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Evidence for dynamic resource partitioning between two sympatric reef shark species within the British Indian Ocean Territory
Author(s) -
Curnick David J.,
Carlisle Aaron B.,
Gollock Matthew J.,
Schallert Robert J.,
Hussey Nigel E.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/jfb.13938
Subject(s) - biology , carcharhinus , pelagic zone , sympatric speciation , reef , fishery , predation , resource (disambiguation) , foraging , coral reef , ecology , oceanography , computer network , computer science , geology
Stable‐isotope analyses (δ 13 C, δ 15 N and δ 34 S) of multiple tissues (fin, muscle, red blood cells and plasma), revealed ontogenetic shifts in resource use by grey reef sharks Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos and resource partitioning with silvertip sharks Carcharhinus albimarginatus within the British Indian Ocean Territory marine protected area (MPA). Resource partitioning varied temporally, with C. albimarginatus feeding on more pelagic prey during October to January, potentially attributable to an influx of pelagic prey from outside the MPA at that time. Reef sharks may therefore be affected by processes outside an MPA, even if the sharks do not leave the MPA.