Ontogenetic shifts in the trophic ecology of two alvinocaridid shrimp species at hydrothermal vents on the Mariana Arc, western Pacific Ocean

Abstract

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 356:225-237 (2008) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07270 Ontogenetic shifts in the trophic ecology of two alvinocaridid shrimp species at hydrothermal vents on the Mariana Arc, western Pacific Ocean Catherine J. Stevens1,4,*, Helene Limén1,5, David W. Pond2, Yves Gélinas3, S. Kim Juniper1,6 1Centre GÉOTOP-UQÀM-McGill, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888 Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada 2Biological Sciences Division, British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK 3Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Concordia University, Loyola Science Complex, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada 4Present address: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 14-901, 301 Evans Bay Parade, Greta Point, Wellington, New Zealand 5Present address: Research Service, The Riksdag Administration, The Swedish Parliament, 100 12 Stockholm, Sweden 6Present address: School of Earth & Ocean Sciences and Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3055, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3N5, Canada *Email: catherine.stevens@niwa.co.nz ABSTRACT: The Mariana Arc of submarine volcanoes has recently been the site of an international, interdisciplinary study into the structure and function of the associated hydrothermal systems. A broad size range of juvenile alvinocaridid shrimp, Opaepele loihi and Alvinocaris sp. M (diagnosis in preparation by R. Webber), were collected from active sites on NW Rota-1 and NW Eifuku volcanoes. Fatty acid biomarkers and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen revealed a photosynthetic signal in small juveniles of both species, probably acquired during a pelagic larval phase. Size-related changes in the fatty acid composition of both species indicated a dietary switch from pelagic feeding on photosynthetic material to ingestion of bacteria at vent sites after settlement. This is especially true for O. loihi, where carbon isotopic signatures implied ingestion of bacteria with form II RuBisCo. Juvenile Alvinocaris sp. M also appear to have eaten bacteria, although probably those with form I RuBisCo; detritus may also feature in their diet at an early stage. With increasing size, the fatty acid and isotopic composition of Alvinocaris sp. M implied a lesser dependence on bacterivory and a possible switch to carnivory. Generally, Alvinocaris sp. M and O. loihi are more similar in their biochemical composition to opportunistic alvinocaridids than to strict bacterivores. We suggest that as juveniles both species rely to varying degrees on bacteria and that opportunism and scavenging are likely sources of nutrition in older individuals. KEY WORDS: Hydrothermal vent · Shrimp · Alvinocaridid · Fatty acid · Stable isotope · Mariana Arc · Western Pacific Ocean Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Stevens CJ, Limén H, Pond DW, Gélinas Y, Juniper SK (2008) Ontogenetic shifts in the trophic ecology of two alvinocaridid shrimp species at hydrothermal vents on the Mariana Arc, western Pacific Ocean. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 356:225-237. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07270 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 356. Online publication date: March 18, 2008 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2008 Inter-Research.