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Biology
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Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology
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Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 18362

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Edoardo Calizza

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Sardi 70, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: community ecology; food webs; polar ecosystems; climate change; stability; nutrient cycling; invasive species; pollution; stable isotopes
Dr. Giulio Careddu

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, via dei Sardi 70, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: isotopic niche; trophic ecology; biological control; food webs; invasive species; water pollution; bioassessment; stable isotope mixing models; coastal and transitional ecosystems
Dr. Maria Letizia Costantini

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Sardi 70, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: community ecology; food webs; ecosystem functioning; benthic biodiversity; water pollution; stable isotopes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last three decades, the applications of stable isotopes in ecological studies have flourished.

Bulk elements undergo predictable changes in their isotopic composition when moving from the physical environment into and along food webs. Hence, the tracking of stable isotopes has allowed us to improve our understanding of the structure and functioning of ecosystems across spatial and temporal scales. Fundamental ecological issues such as nutrient cycling and the interactions between organisms, as well as practical issues related to the management of ecological communities (e.g., the effects of pollution and biological invasions) have greatly benefited from their use.

From microorganisms to whales, from tropical to polar environments, stable isotopes can be applied as natural tracers in all ecosystems and at all hierarchical levels in ecology. 

Accordingly, this Special Issue invites original research articles and reviews covering all aspects of the application of stable isotopes in ecological studies, with an emphasis on studies that improve our understanding of the relationship between structure and function within and across hierarchical levels (populations, communities, ecosystems, biomes). Short communications of preliminary but significant results will also be considered. This Special Issue also welcomes studies along gradients, which can help to understand the effects of natural or human-induced perturbations on ecological communities, including their ability to support biodiversity and efficient ecological processes under environmental changes.

Dr. Edoardo Calizza
Dr. Giulio Careddu
Dr. Maria Letizia Costantini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • community ecology
  • population ecology
  • biotic interactions
  • food webs
  • nutrient cycling
  • ecosystem structure and functioning
  • disturbance
  • stability
  • environmental change
  • climate change
  • invasive species

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2304 KiB  
Article
Effects of Sea-Ice Persistence on the Diet of Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) Chicks and the Trophic Differences between Chicks and Adults in the Ross Sea, Antarctica
by Deborah Maccapan, Giulio Careddu, Edoardo Calizza, Simona Sporta Caputi, Loreto Rossi and Maria Letizia Costantini
Biology 2023, 12(5), 708; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12050708 - 12 May 2023
Viewed by 1626
Abstract
In Antarctica, prey availability for the mesopredator Adélie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, depends on sea-ice dynamics. By affecting cycles of sea-ice formation and melt, climate change could thus affect penguin diet and recruitment. In the light of climate change, this raises concerns about [...] Read more.
In Antarctica, prey availability for the mesopredator Adélie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, depends on sea-ice dynamics. By affecting cycles of sea-ice formation and melt, climate change could thus affect penguin diet and recruitment. In the light of climate change, this raises concerns about the fate of this dominant endemic species, which plays a key role in the Antarctic food web. However, few quantitative studies measuring the effects of sea-ice persistence on the diet of penguin chicks have yet been conducted. The purpose of this study was to fill this gap by comparing penguin diets across four penguin colonies in the Ross Sea and evaluating latitudinal and interannual variation linked to different sea-ice persistence. Diet was evaluated by analysing the δ13C and δ15N values of penguin guano, and sea-ice persistence by means of satellite images. Isotopic values indicate that penguins consumed more krill in colonies with longer sea-ice persistence. In these colonies, the δ13C values of chicks were lower and closer to the pelagic chain than those of adults, suggesting that the latter apparently catch prey inshore for self-feeding and offshore for their chicks. The results indicate that sea-ice persistence is among the principal factors that influence the spatiotemporal variability of the penguins’ diet. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology)
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19 pages, 2471 KiB  
Article
Toxicity and Starvation Induce Major Trophic Isotope Variation in Daphnia Individuals: A Diet Switch Experiment Using Eight Phytoplankton Species of Differing Nutritional Quality
by Michelle Helmer, Desiree Helmer, Dominik Martin-Creuzburg, Karl-Otto Rothhaupt and Elizabeth Yohannes
Biology 2022, 11(12), 1816; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11121816 - 14 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1844
Abstract
Stable isotope values can express resource usage by organisms, but their precise interpretation is predicated using a controlled experiment-based validation process. Here, we develop a stable isotope tracking approach towards exploring resource shifts in a key primary consumer species Daphnia magna. We [...] Read more.
Stable isotope values can express resource usage by organisms, but their precise interpretation is predicated using a controlled experiment-based validation process. Here, we develop a stable isotope tracking approach towards exploring resource shifts in a key primary consumer species Daphnia magna. We used a diet switch experiment and model fitting to quantify the stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope turnover rates and discrimination factors for eight dietary sources of the plankton species that differ in their cellular organization (unicellular or filamentous), pigment and nutrient compositions (sterols and polyunsaturated fatty acids), and secondary metabolite production rates. We also conduct a starvation experiment. We evaluate nine tissue turnover models using Akaike’s information criterion and estimate the repetitive trophic discrimination factors. Using the parameter estimates, we calculate the hourly stable isotope turnover rates. We report an exceedingly faster turnover value following dietary switching (72 to 96 h) and a measurable variation in trophic discrimination factors. The results show that toxic stress and the dietary quantity and quality induce trophic isotope variation in Daphnia individuals. This study provides insight into the physiological processes that underpin stable isotope patterns. We explicitly test multiple alternative dietary sources and fasting and discuss the parameters that are fundamental for field- and laboratory-based stable isotope studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology)
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12 pages, 1594 KiB  
Article
The Feeding Behaviour of Gall Midge Larvae and Its Implications for Biocontrol of the Giant Reed: Insights from Stable Isotope Analysis
by Giulio Careddu, Marcovalerio Botti, Massimo Cristofaro, Simona Sporta Caputi, Edoardo Calizza, Loreto Rossi and Maria Letizia Costantini
Biology 2022, 11(12), 1805; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11121805 - 12 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1718
Abstract
The gall midge Lasioptera donacis, whose larval stage interferes with the reed’s leaf development, is a potential candidate agent for the biological control of Arundo donax. Reed infestation is always associated with the presence of a saprophytic fungus, Arthrinium arundinis, [...] Read more.
The gall midge Lasioptera donacis, whose larval stage interferes with the reed’s leaf development, is a potential candidate agent for the biological control of Arundo donax. Reed infestation is always associated with the presence of a saprophytic fungus, Arthrinium arundinis, which is believed to provide food for the larvae. Larvae also interact with a parasitic nematode, Tripius gyraloura, which can be considered its natural enemy. To deepen our knowledge of the plant–fungus–insect trophic interactions and to understand the effects of the nematode on midge larval feeding behaviour, we applied stable isotope analysis, one of the most effective methods for investigating animal feeding preferences in various contexts. The results showed that on average the fungus accounted for 65% of the diet of the midge larvae, which however consumed the reed and the fungus in variable proportions depending on reed quality (expressed as the C:N ratio). No differences in feeding behaviour were observed between parasitised and non-parasitised midge larvae, indicating that nematodes have no effect in this regard. Due to its trophic habits, L. donacis could be an effective control agent of A. donax and these results need to be considered when implementing biological control measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology)
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8 pages, 683 KiB  
Communication
Forensic Application of Stable Isotopes to Distinguish between Wild and Captive Turtles
by John B. Hopkins III, Cheryl A. Frederick, Derek Yorks, Erik Pollock and Matthew W. H. Chatfield
Biology 2022, 11(12), 1728; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11121728 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2174
Abstract
Wildlife traffickers often claim that confiscated animals were captive-bred rather than wild-caught to launder wild animals and escape prosecution. We used stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) derived from the claw tips of wild wood turtles from Maine and [...] Read more.
Wildlife traffickers often claim that confiscated animals were captive-bred rather than wild-caught to launder wild animals and escape prosecution. We used stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) derived from the claw tips of wild wood turtles from Maine and captive wood turtles throughout the eastern U.S. to develop a predictive model used to classify confiscated wood turtles as wild or captive. We found that the claw tips of wild and captive wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) were isotopically distinct. Captive turtles had significantly higher δ13C and δ15N values than wild turtles. Our model correctly classified all wild turtles as wild (100%) and nearly all captive turtles as captive (94%). All but two of the 71 turtles tested were successfully predicted as wild or captive (97.2% accuracy), yielding a misclassification rate of 2.8%. In addition to our model being useful to law enforcement in Maine, we aim to develop a multi-species model to assist conservation law enforcement efforts to curb illegal turtle trafficking from locations across the eastern United States and Canada. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology)
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22 pages, 1759 KiB  
Article
Isotopic Niche Analysis of Long-Finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas edwardii) in Aotearoa New Zealand Waters
by Bethany Hinton, Karen A. Stockin, Sarah J. Bury, Katharina J. Peters and Emma L. Betty
Biology 2022, 11(10), 1414; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11101414 - 28 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2526
Abstract
The quantification of a species’ trophic niche is important to understand the species ecology and its interactions with the ecosystem it resides in. Despite the high frequency of long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas edwardii) strandings on the Aotearoa New Zealand coast, [...] Read more.
The quantification of a species’ trophic niche is important to understand the species ecology and its interactions with the ecosystem it resides in. Despite the high frequency of long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas edwardii) strandings on the Aotearoa New Zealand coast, their trophic niche remains poorly understood. To assess the isotopic niche of G. m. edwardii within New Zealand, ontogenetic (sex, total body length, age, maturity status, reproductive group) and spatiotemporal (stranding location, stranding event, and stranding year) variation were investigated. Stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) were examined from skin samples of 125 G. m. edwardii (67 females and 58 males) collected at mass-stranding events at Onetahua Farewell Spit in 2009 (n = 20), 2011 (n = 20), 2014 (n = 27) and 2017 (n = 20) and at Rakiura Stewart Island in 2010 (n = 19) and 2011 (n = 19). Variations in δ34S values were examined for a subset of 36 individuals. General additive models revealed that stranding event was the strongest predictor for δ13C and δ15N values, whilst sex was the strongest predictor of δ34S isotopic values. Although similar within years, δ13C values were lower in 2014 and 2017 compared to all other years. Furthermore, δ15N values were higher within Farewell Spit 2017 compared to any other stranding event. This suggests that the individuals stranded in Farewell Spit in 2017 may have been feeding at a higher trophic level, or that the nitrogen baseline may have been higher in 2017 than in other years. Spatiotemporal differences explained isotopic variation of G. m. edwardii in New Zealand waters better than ontogenetic factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology)
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25 pages, 3456 KiB  
Article
Too Close for Comfort? Isotopic Niche Segregation in New Zealand’s Odontocetes
by Katharina J. Peters, Sarah J. Bury, Bethany Hinton, Emma L. Betty, Déborah Casano-Bally, Guido J. Parra and Karen A. Stockin
Biology 2022, 11(8), 1179; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11081179 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4010
Abstract
Species occurring in sympatry and relying on similar and limited resources may partition resource use to avoid overlap and interspecific competition. Aotearoa, New Zealand hosts an extraordinarily rich marine megafauna, including 50% of the world’s cetacean species. In this study, we used carbon [...] Read more.
Species occurring in sympatry and relying on similar and limited resources may partition resource use to avoid overlap and interspecific competition. Aotearoa, New Zealand hosts an extraordinarily rich marine megafauna, including 50% of the world’s cetacean species. In this study, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes as ecological tracers to investigate isotopic niche overlap between 21 odontocete (toothed whale) species inhabiting neritic, mesopelagic, and bathypelagic waters. Results showed a clear niche separation for the bathypelagic Gray’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon grayi) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), but high isotopic niche overlap and potential interspecific competition for neritic and mesopelagic species. For these species, competition could be reduced via temporal or finer-scale spatial segregation or differences in foraging behaviour. This study represents the first insights into the coexistence of odontocetes in a biodiverse hotspot. The data presented here provide a critical baseline to a system already ongoing ecosystem change via ocean warming and subsequent effects on prey abundance and distributions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology)
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23 pages, 3168 KiB  
Article
Ecological Traits and Trophic Plasticity in The Greater Pipefish Syngnathus acus in the NW Iberian Peninsula
by Miquel Planas
Biology 2022, 11(5), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11050712 - 07 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2568
Abstract
The great pipefish Syngnathus acus is one of the most representative European syngnathids, being highly associated with seagrass and macroalgal beds. Surprisingly, the ecology of this large ovoviviparous marine fish has received scanty attention. The population inhabiting three sites on Cíes Archipelago (Atlantic [...] Read more.
The great pipefish Syngnathus acus is one of the most representative European syngnathids, being highly associated with seagrass and macroalgal beds. Surprisingly, the ecology of this large ovoviviparous marine fish has received scanty attention. The population inhabiting three sites on Cíes Archipelago (Atlantic Islands National Park, NW Spain) was monitored in 2017–2018 for spatial and temporal changes in abundances, reproduction traits, trophic niche occupancy, and dietary regimes across reproduction states, through an isotopic (δ13C and δ15N) approach. Abundances were highly variable across seasons and sites, decreasing significantly from mid-autumn. The population consisted almost exclusively of large adults that migrate by the end of the breeding season, which extended from mid-spring to summer. Operational sex ratios suggest that the species is sex-role reversed. S. acus is a secondary consumer (Trophic position = 3.36 ± 0.05), preferring amphipods but displaying annual and seasonal dietary plasticity. Mature fish were less selective than immatures (especially females), with a higher preference for amphipods (36–68%) in the former. The second most-preferred prey were carideans, copepods, or isopods, depending on the year and the reproduction state. Overall, the wider trophic niches in females and immature specimens compared to males and mature fish would indicate a higher variability in both the use of prey resources and/or their origin. The present study highlights the trophic plasticity and unique features of S. acus population in the Cíes Archipelago, especially regarding the outstanding size of the fish and the exceptional occurrence of breeders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis in Ecology)
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