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Trophic ecology of fishes associated with artificial reefs assessed using multiple biomarkers

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Abstract

Understanding trophic relationships within artificial reef communities, especially those of the most numerically abundant fish, provides value to ecologists and managers looking to prioritize healthy food webs. Here we elucidate the trophic interactions of three common fish species on high relief (> 5 m) and low relief (< 5 m) artificial reefs in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Biomarkers including stable isotopes, (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S), and essential fatty acids (18:2n-6, 18:3n-3, 18:4n-3, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, 22:5n3, and 22:6n-3) were analyzed within muscle and liver tissue. Species-specific comparisons among tomtate (Haemulon aurolineatum), pigfish (Orthopristis chrysoptera), and red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), revealed differences in biomarkers within muscle tissue (long-term) namely δ13C, δ15N, δ34S, EPA (20:5n-3), and DHA (22:6n-3). However, using liver tissue (short-term) significant differences existed among a fewer number of biomarkers (δ15N, δ34S, and EPA) among the three species, indicating increasing trophic similarity. Red snapper collected from low relief reefs had higher δ15N values than those on high relief reefs which may be due to higher forage trophic level due to the lack of co-occurring congeners. This study highlights the importance of inter-specific food web observations that aid in the interpretation of the complex trophic relationships occurring on artificial reefs.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This project was funded by Texas Parks and Wildlife Artificial Reef Program (Award #443017) to R. J. David Wells and Jay R. Rooker (http://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/habitats/artificial_reef/). We thank the members of the Shark Biology and Fisheries Science and Fisheries Ecology Labs at Texas A&M University at Galveston for their assistance in the field and in the lab.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC, 28557, USA

    Jeffrey D. Plumlee

  2. Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, 1001 Texas Clipper Rd., Galveston, TX, 77553, USA

    David N. Hala, Jay R. Rooker & R. J. David Wells

  3. Department of Ecology & Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    David N. Hala, Jay R. Rooker & R. J. David Wells

  4. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Artificial Reef Program, Austin, TX, 78744, USA

    J. Brooke Shipley

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  1. Jeffrey D. Plumlee
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Correspondence to Jeffrey D. Plumlee.

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Plumlee, J.D., Hala, D.N., Rooker, J.R. et al. Trophic ecology of fishes associated with artificial reefs assessed using multiple biomarkers. Hydrobiologia 848, 4347–4362 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-021-04647-1

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