Data

Inter-species differences in trophic position and diet of three sympatric sea urchin species

Australian Ocean Data Network
Vanderklift, Mat
Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]
ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=https://catalogue.aodn.org.au:443/geonetwork/srv/api/records/d0438890-3e43-11dc-b523-00188b4c0af8&rft.title=Inter-species differences in trophic position and diet of three sympatric sea urchin species&rft.identifier=https://catalogue.aodn.org.au:443/geonetwork/srv/api/records/d0438890-3e43-11dc-b523-00188b4c0af8&rft.description=Measurements of natural abundances of stable isotopes and direct observation of gut contents were used to determine the trophic positions of three sympatric sea urchin species. The study was conducted across a large geographical extent and between two times of the year to test for spatial and temporal variability in trophic position and diet.Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlannedStatement: -Stable isotopes- Four individual sea urchins of each species (Heliocidaris erythrogramma, Phyllacanthus irregularis and Centrostephanus tenuispinus) were collected at each date from Mewstone and Straggler Rocks in July 1999 and January 2000, three individuals of each species were collected from three other reefs in January 2000 (The Lumps, Carnac and Hamelin Bay). For macroalage, seagrass and sponges, usually three individuals were collected, but in some cases only one or two individuals were collected. After collection, all organisms were taken to the laboratory and frozen. Because stable isotope measurements from all potential food sources were not possible (at all the reefs studied, there are hundreds of species of algae and sessile invertebrates that are potential food for sea urchins), the main representative 'categories' of food consumed by sea urchins were collected: brown algae (Ecklonia radiata), red algae (Plocamium spp. or Rhodymenia sonderi), green algae (Caulerpa obscura), sea grass (Amphilbolis antarctica) and sessile invertebrates (Chondrilla australiensis, a sponge). Abundances of stable isotopes were measured from muscle of sea urchins, and from bulk tissue of other organisms. Muscle was carefully removed from the Aristotle's lantern of each sea urchin. Macroalgae and seagrass algae were cleaned of epiphytes by scraping with a razor blade. All samples were rinsed in deionised water, and then dried in an air-circulating oven at 60 degrees Celsius. After drying, samples were ground using a mortar and pestle, and then stored in Eppendorf microcentrofuge tubes. Lipids were not extracted.Statement: -Stable isotopes- Abundances of stable isotopes were measured by continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) using Europa Scientific (Roboprep-CN/Tracermass and ANCA-NT/20-20 units) and Isogas Sira 9 instruments. Most samples were analysed in dual isotope mode, allowing 13C:12C and 15N:14N ratios to be determined simultaneously on one sample. Samples containing a disproportionate amount of C relative to N (seagrass and some of the brown algae) were analysed in single isotope mode. The analytical precisions of the instruments were at least +-0.5% (1 SD) and +-0.2% (1 SD) for C and N isotopes, respectively.Statement: -Gut contents- To quantify the amount of each type of food consumed, gut contents were rinsed and put in an 18.5 cm diameter glass petri dish. The dish was placed over a sheet with 60 randomly-positioned dots. Contents of the dish were viewed under a Gilbert magnifying lamp and food pieces present over each dot recorded. In this way, each food type was given a score from a possible 60 (note that according to binomial probability 60 dots gives a 95% probability of recording a food type comprising 5% or more of the gut contents). This score was then multiplied by 100 to give a percentage (% of gut) as % of gut = (No. of records/60) x 100 Food types observed in the gut, but not recorded by this method, were assigned a value of 1%. Because many of the pieces were difficult to identify even to family level, a list of 21 identifiable categories were created by combining coarse taxonomic and morphological descriptors. -Plant categories- Bluegreen algae Brown algae - Foliose Brown algae - Filamentous Red algae - Foliose Red algae - Filamentous Red algae - Corticated terete Red algae - Articulated coralline Red algae - Crustose coralline Green algae - Foliose Green algae - Filamentous Green algae - Coenocytic Seagrass -Animal categories- Bryozoan Crinoid Crustacean Gastropod Hydroid Sponge / Ascidian Unidentified -Abiotic categories- Sand / Rock fragments Worm tube&rft.creator=Vanderklift, Mat &rft.date=2007&rft.coverage=westlimit=114.96; southlimit=34.26; eastlimit=115.76; northlimit=30.26&rft.coverage=westlimit=114.96; southlimit=34.26; eastlimit=115.76; northlimit=30.26&rft.coverage=uplimit=10; downlimit=5&rft.coverage=uplimit=10; downlimit=5&rft_subject=oceans&rft_subject=Oceans | Marine Biology | Marine Invertebrates&rft_subject=Oceans | Marine Biology | Marine Plants&rft_subject=ECHINODERMS&rft_subject=EARTH SCIENCE&rft_subject=BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION&rft_subject=ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES&rft_subject=Biosphere | Vegetation | Macroalgae&rft_subject=TROPHIC DYNAMICS&rft_subject=BIOSPHERE&rft_subject=ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS&rft_subject=ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS&rft_subject=Biosphere | Ecological Dynamics | Feeding Habitat&rft_subject=Heliocidaris erythrogramma&rft_subject=25 247001&rft_subject=Phyllacanthus irregularis&rft_subject=25 202012&rft_subject=Centrostephanus tenuispinus&rft_subject=25 211002&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data
Cite Saved to MyRDA Save to MyRDA

Brief description

Measurements of natural abundances of stable isotopes and direct observation of gut contents were used to determine the trophic positions of three sympatric sea urchin species. The study was conducted across a large geographical extent and between two times of the year to test for spatial and temporal variability in trophic position and diet.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned
Statement: -Stable isotopes- Four individual sea urchins of each species (Heliocidaris erythrogramma, Phyllacanthus irregularis and Centrostephanus tenuispinus) were collected at each date from Mewstone and Straggler Rocks in July 1999 and January 2000, three individuals of each species were collected from three other reefs in January 2000 (The Lumps, Carnac and Hamelin Bay). For macroalage, seagrass and sponges, usually three individuals were collected, but in some cases only one or two individuals were collected. After collection, all organisms were taken to the laboratory and frozen. Because stable isotope measurements from all potential food sources were not possible (at all the reefs studied, there are hundreds of species of algae and sessile invertebrates that are potential food for sea urchins), the main representative 'categories' of food consumed by sea urchins were collected: brown algae (Ecklonia radiata), red algae (Plocamium spp. or Rhodymenia sonderi), green algae (Caulerpa obscura), sea grass (Amphilbolis antarctica) and sessile invertebrates (Chondrilla australiensis, a sponge). Abundances of stable isotopes were measured from muscle of sea urchins, and from bulk tissue of other organisms. Muscle was carefully removed from the Aristotle's lantern of each sea urchin. Macroalgae and seagrass algae were cleaned of epiphytes by scraping with a razor blade. All samples were rinsed in deionised water, and then dried in an air-circulating oven at 60 degrees Celsius. After drying, samples were ground using a mortar and pestle, and then stored in Eppendorf microcentrofuge tubes. Lipids were not extracted.
Statement: -Stable isotopes- Abundances of stable isotopes were measured by continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) using Europa Scientific (Roboprep-CN/Tracermass and ANCA-NT/20-20 units) and Isogas Sira 9 instruments. Most samples were analysed in dual isotope mode, allowing 13C:12C and 15N:14N ratios to be determined simultaneously on one sample. Samples containing a disproportionate amount of C relative to N (seagrass and some of the brown algae) were analysed in single isotope mode. The analytical precisions of the instruments were at least +-0.5% (1 SD) and +-0.2% (1 SD) for C and N isotopes, respectively.
Statement: -Gut contents- To quantify the amount of each type of food consumed, gut contents were rinsed and put in an 18.5 cm diameter glass petri dish. The dish was placed over a sheet with 60 randomly-positioned dots. Contents of the dish were viewed under a Gilbert magnifying lamp and food pieces present over each dot recorded. In this way, each food type was given a score from a possible 60 (note that according to binomial probability 60 dots gives a 95% probability of recording a food type comprising 5% or more of the gut contents). This score was then multiplied by 100 to give a percentage (% of gut) as % of gut = (No. of records/60) x 100 Food types observed in the gut, but not recorded by this method, were assigned a value of 1%. Because many of the pieces were difficult to identify even to family level, a list of 21 identifiable categories were created by combining coarse taxonomic and morphological descriptors. -Plant categories- Bluegreen algae Brown algae - Foliose Brown algae - Filamentous Red algae - Foliose Red algae - Filamentous Red algae - Corticated terete Red algae - Articulated coralline Red algae - Crustose coralline Green algae - Foliose Green algae - Filamentous Green algae - Coenocytic Seagrass -Animal categories- Bryozoan Crinoid Crustacean Gastropod Hydroid Sponge / Ascidian Unidentified -Abiotic categories- Sand / Rock fragments Worm tube

Notes

Credit
Gary Kendrick - Supervisor

Created: 30 07 2007

Data time period: 1999-07 to 2000-01

This dataset is part of a larger collection

Click to explore relationships graph
Help

Related Organisations

Related People

Related Program

115.76,30.26 115.76,34.26 114.96,34.26 114.96,30.26 115.76,30.26

115.36,32.26

text: westlimit=114.96; southlimit=34.26; eastlimit=115.76; northlimit=30.26

text: uplimit=10; downlimit=5

Subjects
25 202012 | 25 211002 | 25 247001 | ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES | BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION | BIOSPHERE | Biosphere | Ecological Dynamics | Feeding Habitat | Biosphere | Vegetation | Macroalgae | Centrostephanus tenuispinus | EARTH SCIENCE | Echinoderms | ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS | ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS | Heliocidaris erythrogramma | Oceans | Marine Biology | Marine Invertebrates | Oceans | Marine Biology | Marine Plants | Phyllacanthus irregularis | Trophic Dynamics | oceans |

User Contributed Tags    

Login to tag this record with meaningful keywords to make it easier to discover

Other Information
(PhD thesis)

uri : http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2004.0086/

global : 8a9db950-3033-11dc-95ce-00188b4c0af8

Identifiers
  • global : d0438890-3e43-11dc-b523-00188b4c0af8
Similar data you may be interested in: