Dataset Information

Hight-throughput sequencing reveals prey diversity overlap between sympatric Sulids in the tropical Atlantic

ABSTRACT: Seabirds breeding at tropical latitudes suffer an increased pressure to forage efficiently, because oligotrophic waters have less abundant and more patchily distributed prey. In related species living in sympatry, trophic or spatial niche partitioning may emerge as a strategy to mitigate increased competition. However, studies using molecular methodologies such as high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to test for these strategies are still scarce. In this study we used HTS to assess prey diversity partitioning on two sulid species living sympatrically in the tropical Raso Islet (Cabo Verde). Brown boobies (Sula leucogaster) breed in Raso Islet throughout the year while Red-footed boobies (Sula sula) occur during moult, from June to October. We compared Brown boobies diet prey diversity between the two periods (non-coexistence vs. coexistence with Red-footed booby), as well as between both sulids while in coexistence. Overall, the diets of all groups were clearly dominated by a small number of Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs), with a predominance of flying fish. The diet composition of Brown boobies was significantly different between the two time periods, most likely due to temporal differences in prey availability or possible competition with other seabird species. Brown boobies exploited a wider taxonomic range of prey, while Red-footed boobies used a subset of Brown boobies’ prey diversity. Furthermore, we did not find intersexual differences in the diet composition of both species. Overall, we did not find evidence that prey diversity partitioning occurred, probably due to the parallel occurrence of spatial niche partitioning.

ORGANISM(S): Sula leucogaster Sula sula

SUBMITTER:

PROVIDER: S-BSST802 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:In the oligotrophic tropical marine environment resources are usually more patchily distributed and less abundant to top predators. Thus, spatial and trophic competition can emerge, especially between related seabird species belonging to the same ecological guild. Here we studied the foraging ecology of two sympatric species-brown booby (BRBO) Sula leucogaster (breeding) and red-footed boobies (RFBO) Sula sula (non-breeding)-at Raso islet (Cabo Verde), across different seasons. Sexual segregation was only observed during Jun-Oct, when RFBO were present, with larger females BRBO remaining closer to the colonies, while males and RFBO travelled further and exploited different habitats. Overall, species appeared to prefer areas with specific oceanic features, particularly those related with oceanic currents and responsible for enhancing primary productivity in tropical oceanic areas (e.g. Sea Surface Height and Ocean Mixed Layer Thickness). Female BRBOs showed high foraging-site fidelity during the period of sympatry, while exploiting the same prey species as the other birds. However, during the months of co-existence (Jun.-Oct.), isotopic mixing models suggested that female BRBO would consume a higher proportion of epipelagic fish, whereas female RFBO would consume more squid compared to the other birds, possibly due to habitat-specific prey availability and breeding energy-constraints for BRBO. We conclude that divergent parental roles, environmental conditions, habitat preference and competition could be mechanisms simultaneously underlying sexual segregation for BRBO during a period of co-existence, while inter-specific foraging differences appear to be more affected by habitat preference and different breeding stages. These results support previous statements that BRBO can adapt their foraging ecology to different circumstances of environmental conditions and competition, and that marine physical features play an important role in foraging decisions of boobies.

Dataset Information

Hight-throughput sequencing reveals prey diversity overlap between sympatric Sulids in the tropical Atlantic

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets