Trophic relationships among animals associated with drifting wrack
Ryan J. Baring A C , Rebecca E. Lester B and Peter G. Fairweather A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
B Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, Vic. 3220, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: ryan.baring@flinders.edu.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 69(8) 1248-1258 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF17274
Submitted: 28 November 2016 Accepted: 23 January 2018 Published: 18 April 2018
Abstract
Wrack accumulates commonly in surf zones of sandy beaches and can be a semipermanent feature. Very few studies have investigated the trophic pathways associated with wrack accumulations in sandy beach surf zones, despite their potential importance to nearshore food webs. In the present study, we were specifically interested in determining the fish–wrack trophic associations in the nearshore. Macrophytes, macroinvertebrates and fish were sampled from drifting wrack at two sites with different macrophyte compositions (i.e. algae v. an algae–seagrass mix) in South Australia. The gut contents of fish were sampled, and the δ13C and δ15N stable isotope signatures of fish, macroinvertebrates and macrophytes were analysed. Using both the stable isotope and diet data, we identified that fish are feeding among wrack accumulations, but some unexplained trophic pathways suggest that fish are also likely to be foraging over multiple habitats elsewhere for food. In contrast, there was more evidence that grazing macroinvertebrates may be feeding on and around macrophytes within the accumulations, as well as using them as habitat. Thus, the present study established some baseline trophic pathways associated with wrack accumulations in sandy beach surf zones. Given the modest evidence for use of wrack as a food source, the lower trophic levels of the food webs identified remain unknown and should be an area for future research.
Additional keywords: δ13C, δ15N, diets, gut contents, isotopes, South Australia, trophic fractionation.
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