The ecology of focal forage fish and its impact on marine predators

焦点饲料鱼的生态及其对海洋捕食者的影响

• 批准号: 419835-2012
• 负责人: Davoren, Gail
• 金额: $ 4.69万
• 依托单位: University of Manitoba
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Ship Time
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=515809
• 关键词: ecology; focal; forage; fish; its

Capelin, a small minnow-like fish, is the focal forage fish species that preys on many invertebrates and is in turn preyed on by most large predators, including cod, seals, whales and birds in the Northwest Atlantic. Capelin provide essential linkages for energy transfer among trophic levels and, thus, are often thought to mediate ecosystem-level changes. In previous NSERC-funded expeditions, we discovered that the timing of capelin spawning is highly variable. This is critical as many top predators rely on large inshore aggregations of pre-spawning and spawning capelin as an abundant and predictable food source. Our research aims to investigate factors influencing the timing of capelin spawning by examining whether capelin of varying age and experience spawn at different times due to differences in maturation rates. Additionally, we compare the time and energy expended by foraging top predators when inshore aggregations of capelin are present and absent. To do this, we employ a novel assemblage of sophisticated marine remote sensing equipment, both ship-based and moored, combined with animal-borne miniature telemetry devices to examine individual-level foraging behaviour of predators. Our research involves collaborative efforts between university researchers and commercial fishers, which has and will continue to make major advancements in our understanding of capelin ecology and how changes influence top predators. Ultimately, this research will increase the accuracy of capelin stock assessment indices and promote novel, ecosystem-based management approaches to avoid ecological and socioeconomic catastrophes that have occurred in coastal waters and communities around the globe.

毛鳞鱼是一种类似小鱼的小鱼，是主要的饲料鱼类，捕食许多无脊椎动物，同时也是西北大西洋的大多数大型捕食者的猎物，包括鳕鱼、海豹、鲸鱼和鸟类。毛蛋白为营养水平之间的能量转移提供了必要的联系，因此，毛蛋白通常被认为是生态系统水平变化的中介。在以前nserc资助的考察中，我们发现毛鳞产卵的时间是高度可变的。这是至关重要的，因为许多顶级捕食者依靠大量的近海产卵前和产卵毛鳞作为丰富和可预测的食物来源。我们的研究旨在通过考察不同年龄和经验的毛鳞在不同的成熟率下是否会在不同的时间产卵，来探讨影响毛鳞产卵时间的因素。此外，我们比较了当近海毛鳞聚集存在和不存在时，觅食顶级捕食者所花费的时间和能量。为了做到这一点，我们采用了一种新型的复杂海洋遥感设备组合，包括船载和系泊设备，结合动物携带的微型遥测设备来检查捕食者的个体觅食行为。我们的研究涉及大学研究人员和商业渔民之间的合作努力，这已经并将继续在我们对毛鳞生态学以及变化如何影响顶级捕食者的理解方面取得重大进展。最终，本研究将提高毛鳞鱼种群评估指标的准确性，并促进基于生态系统的新型管理方法，以避免在全球沿海水域和社区发生的生态和社会经济灾难。