Aragonés Fred, Carolina

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    Stable isotope analyses (δ13 C and δ15 N) of the invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans, and native groupers, red hind, Epinephelus guttatus and coney, Cephalopholis fulva in Puerto Rico
    (2022-07-08) Aragonés Fred, Carolina; Cruz Motta, Juan J.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Appeldoorn, Richard S.; Ojeda Serrano, Edgardo; Department of Marine Sciences; Rúa De la Asuncion, Armando J.
    Invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Western Tropical Atlantic are a threat to coral reef ecosystems due to their voracious appetite, prey naivete, as well as their generalist and opportunistic feeding strategy on juvenile reef fishes and invertebrates. However, little is known about their predation effects in the food web and whether the latter causes competition for food resources in native predators. We used stable isotope analysis, to evaluate spatial differences of lionfish δ13C and δ15N muscle tissue signatures at four different reef habitats of Puerto Rico. Competitive interactions for food resources amongst invasive lionfish and two ecologically and commercially important native predators was also evaluated. Comparison of δ13C and δ15N isotopic signals between P. volitans and native groupers, red hind (Epinephelus guttatus) and coney (Cephalopholis fulva) from a Puerto Rican reef habitat where they coexisted. Significant differences were found in lionfish δ15N for both site (F = 2.91, p = 0.012) and habitat (F = 16.89, p = 0.003) effect. Lionfish δ13C and δ15N was highest at nearshore habitats and decreased with distance from shore, in addition, carbon mean values at nearshore habitats correlated with a greater contribution of benthic algae than plankton at deeper habitats. Lionfish’s trophic niche showed similarities among habitats, with 99% among artificial and shallow habitats, as well as 71% in artificial with deep habitats. Smaller overlaps were also observed between shallow, deep, and mesophotic habitats indicating differences in the diet of lionfish for the latter, especially between shallow and mesophotic with an overlap of 3% and a 16% between the shallow and deep habitat. Significant overlap between the trophic niches of invasive lionfish and native red hind and coney groupers was observed. Lionfish overlapped 89% and 100% to the trophic niches of red hind and coney, respectively, indicating a high degree of competition for dietary resources, which was strictly ruled by their feeding habits. Despite the competitive effects for food that lionfish have on both native predators, coney are more susceptible to being easily displaced as they exert competition on lionfish indicated by only a 9% overlap, while red hind overlapped 36% with the invader.