Equivalence of trophic structure between a tropical and temperate mangrove ecosystem in the Indo-Pacific
Debashish Mazumder A D , Neil Saintilan B , Fatimah M. Yusoff C and Jeffrey J. Kelleway B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW 2232, Australia.
B Department of Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
C Institute of Bioscience, Department of Aquaculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
D Corresponding author. Email: debashish.mazumder@ansto.gov.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 70(10) 1436-1444 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF18072
Submitted: 27 February 2018 Accepted: 7 March 2019 Published: 22 May 2019
Abstract
In this study we compared ecosystem trophic structure between a tropical mangrove forest at Matang, Malaysia, and a temperate mangrove forest near mangrove poleward limits at Towra Point in south-east Australia. These forests are separated by 8500 km of ocean over 45° of latitude and are of contrasting size, productivity and diversity. However, we observed a marked degree of similarity in food chain length (approximately four trophic levels in both forests), the taxonomy of key intermediate members of the food chain and the isotope signature of primary carbon sources, suggesting a strong contribution of surface organic matter rather than mangrove detritus. Common families were represented among dominant grazing herbivores, zooplanktivorous fishes, decapod crustaceans and top predators. These similarities suggest that there is some consistency in trophic interactions within two mangroves on opposite sides of the Indo-Pacific, despite a degree of evolutionary divergence in the assemblage.
Additional keywords: food chain length, carbon isotope, coevolution, fisheries, phylogenetic.
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