Ontogenetic variation in isotopic niche positions of aquatic consumers in boreal lakes

Johnston, T. A.; Cott, P. A.; Swanson, H. K.; Ehrman, A. D.; Lescord, G. L.; Sumner, A. W.; Savage, P.-L.; Patterson, K. A.; Tang, R. W.-K.; Heerschap, M. J.; Montgomery, J. J.; Gunn, J. M.

Ontogenetic variation in isotopic niche positions of aquatic consumers in boreal lakes

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dc.contributor.author: Johnston, T. A.; Cott, P. A.; Swanson, H. K.; Ehrman, A. D.; Lescord, G. L.; Sumner, A. W.; Savage, P.-L.; Patterson, K. A.; Tang, R. W.-K.; Heerschap, M. J.; Montgomery, J. J.; Gunn, J. M.
dc.date.accepted: 2024-06-18
dc.date.accessioned: 2024-09-10T14:48:24Z
dc.date.available: 2024-09-10T14:48:24Z
dc.date.issued: 2024-07-06
dc.date.submitted: 2024-03-17
dc.description.abstract - en: We used an extensive multispecies data set to examine how C and N stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) of aquatic consumers varied with body size in populations of northern lakes. Ontogenetic variation in tissue δ13C and δ15N was evident in a diversity of aquatic consumers. Relationships with body size tended to be stronger and more consistently positive for δ15N, and more variable in nature for δ13C. Among-population variation in ontogenetic slopes was greater for δ13C than for δ15N for most biota examined. Relationships between δ13C and δ15N and body size were still significant even after accounting for variation due to tissue C:N and body condition. Ontogenetic variation was more strongly linked to age than body size in some fishes, particularly for δ15N, but age effects, inferred from growth rate, also accounted for variation in δ13C and δ15N beyond body size effects; δ13C tended to be positively related and δ15N tended to be negatively related to growth rate. There was only limited evidence of concordance in ontogenetic slopes between co-habiting pairs of species, suggesting that the factors driving ontogenetic variation in stable isotope ratios may be largely species- or population-specific. However, ontogenetic slopes of individual taxa were related to various lake habitat features representing climate, ecosystem size, and water clarity. The proportion of isotopic niche space attributable to ontogenetic variation can be substantial and this has implications for applying and interpreting isotopic niche metrics. Isotopic analyses of freshwater food webs need to account for ontogenetic variation in component taxa.
dc.identifier.issn: 1420-9055; 1015-1621
dc.identifier.uri: https://open-science.canada.ca/handle/123456789/2930
dc.language.iso: en
dc.publisher: Springer Nature
dc.relation.isrelatedto: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/H7JRC
dc.relation.isreplacedby: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-024-01097-4
dc.rights - en: Open Government Licence - Canada
dc.rights - fr: Licence du gouvernement ouvert - Canada
dc.rights.openaccesslevel - en: Green
dc.rights.openaccesslevel - fr: Vert
dc.rights.uri - en: https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada
dc.rights.uri - fr: https://ouvert.canada.ca/fr/licence-du-gouvernement-ouvert-canada
dc.subject - en: Molluscs; Ecology; Aquatic ecosystems; Crustaceans; Fish; Boreal ecosystems
dc.subject - fr: Mollusque; Écologie; Écosystème aquatique; Crustacé; Poisson; Écosystème boréal
dc.subject.en - en: Molluscs; Ecology; Aquatic ecosystems; Crustaceans; Fish; Boreal ecosystems
dc.subject.fr - fr: Mollusque; Écologie; Écosystème aquatique; Crustacé; Poisson; Écosystème boréal
dc.title - en: Ontogenetic variation in isotopic niche positions of aquatic consumers in boreal lakes
dc.type - en: Submitted manuscript
dc.type - fr: Manuscrit soumis
local.article.journalissue: 82
local.article.journaltitle: Aquatic Sciences
local.article.journalvolume: 86
local.pagination: 51 pages
local.peerreview - en: No
local.peerreview - fr: Non