Role of food availability in the bathymetric distribution  of the starfish <i>Marthasterias glacialis</i> (Lamk.)  on reefs of northern Portugal

Fernando Tuya; Pedro Duarte

doi:10.3989/scimar.2012.76n1009

Autores/as

Fernando Tuya CIIMAR - BIOGES, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - School of Natural Sciences, Centre for Ecosystem Management, Edith Cowan University
Pedro Duarte CIIMAR - CIAGEB, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Fernando Pessoa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2012.76n1009

Palabras clave:

estrellas de mar, distribución vertical, segregación, disponibilidad alimentaria, patrones espaciales, Portugal

Resumen

Examinamos si la abundancia y talla de la estrella de mar Marthasterias glacialis (Lamk.) exhibe una segregación batimétrica en arrecifes submareales. Contrastamos el modelo que predice que diferencias en la disponibilidad alimenticia puede resultar en una segregación del hábitat a lo largo de un gradiente batimétrico. La abundancia y talla de M. glacialis se registró sobre 4 estratos de profundidad: 0-4 m, 4-8 m, 8-12 m, y > 12 m; además registramos el número de presas sobre las que estaban depredando. La abundancia y talla de M. glacialis decreció con la profundidad. Los mejillones (Mytilus galloprivincialis) fueron la presa más consumida, seguido de gasterópodos, erizos de mar y cirrípedos; M. glacialis también consumió una cantidad significativamente superior de mejillones en experiencias alimentarias en relación a erizos de mar y gasterópodos. La clara asociación entre la caída en profundidad de la abundancia y talla de M. glacialis y la caída de su presa más consumida (mejillones) sugiere que la disponibilidad alimentaria juega probablemente un papel importante en la distribución vertical de esta estrella de mar. No obstante, individuos marcados mostraron un movimiento a corto plazo mayor sobre un estrato somero que sobre un estrato profundo, y por tanto, la turbulencia asociada al oleaje en los primeros metros del medio submareal también pudiera afectar el patrón ecológico de M. glacialis con la profundidad.

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