[en] The West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is experiencing rapid warming, which will impact ecosystem processes, particularly sympagic algae dynamics. As these ice-associated microalgae are a vital food source for primary consumers, this disruption is likely to cascade through the communities via trophic interactions. To study these effects, we sampled benthic communities along the WAP in February 2023, focusing on macroalgae forests (n=2) and soft bottoms (n=3) at Dodman Island and Blaiklock Island. Basal resources and benthic invertebrates (n=410, 49 morphospecies) were collected for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis to explore differences in food webs structure between macroalgae forests and soft bottoms, addressing three questions: 1) Are sympagic algae more crucial as basal resources in one of the two habitats? 2) Is there a difference in trophic diversity between macroalgae forests and soft bottoms? 3) How does the vertical food web structure differ between the two habitats? In soft bottoms communities, consumers’ stable isotopes ratios showed a switch toward higher δ¹³C values, typical of sympagic algae in Antarctica. This may suggest a higher vulnerability of WAP soft bottoms communities to alterations of sympagic algae dynamics. Trophic diversity was generally higher in communities with a wider range of basal resources. However, significant local-scale variations in trophic diversity surpassed habitat-related differences, limiting conclusions about habitat influence on trophic diversity. Finally, soft bottoms consumers tended to occupy a higher trophic position than those in macroalgae forests, resulting in a higher mean trophic position at the community scale. This could reflect a diet shift by generalist invertebrates—common in Antarctica—towards increased consumption of more degraded organic matter or necrophagy in habitats with fewer basal resources. Overall, these results underscore the complexity of trophic dynamics in Antarctica, where both local variability and large-scale environmental changes influence food web structure and community resilience to climate change.
Research Center/Unit :
FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège
Dogniez, Martin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS) ; UHasselt - Hasselt University > Centre for Environmental Sciences ; IRSNB - Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences > OD Natural Environments > Freshwater Biology Team
Cadonici, Davide ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Laboratoire d'Ecologie trophique et isotopique
Brusselman, Axelle ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS) ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophysique, géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Chemical Oceanography Unit (COU)
Delille, Bruno ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophysique, géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Chemical Oceanography Unit (COU) ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS)
Michel, Loïc ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Systématique et diversité animale ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS)
Schön, Isa; UHasselt - Hasselt University > Centre for Environmental Sciences ; IRSNB - Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences > OD Natural Environments > Freshwater Biology Team
Lepoint, Gilles ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS) ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Laboratoire d'Ecologie trophique et isotopique
Language :
English
Title :
Benthic Food Webs in Antarctica ~ Would you care for some more (micro)algae?
Alternative titles :
[fr] Les réseaux alimentaires benthiques en Antarctique ~ Aimeriez-vous un peu plus de (micro)algues ?
Original title :
[en] Benthic Food Webs in Antarctica ~ Would you care for some more (micro)algae?
Publication date :
13 December 2024
Event name :
Benelux Zoology Congress 2024
Event organizer :
Université de Mons Royal Belgian Zoological Society
Event place :
Mons, Belgium
Event date :
12/12/2024 - 24/12/2024
Audience :
International
Peer reviewed :
Editorial reviewed
Development Goals :
14. Life below water
Name of the research project :
Estimating Tipping points in habitability of ANtarctic benthic ecOsystems under future GlObal climate change scenarios
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