Trophic relationships in a seagrass community (Thalassia testudinum), in Card Sound, Florida. Fish diets in relation to macrobenthic and cryptic faunal abundance
Journal Article
·
· Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States)
Seagrass communities are a major feature of shallow marine areas throughout the world. The marine spermatophyte Thalassia testudinum is the dominant seagrass in southeast Florida and the Florida Gulf coast. The trophic interaction between the fishes and the macrobenthic and cryptic fauna found in the area was examined. Based on digestive tract analysis, the principal interaction between the primary consumers of the study area and the higher trophic level predators was via the polychaetes and peracaridean crustaceans. The mollusks which contributed significantly to the benthic biomass were not a preferred food for the animals frequenting the study site. The maximum mollusk biomass in any benthic and cryptic sample was 2.31 g dry/m/sup 2/. It was felt that the predator population was limited by the small stock of polychaetes and peracaridean crustaceans which had a maximum biomass in any one sample equivalent to 1.74 g dry/m/sup 2/. The majority of the fishes captured were foragers over a wide area. The main residents were the syngnathids and the gold-spotted killifish, Floridichthys carpio.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Miami
- OSTI ID:
- 7083333
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 106:3; ISSN TAFSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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