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Role of estuarine habitats for the feeding ecology of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.).
- Source :
- PLoS ONE; 7/6/2022, Vol. 17 Issue 7, p1-23, 23p
- Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- This study aims to characterize and compare the feeding ecology of the European eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) during the continental phase (i.e. yellow and silver) along a salinity gradient (i.e. lower, middle and upper) in six northern France estuaries (i.e. brackish water). The diet and stable isotopic (i.e. δ<superscript>15</superscript>N and δ<superscript>13</superscript>C values) compositions of eels collected with a fyke net in six estuaries (Slack, Wimereux, Liane, Canche, Authie and Somme estuaries) located along the French coast of the eastern English Channel per season over a year were described by combining gut content and stable isotope analyses. Eel guts were dominated by typical BW prey, Malacostraca and Actinopterygii (54% and 40%, respectively), with the gammare Gammarus zaddachi and the green crab Carcinus maenas (38% and 14%, respectively), and smaller yellow eels of A. anguilla and juvenile European flounder, Platichthys flesus (19% and 14%, respectively) being the most frequently found in their guts. The δ<superscript>13</superscript>C values of a majority of eels confirmed the sea- and brackish water-specific carbon resources. Dietary and isotopic niche revealed no clear change between total length, silvering stages and seasons, but a significant difference between salinity gradients and estuaries. Eels δ<superscript>13</superscript>C values showed significant enrichment from upper to lower along the estuaries while the δ<superscript>15</superscript>N values showed an inverse effect, with the lowest values in the lower part and highest in the upper part. Higher variability in δ<superscript>13</superscript>C values in larger estuaries suggested that eels feed on a wide range of food sources than in smaller estuaries. While eels in the smaller estuaries fed mainly on Actinopterygii prey, eels in the larger ones had a lower trophic level (i.e. δ<superscript>15</superscript>N values) and fed mainly on Malacostraca prey. This spatial difference in dietary and isotopic niche is discussed in relation to biological structure of eel and environmental variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 17
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- PLoS ONE
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 157842652
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0270348