Isotopic change throughout the life history of a Lake Malawi cichlid fish
Isotopic change throughout the life history of a Lake Malawi cichlid fish
Clear changes in body size-isotope (carbon and nitrogen) trajectories of Pseudotropheus callainos. a cichlid belonging to the endemic haplochromine species radiation in Lake Malawi, were found that corresponded with an ontogenetic dietary shift from predominantly planktonic to benthic food sources. The results indicated that dietary switching was a proximate cause of isotopic change over the life history of this species and confirmed the value of stable isotope signatures for inferring diet. The data also illustrated that possible variability of signatures over the life history of a species should be considered when using stable isotope ratios to investigate fine-scale ecological differentiation among taxa.
cichlid fish, diet, ecology, lake malawi, stable isotopes
907-917
Genner, M.J.
bfd02462-1b20-4396-91f0-3b1849c92d48
Hawkins, S.J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
Turner, G.F.
7278e988-618f-46a0-bf6a-efd211bc67bc
April 2003
Genner, M.J.
bfd02462-1b20-4396-91f0-3b1849c92d48
Hawkins, S.J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
Turner, G.F.
7278e988-618f-46a0-bf6a-efd211bc67bc
Genner, M.J., Hawkins, S.J. and Turner, G.F.
(2003)
Isotopic change throughout the life history of a Lake Malawi cichlid fish.
Journal of Fish Biology, 62 (4), .
(doi:10.1046/j.1095-8649.2003.00085.x).
Abstract
Clear changes in body size-isotope (carbon and nitrogen) trajectories of Pseudotropheus callainos. a cichlid belonging to the endemic haplochromine species radiation in Lake Malawi, were found that corresponded with an ontogenetic dietary shift from predominantly planktonic to benthic food sources. The results indicated that dietary switching was a proximate cause of isotopic change over the life history of this species and confirmed the value of stable isotope signatures for inferring diet. The data also illustrated that possible variability of signatures over the life history of a species should be considered when using stable isotope ratios to investigate fine-scale ecological differentiation among taxa.
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Submitted date: 25 July 2002
Published date: April 2003
Keywords:
cichlid fish, diet, ecology, lake malawi, stable isotopes
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Local EPrints ID: 57731
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/57731
ISSN: 0022-1112
PURE UUID: e61af6df-0e68-43b1-9892-e72ec6a8ed88
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Date deposited: 08 Aug 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 11:08
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Author:
M.J. Genner
Author:
G.F. Turner
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