Ecological niche segregation among five toothed whale species off the NW

نویسندگان

  • Paula Méndez-Fernandez
  • Graham J. Pierce
  • Paco Bustamante
  • Tiphaine Chouvelon
  • Marisa Ferreira
  • Angel F. González
  • Alfredo López
  • Begoña Santos
  • Jérôme Spitz
  • José V. Vingada
  • Florence Caurant
چکیده

This study aims to assess niche segregation among the five main toothed whales 25 that frequent the NW Iberian Peninsula waters: the common dolphin, the harbour porpoise, 26 the bottlenose dolphin, the striped dolphin and the long-finned pilot whale. We used cadmium 27 (Cd) and stable isotope ratios (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) as ecological tracers to assess degree of 28 segregation in diet/trophic level and in foraging habitat, over various timescales. δ 13 C values 29 highlighted different habitat while Cd concentrations highlighted feeding differences between 30 oceanic and neritic species. Moreover, δ 15 N values suggest different trophic levels of prey 31 targeted within oceanic and neritic species. Hence, results revealed long-term ecological 32 segregation among five toothed whales that coexist in the NWIP and demonstrated the ability 33 of ecological tracers to discriminate ecological niches among closely related species.

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تاریخ انتشار 2013