fish from the upper Gulf of California, Mexico before perturbations such as overfishing or the damming of the Colorado River. We first validated if otolith δ15N approximates the δ15N observed in fish tissue. We then used the δ15N encapsulated in ancient fish otoliths that are between 1,000 and 5,500 years old to define the food web structure. Our results suggested that δ15N in otoliths has slightly more positive δ15N than soft tissue. The δ15N values from ancient otoliths appropriately defined the fishes’ relative trophic position. We found significant differences in δ15N between functional groups, apex predator versus intermediate predators. Juveniles and adult fishes displayed trophic separation between functional groups. Our findings advocate the application of δ15N analysis of prehistoric otoliths for establishing pre-disturbance ecological benchmarks.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge two anonymous reviewers, Amy Groesbeck, Conal True, Martha Roman, Karl Flessa, Lloyd Findley, Peter Reinthal, SCRIPPS, Josh Tewksbury, and PANGAS. David and Lucile Packard Foundation supported this project.
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Rowell, K., Dettman, D.L. & Dietz, R. Nitrogen isotopes in otoliths reconstruct ancient trophic position. Environ Biol Fish 89, 415–425 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-010-9687-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-010-9687-9