Abstract
Herbivores, omnivores, and predators transfer energy and structure the communities of many coastal marine ecosystems, and the intensity with which they consume prey and contribute to ecosystem functioning varies substantially among habitats over short time periods. Whether generalities across habitats might emerge for longer time series and using standard methods remains largely untested. Here, we deployed standardized assays of consumption using dried squid (“squidpops”) and five common macrophytes (“weedpops”) to quantify consumption across coral fore reef and patch reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows, and bare sand from 2015 to 2019 around Carrie Bow Cay, Belize. We also used video in 2017 to identify the species responsible for consumption. We found that both squid- and weedpop consumption were consistently highest on patch and fore reef habitats, moderate in mangroves, and lowest in seagrass and sand across all years of the survey. Videos showed that the majority of consumption on the reefs in 2017 could be attributed to < 5 fish species, and the identity of the dominant consumers differed among habitats. This study validates a key but implicit assumption in marine ecology that relative patterns in consumption across habitats are consistent through space and time in tropical nearshore environments, and reveals that high consumption rates may be the consequence of one or few species in each location.
Highlights
Both herbivory and predation are key processes within food webs that control biomass distribution and species composition within and across communities (Borer et al, 2006; Halpern et al, 2006)
A recent meta-analysis on nursery function uncovered only a dozen or so studies comparing among multiple habitats, and these failed to reveal any general patterns in terms of juvenile survival/predation risk associated with each (Lefcheck et al, 2019a)
Standardized assays of macrophyte and dried squid consumption over a 5-year period across a Belizean tropical seascape revealed that consumption rates differed among habitats and these differences were consistent through time (Figures 2–4)
Summary
Both herbivory and predation are key processes within food webs that control biomass distribution and species composition within and across communities (Borer et al, 2006; Halpern et al, 2006). Relative variation in primary production and producer biomass can be compared efficiently in both terrestrial and marine environments, the mobility, diet, and behavior of consumers (e.g., fishes) make their distribution and top-down impacts challenging to quantify, especially in marine habitats A recent meta-analysis on nursery function uncovered only a dozen or so studies comparing among multiple habitats (coral reefs, mangroves, and/or seagrasses), and these failed to reveal any general patterns in terms of juvenile survival/predation risk associated with each (Lefcheck et al, 2019a). One potential explanation is that studies to date have rarely had temporal breadth to uncover such generalities, as longer time series may reduce natural variability enough to resolve differences among habitats in trophic processes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
