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Trophic Ecology of Early Developmental Stages of Antarctic Silverfish

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The Antarctic Silverfish: a Keystone Species in a Changing Ecosystem

Part of the book series: Advances in Polar Ecology ((AVPE,volume 3))

Abstract

The Antarctic pelagic ecosystem over the continental shelf is dominated by the Antarctic silverfish Pleuragramma antarctica (Nototheniidae) which represents up to 90% of the fish biomass. P. antarctica is the only notothenioid species to have an entire pelagic life cycle. This species is characterized by a particularly long larval stage that lasts over a year and a vertical distribution with larvae in the surface layer and the older individuals in deeper ones. The reproductive cycle of P. antarctica is closely linked to seasonal sea ice dynamics and early stages depend on the spatial and temporal match with zooplankton production. P. antarctica is planktivorous at all stages of development, larvae are omnivorous actively feeding on diatoms and small copepods such as Oithona and Oncaea spp., while juveniles and adults are strictly carnivorous and feed mainly on copepods and euphausiids. In the early years of its life-history Antarctic silverfish exhibit primarily a marked transition in terms of trophic ecology between larvae and juveniles. The food resource partitioning is relatively clear between larvae and older life stages with a negligible overlap. Although the shift in diet between juveniles and adults remains less obvious in several geographic locations, juveniles and adults seem to share a similar mid-trophic level around Antarctica.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Lille Nord de France, F-59000, Lille, France

    Eric Tavernier

  2. LOG, ULCO, 32 avenue Foch, F-62930, Wimereux, France

    Eric Tavernier

  3. French Research Institute of the Sea - IFREMER, Channel and North Sea Fisheries Research Unit, 150 quai Gambetta, F-62321, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France

    Carolina Giraldo

Authors
  1. Eric Tavernier
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  2. Carolina Giraldo
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Correspondence to Eric Tavernier .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR) - CNR, Genoa, Italy

    Marino Vacchi

  2. Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    Eva Pisano

  3. Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR) - CNR, Genoa, Italy

    Laura Ghigliotti

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Tavernier, E., Giraldo, C. (2017). Trophic Ecology of Early Developmental Stages of Antarctic Silverfish. In: Vacchi, M., Pisano, E., Ghigliotti, L. (eds) The Antarctic Silverfish: a Keystone Species in a Changing Ecosystem. Advances in Polar Ecology, vol 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55893-6_6

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