Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem

Anne Christine Utne-Palm; Anne Gro Vea Salvanes; Bronwen Currie; Stein Kaartvedt; Göran E. Nilsson; Victoria A. Braithwaite; Jonathan A W Stecyk; Matthias Hundt; Megan G. Van Der Bank; Bradley A. Flynn; Guro Katrine Sandvik; Thor Aleksander Klevjer; Andrew K. Sweetman; Volker Brüchert; Karin A. Pittman; Kathleen R. Peard; Ida Gjervold Lunde; R. A U Strandaba; Mark J. Gibbons

doi:10.1126/science.1190708

Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem

Anne Christine Utne-Palm, Anne Gro Vea Salvanes, Bronwen Currie, Stein Kaartvedt, Göran E. Nilsson, Victoria A. Braithwaite, Jonathan A W Stecyk, Matthias Hundt, Megan G. Van Der Bank, Bradley A. Flynn, Guro Katrine Sandvik, Thor Aleksander Klevjer, Andrew K. Sweetman, Volker Brüchert, Karin A. Pittman, Kathleen R. Peard, Ida Gjervold Lunde, R. A U Strandaba, Mark J. Gibbons

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115 Scopus citations

Abstract

Since the collapse of the pelagic fisheries off southwest Africa in the late 1960s, jellyfish biomass has increased and the structure of the Benguelan fish community has shifted, making the bearded goby (Sufflogobius bibarbatus) the new predominant prey species. Despite increased prédation pressure and a harsh environment, the gobies are thriving. Here we show that physiological adaptations and antipredator and foraging behaviors underpin the success of these fish. In particular, body-tissue isotope signatures reveal that gobies consume jellyfish and sulphidic diatomaceous mud, transferring "dead-end" resources back into the food chain.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	333-336
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	329
Issue number	5989
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1190708
State	Published - Jul 15 2010

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Utne-Palm, A. C., Salvanes, A. G. V., Currie, B., Kaartvedt, S., Nilsson, G. E., Braithwaite, V. A., Stecyk, J. A. W., Hundt, M., Van Der Bank, M. G., Flynn, B. A., Sandvik, G. K., Klevjer, T. A., Sweetman, A. K., Brüchert, V., Pittman, K. A., Peard, K. R., Lunde, I. G., Strandaba, R. A. U., & Gibbons, M. J. (2010). Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem. Science, 329(5989), 333-336. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1190708

@article{bf6603fc02ed452483d907ed889065d8,

title = "Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem",

abstract = "Since the collapse of the pelagic fisheries off southwest Africa in the late 1960s, jellyfish biomass has increased and the structure of the Benguelan fish community has shifted, making the bearded goby (Sufflogobius bibarbatus) the new predominant prey species. Despite increased pr{\'e}dation pressure and a harsh environment, the gobies are thriving. Here we show that physiological adaptations and antipredator and foraging behaviors underpin the success of these fish. In particular, body-tissue isotope signatures reveal that gobies consume jellyfish and sulphidic diatomaceous mud, transferring {"}dead-end{"} resources back into the food chain.",

author = "Utne-Palm, {Anne Christine} and Salvanes, {Anne Gro Vea} and Bronwen Currie and Stein Kaartvedt and Nilsson, {G{\"o}ran E.} and Braithwaite, {Victoria A.} and Stecyk, {Jonathan A W} and Matthias Hundt and {Van Der Bank}, {Megan G.} and Flynn, {Bradley A.} and Sandvik, {Guro Katrine} and Klevjer, {Thor Aleksander} and Sweetman, {Andrew K.} and Volker Br{\"u}chert and Pittman, {Karin A.} and Peard, {Kathleen R.} and Lunde, {Ida Gjervold} and Strandaba, {R. A U} and Gibbons, {Mark J.}",

note = "KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01 Acknowledgements: We thank the crew of the G. O. Sars; F. Midtoy for assistance; and P. Ellitson, M. Hordnes, R. Jones, R. Amundsen and the rest of the scientific crew. We thank the National Research Foundation of South Africa, the Research Council of Norway, and our home institutions for funding and support. We thank BENEFIT (Benguela Environment Fisheries Interaction and Training), S. Sundby, D. C. Boyer, J. Otto Krakstad, and the crew of the research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen for support with earlier goby cruises, laying the basis for the present study. We thank K. Helge Jensen for statistical support. We appreciate the comments on this manuscript by J. Giske, C. Jorgensen, M. P. Heino, and the anonymous reviewers. Care and handling of experimental animals were performed in accordance with institutional guidelines. J. A. W. S. was a postdoctoral researcher funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Reserach Council of Canada at the time when the research was conducted.",

year = "2010",

month = jul,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1126/science.1190708",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "329",

pages = "333--336",

journal = "Science",

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publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

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Utne-Palm, AC, Salvanes, AGV, Currie, B, Kaartvedt, S, Nilsson, GE, Braithwaite, VA, Stecyk, JAW, Hundt, M, Van Der Bank, MG, Flynn, BA, Sandvik, GK, Klevjer, TA, Sweetman, AK, Brüchert, V, Pittman, KA, Peard, KR, Lunde, IG, Strandaba, RAU & Gibbons, MJ 2010, 'Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem', Science, vol. 329, no. 5989, pp. 333-336. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1190708

TY - JOUR

T1 - Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem

AU - Utne-Palm, Anne Christine

AU - Salvanes, Anne Gro Vea

AU - Currie, Bronwen

AU - Kaartvedt, Stein

AU - Nilsson, Göran E.

AU - Braithwaite, Victoria A.

AU - Stecyk, Jonathan A W

AU - Hundt, Matthias

AU - Van Der Bank, Megan G.

AU - Flynn, Bradley A.

AU - Sandvik, Guro Katrine

AU - Klevjer, Thor Aleksander

AU - Sweetman, Andrew K.

AU - Brüchert, Volker

AU - Pittman, Karin A.

AU - Peard, Kathleen R.

AU - Lunde, Ida Gjervold

AU - Strandaba, R. A U

AU - Gibbons, Mark J.

N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01 Acknowledgements: We thank the crew of the G. O. Sars; F. Midtoy for assistance; and P. Ellitson, M. Hordnes, R. Jones, R. Amundsen and the rest of the scientific crew. We thank the National Research Foundation of South Africa, the Research Council of Norway, and our home institutions for funding and support. We thank BENEFIT (Benguela Environment Fisheries Interaction and Training), S. Sundby, D. C. Boyer, J. Otto Krakstad, and the crew of the research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen for support with earlier goby cruises, laying the basis for the present study. We thank K. Helge Jensen for statistical support. We appreciate the comments on this manuscript by J. Giske, C. Jorgensen, M. P. Heino, and the anonymous reviewers. Care and handling of experimental animals were performed in accordance with institutional guidelines. J. A. W. S. was a postdoctoral researcher funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Reserach Council of Canada at the time when the research was conducted.

PY - 2010/7/15

Y1 - 2010/7/15

N2 - Since the collapse of the pelagic fisheries off southwest Africa in the late 1960s, jellyfish biomass has increased and the structure of the Benguelan fish community has shifted, making the bearded goby (Sufflogobius bibarbatus) the new predominant prey species. Despite increased prédation pressure and a harsh environment, the gobies are thriving. Here we show that physiological adaptations and antipredator and foraging behaviors underpin the success of these fish. In particular, body-tissue isotope signatures reveal that gobies consume jellyfish and sulphidic diatomaceous mud, transferring "dead-end" resources back into the food chain.

AB - Since the collapse of the pelagic fisheries off southwest Africa in the late 1960s, jellyfish biomass has increased and the structure of the Benguelan fish community has shifted, making the bearded goby (Sufflogobius bibarbatus) the new predominant prey species. Despite increased prédation pressure and a harsh environment, the gobies are thriving. Here we show that physiological adaptations and antipredator and foraging behaviors underpin the success of these fish. In particular, body-tissue isotope signatures reveal that gobies consume jellyfish and sulphidic diatomaceous mud, transferring "dead-end" resources back into the food chain.

UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10754/561493

UR - https://www.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1190708

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954777861&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.1190708

DO - 10.1126/science.1190708

M3 - Article

C2 - 20647468

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 329

SP - 333

EP - 336

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5989

ER -

Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem

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