Journal
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Volume 13, Issue 1, Pages -Publisher
NATURE PORTFOLIO
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37035-x
Keywords
-
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Despite hypoxic conditions, cold-water coral reefs in the Angolan margin rely on an intermediate food source, possibly zooplankton.
Cold-water coral (CWC) reefs of the Angolan margin (SE Atlantic) are dominated by Desmophyllum pertusum and support a diverse community of associated fauna, despite hypoxic conditions. In this study, we use carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses (& delta;C-13 and & delta;N-15) to decipher the trophic network of this relatively unknown CWC province. Although fresh phytodetritus is available to the reef, & delta;N-15 signatures indicate that CWCs (12.90 & PLUSMN; 1.00 & PTSTHOUSND;) sit two trophic levels above Suspended Particulate Organic Matter (SPOM) (4.23 & PLUSMN; 1.64 & PTSTHOUSND;) suggesting that CWCs are highly reliant on an intermediate food source, which may be zooplankton. Echinoderms and the polychaete Eunice norvegica occupy the same trophic guild, with high & delta;C-13 signatures (-14.00 & PLUSMN; 1.08 & PTSTHOUSND;) pointing to a predatory feeding behavior on CWCs and sponges, although detrital feeding on C-13 enriched particles might also be important for this group. Sponges presented the highest & delta;N-15 values (20.20 & PLUSMN; 1.87 & PTSTHOUSND;), which could be due to the role of the sponge holobiont and bacterial food in driving intense nitrogen cycling processes in sponges' tissue, helping to cope with the hypoxic conditions of the reef. Our study provides first insights to understand trophic interactions of CWC reefs under low-oxygen conditions.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available