Trophic network of aquatic macroinvertebrates along an altitudinal gradient in a Neotropical mountain river

Studies of trophic networks and the evaluation of processes that occur along altitudinal gradients in river systems are of great importance because they allow an understanding of energy flow dynamics and provide scientific tools for the planning and management of river ecosystems. This research describes the trophic network of aquatic macroinvertebrates along an altitudinal gradient of the Gaira River, a mountain Neotropical watercourse located in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia. The organisms were collected in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the river during the rainy and dry seasons (between 2010 and 2013). Trophic relationships were evaluated through gut content analysis. The contents were determined and quantified using photographs and expert review, and a binary consumption matrix was used to determine the characteristics of the trophic network. We characterized the diet composition at each site for each season using discriminant analysis. Trophic networks during the dry seasons showed higher trophic species richness and linkage density, and the predominance of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) and fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) in the high and medium sections of the river. During the dry seasons the diets had a lower number of basal species, but in the low river section there was a high percentage of fungi and microalgae. During the rainy seasons, no patterns were observed for the percentage of resources. Results indicated a direct relation between periods of hydrologic stability and an increase of CPOM during dry seasons and an increase of resource diversity consumed by macroinvertebrates at all sites during the rainy season, showing that changes in trophic networks of the Gaira River were more important during seasonal periods than along the altitudinal gradient.     

Nutrient Dynamics of Estuarine Invertebrates Are Shaped by Feeding Guild Rather than Seasonal River Flow

This study aimed to determine the variability of carbon and nitrogen elemental content, stoichiometry and diet proportions of invertebrates in two sub-tropical estuaries in South Africa experiencing seasonal changes in rainfall and river inflow. The elemental ratios and stable isotopes of abiotic sources, zooplankton and macrozoobenthos taxa were analyzed over a dry/wet seasonal cycle. Nutrient content (C, N) and stoichiometry of suspended particulate matter exhibited significant spatio-temporal variations in both estuaries, which were explained by the variability in river inflow. Sediment particulate matter (%C, %N and C:N) was also influenced by the variability in river flow but to a lesser extent. The nutrient content and ratios of the analyzed invertebrates did not significantly vary among seasons with the exception of the copepod Pseudodiaptomus spp. (C:N) and the tanaid Apseudes digitalis (%N, C:N). These changes did not track the seasonal variations of the suspended or sediment particulate matter. Our results suggest that invertebrates managed to maintain their stoichiometry independent of the seasonality in river flow. A significant variability in nitrogen content among estuarine invertebrates was recorded, with highest % N recorded from predators and lowest %N from detritivores. Due to the otherwise general lack of seasonal differences in elemental content and stoichiometry, feeding guild was a major factor shaping the nutrient dynamics of the estuarine invertebrates. The nutrient richer suspended particulate matter was the preferred food source over sediment particulate matter for most invertebrate consumers in many, but not all seasons. The most distinct preference for suspended POM as a food source was apparent from the temporarily open/closed system after the estuary had breached, highlighting the importance of river flow as a driver of invertebrate nutrient dynamics under extreme events conditions. Moreover, our data showed that estuarine invertebrates concentrated C and N between 10–100 fold from trophic level I (POM) to trophic level II (detritivores/deposit feeders) and thus highlighted their importance not only as links to higher trophic level organisms in the food web, but also as providers of a stoichiometrically homeostatic food source for such consumers. As climate change scenarios for the east coast of South Africa predict increased rainfall as a higher number of rainy days and days with higher rainfall, our results suggest that future changes in rainfall and river inflow will have measurable effects on the nutrient content and stoichiometry of food sources and possibly also in estuarine consumers.     

典型岩溶洼地土壤水分的空间分布及影响因素

在桂西北典型岩溶洼地的旱季和雨季,用地统计学结合GIS方法研究了洼地表层(0—16cm)土壤水分的空间分布特征及其影响因素。结果表明:土壤含水量受前期降雨量的影响,且旱季土壤水分对降雨量的反应较雨季敏感。土壤水分均呈中等变异且变异系数随着平均含水量的增加而减少。土壤水分的半方差参数显示土壤水分空间变异及其主导因素随旱、雨季而不同。此外,不同取样区域及取样时段内土壤含水量高低差别明显,分布格局及空间变异程度各异,这主要与当地环境和人为因素的综合影响有关。旱、雨季土壤水分均与前期降雨导致的土壤平均含水量变化呈相反趋势,且不同土地利用方式下的土壤含水量不同。土壤含水量还与土壤有机碳含量呈显著正相关,此外,地势及裸岩率也是造成洼地土壤水分变异及其分布差异的重要因素。下一步应根据旱季和雨季土壤水分分布及影响因素的差异,在岩溶洼地采取有针对性地土壤水资源利用及其水分管理策略。     

Feeding habits and seasonal trophic guilds structuring fish community in the bay mouth region of a tropical estuarine habitat

Understanding trophic relationships of fish in estuarine ecosystem is an important element for sustainable resource management. This study examined the feeding habits of 29 dominant fish species, characterized the trophic guilds, assessed the impact of season and clarified the role of diets in structuring the fish community in the mouth region of Pattani Bay, Thailand. Samples of 5792 fishes collected monthly by gillnets from March 2019 to February 2020 were used for stomach content analyses. It was found that the number of food types and fullness index differed between fish taxa (P < 0.001). Most fishes were specialist feeders feeding on specific food components and were categorized into five trophic guilds: piscivore, shrimp-fish feeder, polychaete feeder, zooplanktivore and planktivore. Six species were piscivorous, considered as apex predators, that fed almost entirely on fishes. High diet overlaps among some species (>0.6) were recorded. Not much variation in seasonal guilds was observed: four guilds in the dry season, three in the moderate rainy season and four in the rainy season. Some species remained in the same guild the whole year round, but some fishes changed seasonally. Two fish communities from different regions of the bay were segregated based on feeding habits. The inner bay community comprised mainly copepod and plankton feeders, but there were more piscivores in the deeper bay mouth area. Results from this study help us to understand the feeding habits and trophic guilds of dominant fish species at the mouth of this tropical estuarine bay.     

纳帕海高原湿地浮游病毒丰度及与环境因子相关性研究

目的 利用EFM技术对纳帕海湿地不同季节7个水样样品中的浮游病毒丰度开展了调查,并对影响浮游病毒丰度的环境因子进行了相关性分析。方法 元素检测,叶绿素a检测,荧光显微镜检测浮游细菌及浮游病毒的丰度。结果 从生态分布上来看旱季和雨季浮游病毒丰度的平均值分别为3.63×106/mL和3.71×107/mL,浮游病毒丰度季节性变化不显著。从对影响浮游病毒丰度的环境因子相关性分析来看,旱季浮游病毒与Chl-a具有弱负相关性（r=0.49,P<0.05）;而雨季浮游病毒丰度与Chl-a具有显著正相关性（r=0.37,P<0.05）,表明雨季纳帕海湿地浮游病毒丰度受Chl-a含量的影响较大。旱季浮游病毒丰度与温度显著负相关,虽然在雨季浮游病毒丰度与温度也呈负相关,但并不显著;在雨季,水体pH变化较明显,而浮游病毒丰度与水体pH呈显著负相关,表明湿地的来水主要在雨季,而离子组成变化大。虽然在雨季和旱季,从多点采样的平均值来看浮游病毒丰度并无明显差异,但从一些局部的采样点来看,雨季的浮游病毒丰度显著高于旱季,说明在纳帕海区域浮游病毒的分布并不平均,因采样点环境的不同会产生明显的区别。结论 对纳帕海高原湿地浮游病毒生态分布的调查,是对该地域生态学研究的补充,使得这一独特地理环境的微生物研究更加系统化。     

南亚热带常绿阔叶林土壤微生物生物量碳氮年际动态特征及其影响因子

土壤微生物是土壤有机质和养分循环的主要驱动者,研究土壤微生物生物量碳氮变化、稳态特征及其对环境因子内在的长期响应机理具有重要意义。以南亚热带常绿阔叶林土壤为对象,对土壤微生物生物量碳和氮(MBC和MBN)、土壤有机碳(SOC)、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、可溶性碳(ROC)、速效氮(AN)、pH、土壤温度(ST)和土壤含水量(SWC)进行连续10年监测;应用方差分析、相关性和回归分析及稳态分析等探究MBC和MBN的年际变化和稳态特征及主要影响因素。研究结果表明:(1)旱季MBC和MBN含量分别在171.32-358.45和25.90-54.08 mg/kg区间波动,雨季分别在394.01-507.97和68.40-88.05 mg/kg区间波动;旱、雨季的MBC含量年际间变化显著(P < 0.05),但MBN含量仅在旱季变化显著(P < 0.05)。雨季MBC和MBN含量均显著高于旱季(P < 0.01),且雨季的MBC和MBN含量是旱季的2倍以上。(2)旱、雨季的MBC与MBN之间均呈显著正相关(P < 0.05)。在旱季,MBC和MBN均与ROC和AN含量显著正相关(P < 0.05),此外,MBN含量也与TP(P < 0.05)和SOC(P < 0.01)显著正相关。在雨季,仅SOC与MBN呈显著正相关(P < 0.05)。(3)在旱季,MBC含量变化主要受ROC(P < 0.05)和AN(P < 0.001)影响,MBN则受AN控制(P < 0.05)。在雨季,AN(P < 0.05)主导了MBC的变化,TP(P < 0.05)和SOC(P < 0.05)是MBN变异的主导因子。AN(P < 0.001)和SOC(P < 0.001)是旱、雨季土壤MBC和MBN变化的主导因子。(4)土壤MBC和MBC/MBN稳态指数在年际间均为绝对稳态型(P>0.05);雨季的MBN(P=0.685)为绝对稳态型,但旱季为非稳态(P < 0.01,H > 1)。雨季微生物熵显著高于旱季(P < 0.01),表明土壤有机质质量及养分利用效率更高。综上,MBC和MBN含量受季节更替显著影响,且主要受土壤SOC和AN的影响;受旱季水分限制,MBN的稳态更差。     

Extreme trophic segregation between sympatric fish species: the case of small sized body <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aphyocharax</Emphasis> in the Brazilian Pantanal

Interspecific differences in diet of the two sympatric fish species of the subfamily Aphyocharacinae were investigated. Both were sampled monthly (March 2000 to February 2001) during the rainy and dry season in North region of the Pantanal. Aphyocharax anisitsi was an invertivorous/insectivorous species, feeding mainly on aquatic insects during the rainy season and terrestrial insects in the dry season. Aphyocharax dentatus remained a piscivorous regardless of the hydrological season. Low feeding-overlap values, 0.079 in the dry season and no overlap in the rainy season were observed. The diet-breadth values for each species were low (less than 0.1) except for A. anisitsi in the lake during the dry season (0.4). A detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) summarized the diet similarity patterns: in DCA 1, it was observed that fish prey grouped A. dentatus in the lower scores, and insect prey grouped A. anisitsi in the higher scores. A two-way ANOVA showed that the diets differed significantly between the species. Our results show a clear trophic segregation between these species, supporting the niche concept that presumes that differences between sympatric species must exist, to allow their coexistence. Besides extreme segregation, it was clear that A. dentatus is a piscivorous fish, despite its low size (until 72 mm). This finding counteracts the current view about food web structure that poses a direct and positive relationship between body size and trophic position.     

Seasonal and spatial functional shifts in phytoplankton communities of five tropical reservoirs

Trait-based approaches have become increasingly important and valuable in understanding phytoplankton community assembly and composition. These approaches allow for comparisons between water bodies with different species composition. We hypothesize that similar changes in environmental conditions lead to similar responses with regard to functional traits of phytoplankton communities, regardless of trophic state or species composition. We studied the phytoplankton (species composition, community trait mean and diversity) of five reservoirs in Brazil along a trophic gradient from ultra-oligotrophic to meso-eutrophic. Samples at two seasons (summer/rainy and winter/dry) with a horizontal and vertical resolution were taken. Using multivariate analysis, the five reservoirs separated, despite some overlap, according to their environmental variables (mainly total phosphorus, conductivity, pH, chlorophyll a). However, between the seasonal periods, the reservoirs shifted in a similar direction in the multi-dimensional space. The seasonal response of the overall phytoplankton community trait mean differed between the ultra-oligotrophic and the other reservoirs, with three reservoirs exhibiting a very similar community trait mean despite considerable differences in species composition. Within-season differences between different water layers were low. The functional diversity was also unrelated to the trophic state of the reservoirs. Thus, seasonal environmental changes had strong influence on the functional characteristics of the phytoplankton community in reservoirs with distinct trophic condition and species composition. These results demonstrate that an ataxonomic trait-based approach is a relevant tool for comparative studies in phytoplankton ecology.     

广东大中型供水水库的氮污染与富营养化分析

20 0 0年丰水期和枯水期对广东大中型水库的氮污染和富营养化现状进行了调查。结果表明 ,在调查的 2 0个大中型供水水库中 ,水质现状总体较好 ,70 %的水库处于中营养状态以下 ,30 %的水库开始出现富营养化现象。水库的总氮浓度普遍偏高 ,氮污染成为水库富营养化的重要原因。水库的总氮和DIN浓度存在地区性差异和季节性差异。枯水期水库的总氮及DIN浓度与叶绿素a的相关性极显著 ,而丰水期则无明显相关性。NO3 N是水体无机氮的主要组成部分 ,平均占DIN的 72 6 % ,而水库的NH3 N含量明显低于NO3 N ,平均占DIN的2 5 5 %。NO2 N的含量一般很低。水库的总氮、DIN和有机氮含量是判断水库营养状态的重要指标 ,而NO3 N和NH3 N在DIN中所占比例则是推测污染物来源的重要依据     

Variation in trophic cascade strength is triggered by top–down process in an ant–wasp‐fig system

Changes in the strength of trophic cascades over time have been associated with dramatic shifts in community structure and function. However, the pattern, process, and potential underlying mechanism of temporal variation in trophic cascades remains relatively unexplored. A top–down trophic cascade has been documented for the effects of predacious weaver ants Oecophylla smaragdina on the success of fig tree Ficus racemosa seed production. Ants cause high mortality of non‐pollinating fig wasps Sycophaga mayri that parasitize fruits, leading to greater success for the pollinating fig wasp–fig tree mutualists. Here, using a design in which pairs of branches were selected on a tree, and ants were excluded from one of each pair, we quantified the magnitude of the trophic cascade in the cool–dry, hot–dry and rainy (hot–wet) seasons in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. We also recorded the daily behavioral dynamics of ants and fig wasps in different seasons and analyzed the correlation between behavioral, activity and trophic cascade strength. We found that the strength of the trophic cascade was strong in the hot–dry season, diminished in the rainy season and disappeared in the cool–dry season in this system. The strength of species interactions between ants and non‐pollinating fig wasps, is positively correlated with trophic cascade strength, indicating that trophic cascade strength is determined by a top–down process when the community is well established. Moreover, because pollinating fig wasps, Ceratosolen fusciceps, play a central role in the establishment of fig wasp communities, when C. fusciceps wasps are absent, the community quickly disassembles as is the case in the cool–dry season. In summary, the strength of the trophic cascade is triggered by top–down processes, however, the occurrence of the trophic cascade is determined by a keystone species that plays a central role in assembly of the community.     

Effects of water quality on habitat use by lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) broods in the boreal Northwest Territories, Canada

The dynamics of Rhizophora mangle litter production and decomposition were studied in a tropical coastal lagoon on the Gulf of Mexico in Veracruz, Mexico over a year (October 2002–October 2003). This region is characterized by three seasons: northerly winds (called ‘nortes’), dry, and rainy. Annual litter production (1116 g m⁻²) followed a seasonal pattern with leaf litter as the main fraction (70%) with two peaks in the dry and one in the rainy season. Leaf decomposition was evaluated with two types of litter bag in each season: fine mesh (1×1 mm) and coarse mesh (3×7 mm). Decomposition data were adjusted to a single negative exponential model. The results indicated faster decomposition rates in the coarse litter bag and significant differences among seasons. However these differences occurred after the 60th day of decomposition, indicating that leaching and microbial action were responsible for more than 50% of mass loss. After this period, the effects of aquatic invertebrates were evident but depended on climatic conditions. In the rainy season, the gastropod Neritina reclivata was associated with increasing leaf decomposition rate. In the ‘nortes’ season, the effect of aquatic invertebrates was smaller, and there were no differences in the decay constants calculated for the two litter bag types. High litter production represents an important input of organic matter which, through decomposition, may represent an important source of C, N, and P in this aquatic system.     

邦亮东黑冠长臂猿日食性与活动节律的季节性变化

日食性变化和活动节律是动物行为的重要方面,通过对日食性变化与活动节律的研究,可以了解食物、温度和光照时间等环境因素的变化对动物行为的影响,以及动物在行为上的应对策略。2009 年1 -12 月,在广西靖西县邦亮东部黑冠长臂猿自治区级自然保护区内,采用瞬时扫描取样法对2 群东黑冠长臂猿觅食行为和活动节律进行了研究。结果显示,东黑冠长臂猿的活动和食性在旱季和雨季都具有明显的节律。鸣叫只发生在12:00之前,但旱季的鸣叫时间偏晚。在日节律上,东黑冠长臂猿在离开过夜树后和进入过夜树前各有一个取食高峰,07:00 喜欢取食果实和无花果,16:00 也选择更多的果实,但无花果较少,13:00 - 15:00 取食更多的叶和芽。在10:00 - 12:00,其用于休息和社会活动的时间增加。在雨季,东黑冠长臂猿以果实和无花果为主要食物,并且花大量时间觅食无脊椎动物;但在旱季,其食物以叶和芽为主。与之相适应,东黑冠长臂猿在旱季通过减少移动增加休息来节约能量开支和应对低温,同时它们增加取食的时间以获得等价的能量和营养。雨季时社会行为的比例明显高于旱季,而且其高峰出现在08:00 - 10:00,但旱季社会行为主要出现在11:00 - 14:00。在雨季东黑冠长臂猿没有出现休息高峰,相反在旱季10:00 左右出现一个明显的休息高峰。上述行为节律体现了东黑冠长臂猿对环境季节性变化的良好适应,使其能够在寒冷并且退化的喀斯特森林中生存繁衍。     

Seasonal decline of the tomato leafminer,Tuta absoluta,in the shifting landscape of a vegetable‐growing area

Insect pest populations exhibit seasonal dynamics in response to changes in resource availability or other environmental factors such as climatic conditions, natural enemies, and intra‐ or interspecific competition. Understanding such dynamics is critical for developing effective integrated pest management strategies. The objective of the present study was to identify factors driving the seasonal decline of the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), in the shifting landscape of a vegetable‐growing area in Senegal. A set of 42 tomato fields was monitored for the number of T. absoluta adults caught in pheromone traps and for the incidence of larvae, during 5 months from June to November 2016 in the Niayes area (Senegal). The surface of solanaceous host crops, climatic conditions, and abundance of natural enemies were also monitored. A drastic decline in T. absoluta abundance was observed during the rainy season. The decrease in resource availability, especially tomato crops, in the surrounding landscape of monitored fields was the main factor affecting the population dynamics during the rainy season. However, alternative host crops such as eggplant and Ethiopian eggplant, can provide ‘reservoirs’ for residual populations of the pest. For applied purpose, it would be interesting to focus the management efforts on residual populations during the rainy season, to make more difficult the reconstitution of populations during the dry season.     

Small pelagic fish assemblages in relation to environmental regimes in the Central Mediterranean

Stable isotope analyses and derived population-level metrics were used to quantitatively analyse spatial and seasonal heterogeneity in the fish trophic dynamics in relation to environmental variables in Mwanza Gulf, Lake Victoria (Tanzania). The fish community in Lake Victoria, including the top predator Nile perch, is generally omnivorous with a heavy reliance on invertebrates. This is in contrast to findings based on stomach content analyses of Nile perch, which showed a stronger reliance on fish. We tested two hypotheses: (1) during the rainy seasons multiple carbon sources influence the food-web structure inside the Gulf, leading to increased carbon ranges and trophic diversity. (2) During dry periods, the food-web structure mainly relies on pelagic primary production, reducing carbon ranges and trophic diversity. Carbon sources indeed varied seasonally and spatially, affecting the fish community at the highest trophic levels. With the onset of rains, carbon sources became spatially highly differentiated with enriched δ¹³C values of fish in shallow water inside the Gulf and depleted δ¹³C values in open waters. Metrics associated with niche size correlated significantly with seasonally varying environmental variables, while δ¹³C ranges correlated with spatially varying environmental variables.     

Organic Matter Dynamics in a Tropical Gallery Forest in a Grassland Landscape

The high biodiversity of tropical forest streams depends on the strong input of organic matter, yet the leaf litter decomposition dynamics in these streams are not well understood. We assessed how seasonal litterfall affects leaf litter breakdown, density and biomass of aquatic invertebrates, and the microbial biomass and sporulation of aquatic hyphomycetes in a South American grassland ‘vereda’ landscape. Although litter production in the riparian area was low, leaf litter breakdown was high compared with other South American systems, with maximum values coinciding with the rainy season. Fungal biomass in decomposing leaves was high, but spore densities in water and sporulation rates were very low. Invertebrates were not abundant in litter bags, suggesting they play a minor role in leaf litter decomposition. Chironomids accounted for ~70 percent of all invertebrates; only 10 percent of non‐Chironomidae invertebrates were shredders. Therefore, fungi appear to be the drivers of leaf litter decomposition. Our results show that despite low productivity and relatively fast litter decomposition, organic matter accumulated in the stream and riparian area. This pattern was attributed to the wet/dry cycles in which leaves falling in the flat riparian zone remain undecomposed (during the dry period) and are massively transported to the riverbed (rainy season).     

Combined stable isotope and gut contents analysis of food webs in plant-dominated, shallow lakes

Summary 1. To determine feeding links between primary producers, invertebrates and fish, stable isotope analyses and gut content analyses of fish were conducted on the components of four shallow, eutrophic to hypertrophic, plant-dominated lakes.
2. Although separation of basal resources was possible, the diets of both fish and invertebrates were broad, comprising food from different compartments (planktonic, epiphytic/benthic), as well as from different trophic levels.
3. Mixing models were used to determine the extent to which periphyton production supported higher trophic levels. Only one species of invertebrate relied upon periphyton production exclusively.
4. Fish density affected the diets of invertebrates. The response was different for planktonic and epiphytic/benthic invertebrates. The proportion of periphyton production in the diets of zooplankton appeared to increase with fish density, whilst it decreased for other invertebrates.
5. As all zooplankton samples were collected in the open water at dusk, these results are further evidence for the diurnal horizontal migration of zooplankton. Although not conclusive, they are consistent with a behavioural response by invertebrates and zooplankton in the presence of fish.     

马尾松人工林土壤有机层和矿质土壤层酶活性随雨旱季的变化

土壤酶活性随雨旱季的变化特征对于深入理解人工林土壤物质循环具有重要意义。2014年6月至2017年4月,采用原位土柱培养方法,研究了长江上游低山丘陵区的马尾松人工林土壤有机层和矿质土壤层转化酶、脲酶和酸性磷酸酶活性随关键时期(雨季初期;雨季中期;雨季末期;旱季初期;旱季末期)的变化特征。结果表明：土壤有机层和矿质土壤层酶活性随关键时期的变化显著,总体表现为雨季高于旱季。土壤有机层转化酶和脲酶活性呈现逐年降低的趋势;矿质土壤层酸性磷酸酶活性呈现逐年增加的趋势。土壤有机层转化酶和酸性磷酸酶活性显著高于矿质土壤层。土壤有机层三种酶活性年际变化幅度及随关键时期的变化幅度均高于矿质土壤层。偏最小二乘分析(PLS)表明,土壤含水量、微生物量和底物含量对土壤酶活性具有显著影响,但其影响大小强烈取决于土壤层次和酶的种类。可见,马尾松人工林土壤有机层酶活性对环境因子变化的响应更敏感,而且驱动土壤有机层和矿质土壤层酶活性动态的主导因子也存在差异。     

Intra‐ and inter‐individual variation show distinct trends as drivers of seasonal changes in the resource use of a neotropical marsupial

Individual specialization can influence important ecological and evolutionary traits and both inter‐ and intra‐individual variation in resource use can drive niche shifts in natural populations. We evaluated the predominance of these two factors for determining seasonal differences in the trophic niche of the didelphid marsupial Gracilinanus agilis (Burmeister, 1854) in the highly seasonal Brazilian savanna. In the three sampled sites, the population of G. agilis increased its dietary niche width in the warm–wet season, when food resources are more abundant, and there were no differences between sexes and no interaction between season and sex. However, the evaluation of intra‐individual variation indicated that females reduce the number of items consumed during the warm–wet season, whereas males show no seasonal differences. Inter‐individual variation nonetheless followed the overall population pattern because both sexes increased their spread with respect to food‐item consumption in the warm–wet season. Additionally, we found positive relationships between body length and diet only in the warm–wet season, when larger animals fed more on invertebrates and less on fruits than the small ones. Our results show a previously unknown pattern for mammals, in which the trophic niche is wider during the high‐resource season as a result of inter‐individual variation along the body‐size axis. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 111 , 737–747.     

Influence of timing of fishing on trophic levels and diets of typical fish and invertebrate species in the Bohai Strait over a single year based on carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis

Fishing is the most widespread human exploitation of marine resources, which has an annual cyclical influence on aquatic species in Chinese offshore waters. This study used carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios as tracers to reveal the changes in trophic level and dietary composition of offshore organisms during four cruises in March, June, August and November 2014. The results indicated that the trophic levels of fishes declined during two fishing periods, from March (average trophic level = 3.36) to June (3.01), and from August (2.99) to November (2.57), while most invertebrates did not show this trend. The self-restoring ability of this ecosystem was reflected in the trophic level changes after the closed fishing season (from June 1 to September 1). The trophic levels of fishes remained stable, and some species even recovered such as Enchelyopus elongates (trophic level increased from 2.84 in June to 2.86 in August), Cryptocentrus filifer (from 3.10 to 3.12), and Ernogrammus hexagrammus (from 2.91 to 2.96). According to the trophic results, we selected the invertebrates Octopus minor and Asterias amurensis from the top trophic levels for dietary composition analysis. The composition of their diets changed significantly after fishing periods, and the proportions of some smaller and “non-commercial” species increased, such as Notoacmea schrenckii and Chlorostoma rustica. After the closed fishing season, the larger and “commercial” species contributed a greater proportion to their diet composition. These results indicated that the closed fishing season should be prolonged to give the ecosystem enough time to restore itself and further halt the trend of this fishery towards environment deterioration.     

Habitat use, home range and foraging preferences of the coati Nasua nasua in a pluvial tropical Atlantic forest area

Coatis (genus Nasua ) occupy a large range of forested habitats. The aim of this study was to describe the use of habitat by Nasua nasua in a continuous pluvial tropical Atlantic forest area, the Carlos Botelho State Park (CBSP) in south-eastern Brazil. Use of space by N. nasua in the CBSP was characterized by an average home range area for one group of 445 ha by the minimum convex polygon method and 544 ha by the fixed kernel method, which was used across 2 months; the use of trees for foraging and travelling was superior to that reported for N. nasua and Nasua narica until now, being higher in the drier season. The home range of three coati groups shifted during the 3 years of this study; the home range of one habituated group changed by 91%. The proportion of ground foraging increased with the higher availability of soil invertebrates during the rainy season, but cannot be explained solely on the basis of resource availability.