Midtrophic fish feeding modes at the poles: an ecomorphological comparison of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica)

Erica Carlig; Jørgen S. Christiansen; Davide Di Blasi; Sara Ferrando; Eva Pisano; Marino Vacchi; Richard L. O’Driscoll; Laura Ghigliotti

doi:10.1007/s00300-021-02900-w

Midtrophic fish feeding modes at the poles: an ecomorphological comparison of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica)

Erica Carlig^*
, Jørgen S. Christiansen
, Davide Di Blasi
, Sara Ferrando
, Eva Pisano
, Marino Vacchi
, Richard L. O’Driscoll
, Laura Ghigliotti

^*Corresponding author for this work

Environmental and Marine Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

87 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and the Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) are pelagic fish endemic to the Arctic and Antarctica sea, respectively. Both species are abundant and play a central role as midtrophic wasp-waist species in polar ecosystems. Due to their biological and ecological characteristics (small size, complex life histories, relatively short generation cycles, movement capability, planktivorous diet, and importance as prey), the polar cod and the Antarctic silverfish are potentially good sentinels of ecosystem change. Changes in polar zooplankton communities are well documented. How changes impact ecosystems as a whole largely depend on the degree of diet specialization and feeding flexibility of midtrophic species. Here, we provide the ecomorphological characterization of polar cod and Antarctic silverfish feeding performances. A comparative functional ecology approach, based on the analysis of morpho-anatomical traits, including calculation of suction index and mechanical advantage in jaw closing, was applied to profile the feeding modes and flexibility of the two species. Ecomorphological evidence supports differences in food acquisition: the polar cod appears able to alternate particulate ram-suction feeding to a pump filter feeding, and the Antarctic silverfish results be both a particulate ram and a tow-net filter feeder. Both species exhibit opportunistic feeding strategies and appear able to switch feeding mode according to the abundance and size of the available prey, which is a clue of potential resilience to a changing environment.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1629-1642
Number of pages	14
Journal	Polar Biology
Volume	44
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02900-w
Publication status	Published - 2021
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

We thank the TUNU-Programme at UiT—The Arctic University of Norway. The authors are very grateful to the colleagues and crew on board the R/V Helmer Hanssen for their kind collaboration. The New Zealand-Australian Antarctic Ecosystems voyage on Tangaroa was jointly funded by Antarctica New Zealand, Australian Antarctic Division, NIWA, and the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment. We thank also Paul Brickle and two anonymous referees, whose comments greatly improved the manuscript. The study was supported by the Italian National Programme for Antarctic Research (PNRA) projects 16_00281 (POLICY) and 2013/AZ1.18 (RAISE), and contributes to the SCAR Scientific Research Program AnT-ERA (Antarctic sThresholds—Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation). We thank the TUNU-Programme at UiT?The Arctic University of Norway. The authors are very grateful to the colleagues and crew on board the R/V Helmer Hanssen for their kind collaboration. The New Zealand-Australian Antarctic Ecosystems voyage on Tangaroa was jointly funded by Antarctica New Zealand, Australian Antarctic Division, NIWA, and the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment. We thank also Paul Brickle and two anonymous referees, whose comments greatly improved the manuscript.

Keywords

Antarctic silverfish
Ecomorphology
Feeding strategy
Gill rakers
Jaw mechanics
Polar cod

Access to Document

10.1007/s00300-021-02900-w

s00300-021-02900-wFinal published version, 1.53 MBLicence: CC BY

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2023050139614

Cite this

@article{f26977e6ce124300918820648ed025a6,

title = "Midtrophic fish feeding modes at the poles: an ecomorphological comparison of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica)",

abstract = "The polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and the Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) are pelagic fish endemic to the Arctic and Antarctica sea, respectively. Both species are abundant and play a central role as midtrophic wasp-waist species in polar ecosystems. Due to their biological and ecological characteristics (small size, complex life histories, relatively short generation cycles, movement capability, planktivorous diet, and importance as prey), the polar cod and the Antarctic silverfish are potentially good sentinels of ecosystem change. Changes in polar zooplankton communities are well documented. How changes impact ecosystems as a whole largely depend on the degree of diet specialization and feeding flexibility of midtrophic species. Here, we provide the ecomorphological characterization of polar cod and Antarctic silverfish feeding performances. A comparative functional ecology approach, based on the analysis of morpho-anatomical traits, including calculation of suction index and mechanical advantage in jaw closing, was applied to profile the feeding modes and flexibility of the two species. Ecomorphological evidence supports differences in food acquisition: the polar cod appears able to alternate particulate ram-suction feeding to a pump filter feeding, and the Antarctic silverfish results be both a particulate ram and a tow-net filter feeder. Both species exhibit opportunistic feeding strategies and appear able to switch feeding mode according to the abundance and size of the available prey, which is a clue of potential resilience to a changing environment.",

keywords = "Antarctic silverfish, Ecomorphology, Feeding strategy, Gill rakers, Jaw mechanics, Polar cod",

author = "Erica Carlig and Christiansen, \{J{\o}rgen S.\} and \{Di Blasi\}, Davide and Sara Ferrando and Eva Pisano and Marino Vacchi and O{\textquoteright}Driscoll, \{Richard L.\} and Laura Ghigliotti",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the TUNU-Programme at UiT—The Arctic University of Norway. The authors are very grateful to the colleagues and crew on board the R/V Helmer Hanssen for their kind collaboration. The New Zealand-Australian Antarctic Ecosystems voyage on Tangaroa was jointly funded by Antarctica New Zealand, Australian Antarctic Division, NIWA, and the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment. We thank also Paul Brickle and two anonymous referees, whose comments greatly improved the manuscript. Funding Information: The study was supported by the Italian National Programme for Antarctic Research (PNRA) projects 16\_00281 (POLICY) and 2013/AZ1.18 (RAISE), and contributes to the SCAR Scientific Research Program AnT-ERA (Antarctic sThresholds—Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation). Funding Information: We thank the TUNU-Programme at UiT?The Arctic University of Norway. The authors are very grateful to the colleagues and crew on board the R/V Helmer Hanssen for their kind collaboration. The New Zealand-Australian Antarctic Ecosystems voyage on Tangaroa was jointly funded by Antarctica New Zealand, Australian Antarctic Division, NIWA, and the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment. We thank also Paul Brickle and two anonymous referees, whose comments greatly improved the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s).",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.1007/s00300-021-02900-w",

language = "English",

volume = "44",

pages = "1629--1642",

journal = "Polar Biology",

issn = "0722-4060",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "8",

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T1 - Midtrophic fish feeding modes at the poles

T2 - an ecomorphological comparison of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica)

AU - Carlig, Erica

AU - Christiansen, Jørgen S.

AU - Di Blasi, Davide

AU - Ferrando, Sara

AU - Pisano, Eva

AU - Vacchi, Marino

AU - O’Driscoll, Richard L.

AU - Ghigliotti, Laura

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the TUNU-Programme at UiT—The Arctic University of Norway. The authors are very grateful to the colleagues and crew on board the R/V Helmer Hanssen for their kind collaboration. The New Zealand-Australian Antarctic Ecosystems voyage on Tangaroa was jointly funded by Antarctica New Zealand, Australian Antarctic Division, NIWA, and the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment. We thank also Paul Brickle and two anonymous referees, whose comments greatly improved the manuscript. Funding Information: The study was supported by the Italian National Programme for Antarctic Research (PNRA) projects 16_00281 (POLICY) and 2013/AZ1.18 (RAISE), and contributes to the SCAR Scientific Research Program AnT-ERA (Antarctic sThresholds—Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation). Funding Information: We thank the TUNU-Programme at UiT?The Arctic University of Norway. The authors are very grateful to the colleagues and crew on board the R/V Helmer Hanssen for their kind collaboration. The New Zealand-Australian Antarctic Ecosystems voyage on Tangaroa was jointly funded by Antarctica New Zealand, Australian Antarctic Division, NIWA, and the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment. We thank also Paul Brickle and two anonymous referees, whose comments greatly improved the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and the Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) are pelagic fish endemic to the Arctic and Antarctica sea, respectively. Both species are abundant and play a central role as midtrophic wasp-waist species in polar ecosystems. Due to their biological and ecological characteristics (small size, complex life histories, relatively short generation cycles, movement capability, planktivorous diet, and importance as prey), the polar cod and the Antarctic silverfish are potentially good sentinels of ecosystem change. Changes in polar zooplankton communities are well documented. How changes impact ecosystems as a whole largely depend on the degree of diet specialization and feeding flexibility of midtrophic species. Here, we provide the ecomorphological characterization of polar cod and Antarctic silverfish feeding performances. A comparative functional ecology approach, based on the analysis of morpho-anatomical traits, including calculation of suction index and mechanical advantage in jaw closing, was applied to profile the feeding modes and flexibility of the two species. Ecomorphological evidence supports differences in food acquisition: the polar cod appears able to alternate particulate ram-suction feeding to a pump filter feeding, and the Antarctic silverfish results be both a particulate ram and a tow-net filter feeder. Both species exhibit opportunistic feeding strategies and appear able to switch feeding mode according to the abundance and size of the available prey, which is a clue of potential resilience to a changing environment.

AB - The polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and the Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) are pelagic fish endemic to the Arctic and Antarctica sea, respectively. Both species are abundant and play a central role as midtrophic wasp-waist species in polar ecosystems. Due to their biological and ecological characteristics (small size, complex life histories, relatively short generation cycles, movement capability, planktivorous diet, and importance as prey), the polar cod and the Antarctic silverfish are potentially good sentinels of ecosystem change. Changes in polar zooplankton communities are well documented. How changes impact ecosystems as a whole largely depend on the degree of diet specialization and feeding flexibility of midtrophic species. Here, we provide the ecomorphological characterization of polar cod and Antarctic silverfish feeding performances. A comparative functional ecology approach, based on the analysis of morpho-anatomical traits, including calculation of suction index and mechanical advantage in jaw closing, was applied to profile the feeding modes and flexibility of the two species. Ecomorphological evidence supports differences in food acquisition: the polar cod appears able to alternate particulate ram-suction feeding to a pump filter feeding, and the Antarctic silverfish results be both a particulate ram and a tow-net filter feeder. Both species exhibit opportunistic feeding strategies and appear able to switch feeding mode according to the abundance and size of the available prey, which is a clue of potential resilience to a changing environment.

KW - Antarctic silverfish

KW - Ecomorphology

KW - Feeding strategy

KW - Gill rakers

KW - Jaw mechanics

KW - Polar cod

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85108320394

U2 - 10.1007/s00300-021-02900-w

DO - 10.1007/s00300-021-02900-w

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85108320394

SN - 0722-4060

VL - 44

SP - 1629

EP - 1642

JO - Polar Biology

JF - Polar Biology

IS - 8

ER -

Midtrophic fish feeding modes at the poles: an ecomorphological comparison of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica)

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Keywords

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