The Aquatic Trophic Ecology of Suisun Marsh, San Francisco Estuary, California, During Autumn in a Wet Year

Using stable isotopes of carbon ( delta super(13) C) and nitrogen ( delta super(15) N) and mixing models, we investigated the trophic levels and carbon sources of invertebrates and fishes of a large tidal marsh in the San Francisco Estuary. Our goal was to better understand an estuarine food web com...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:San Francisco estuary and watershed science 2015, Vol.13 (3), p.1-18
Main Authors: Schroeter, Robert E., O'Rear, Teejay A., Young, Matthew J., Moyle, Peter B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brackish
food web, San Francisco Estuary, trophic ecology, stable isotope, tidal marsh, Suisun Marsh, Gammarus daiberi
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Summary:Using stable isotopes of carbon ( delta super(13) C) and nitrogen ( delta super(15) N) and mixing models, we investigated the trophic levels and carbon sources of invertebrates and fishes of a large tidal marsh in the San Francisco Estuary. Our goal was to better understand an estuarine food web comprised of native and alien species. We found the following: (1) the food web was based largely on carbon from phytoplankton and emergentaquatic and terrestrial vegetation, but carbon from submerged aquatic vegetation and phytobenthos was also used; (2) alien species increased the complexity of the food web by altering carbon-flow pathways and by occupying trophic positions different from native species; and (3) most consumers were dietary generalists.
ISSN:1546-2366
1546-2366
DOI:10.15447/sfews.2015v13iss3art6