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Stable isotope analysis of production and trophic relationships in a tropical marine hard-bottom community

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Abstract

Seagrasses produce much of the organic carbon in the shallow waters of the Caribbean and it has long been assumed that a substantial portion of this carbon is exported to nearby habitats, contributing substantially to their food webs. In the shallow coastal waters of the Florida Keys (USA), seagrass intersperses with hard-bottom habitat where bushy, red macroalgae are the most prominent primary producers. However, the relative importance of seagrass-derived carbon versus autochthonous algal production or phytoplankton in supporting higher trophic levels within hard-bottom communities has never been investigated. We compared the carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of potential primary producers and representative higher trophic level taxa from hard-bottom sites on the bay-side and ocean-side of the Florida Keys. We also included in our study a set of bay-side sites that experienced significant ecological disturbances over the past decade (e.g., cyanobacteria blooms, seagrass die-off, and sponge die-offs) that may have altered trophic relationships in those regions. We did not detect any differences among regions in the trophic status of hard-bottom taxa that might be associated with ecosystem disturbance. However, our results suggest that autochthonous production of algal detritus is an important source of secondary production in these hard-bottom communities, with seagrass and phytoplankton contributing smaller fractions.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to S. Wainright for consultation in the design of this study and for advice regarding sample selection and preparation. We also thank D.K. Behringer, J.E. Schratweiser, E. Riclet and D.N. Robertson for their assistance in sample collection. Funding for this study was provided by a Florida Sea Grant award (LR-B-38) to M. Butler. Suggestions from reviewers were appreciated and improved the manuscript. All of the experiments performed during this study were in compliance with the laws of the United States of America.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529-0266, USA

    Donald C. Behringer & Mark J. Butler IV

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  1. Donald C. Behringer
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Correspondence to Mark J. Butler IV.

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Communicated by Jim Ehleringer

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Behringer, D.C., Butler, M.J. Stable isotope analysis of production and trophic relationships in a tropical marine hard-bottom community. Oecologia 148, 334–341 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0360-0

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