Patterns of juvenile habitat use by the spider crab Maja brachydactyla as revealed by stable isotope analyses

Authors

  • Juan Freire Departamento de Bioloxía Animal, Bioloxía Vexetal e Ecoloxía, Universidade da Coruña
  • Sirka Carabel Departamento de Bioloxía Animal, Bioloxía Vexetal e Ecoloxía, Universidade da Coruña
  • Patricia Verísimo Departamento de Bioloxía Animal, Bioloxía Vexetal e Ecoloxía, Universidade da Coruña
  • Cristina Bernárdez Departamento de Bioloxía Animal, Bioloxía Vexetal e Ecoloxía, Universidade da Coruña
  • Luis Fernández Departamento de Bioloxía Animal, Bioloxía Vexetal e Ecoloxía, Universidade da Coruña

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2009.73n1039

Keywords:

coastal ecosystems, food webs, feeding, life history, marine crustaceans, stable isotopes, trophic level, energetic condition

Abstract


Patterns of habitat use by spider crab juveniles, Maja brachydactyla, from two geographic areas on the NW coast of the Iberian Peninsula were studied through the analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope relations in muscle and hepatopancreas. Main potential preys of spider crab juveniles in rocky and sandy habitats and different organic matter sources in coastal food webs were also analysed. Isotopic ratios showed no difference between rocky and sandy habitats. The use of carapace colour and epibiosis as an indicator of habitat use was not supported by our data. These results suggest that movements between the two habitats are much more frequent than suggested in previous studies. In the coastal food web, two main trophic compartments were identified according to their organic matter source: one based on plankton and seaweeds (rocky habitats), and one based on sedimentary particulate organic matter (sandy bottoms). By means of the model of Phillips and Gregg (2003), it was found that juveniles of Maja brachydactyla from both habitats consumed approximately two thirds of the preys in rocky habitats and one third in sedimentary habitats. The results indicate that in exposed environments large juveniles spend most of the time on sedimentary bottoms, where they find more refuge, moving frequently to nearby rocky substrates to feed.

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Author Biography

Cristina Bernárdez, Departamento de Bioloxía Animal, Bioloxía Vexetal e Ecoloxía, Universidade da Coruña

Centro de Ecología Costera, Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara

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Published

2009-03-30

How to Cite

1.
Freire J, Carabel S, Verísimo P, Bernárdez C, Fernández L. Patterns of juvenile habitat use by the spider crab Maja brachydactyla as revealed by stable isotope analyses. Sci. mar. [Internet]. 2009Mar.30 [cited 2024Mar.28];73(1):39-4. Available from: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/1040

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