MEPS

Marine Ecology Progress Series

MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.

Online: ISSN 1616-1599

Print: ISSN 0171-8630

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps

Impact Factor2.1 (JCR 2025 release)

Article Acceptance Rate52.2% (2024)

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Volume contents
Mar Ecol Prog Ser 244:219-233 (2002)

Diel and habitat-dependent resource utilisation by deep-sea fishes at the Great Meteor seamount: niche overlap and support for the sound scattering layer interception hypothesis

ABSTRACT: Interspecific relationships of 4 dominant fish species of the Great Meteor seamount fish community (subtropical NE Atlantic, 30°N, 28.5°W), Macroramphosus spp. Lacépède 1803, Capros aper (L. 1758), Antigoniacapros Lowe 1843 and Zenopsis conchifer (Lowe 1852) were analysed with respect to diet composition, habitat-dependent resource utilisation and niche overlap. For all 4 species, planktonic and micronektonic prey prevailed. In terms ofthe Relative Importance index (RI), the benthic share was 18.25% RI for Macroramphosus spp., 19% RI for C. aper and 20.38% RI for A. capros. Prey of Z. conchifer consisted of 48.57% RI mesopelagic and pelagic fishes and of47.7% RI bentho-pelagic fishes. For all fishes, a permutation test revealed significant selection of prey in plateau margins of the seamount. Unweighted and novel-weighted overlap indices combining prey composition, habitat use and prey utilisation withinhabitats revealed high overlap between the boarfishes A. capros and C. aper and smaller overlap between other pairs. The results are in support of the sound scattering layer interception hypothesis (Isaacs & Schwartzlose 1965), whichimplies: (1) primarily pelagic food utilisation for bentho-pelagic fishes; (2) increased habitat-dependent utilisation rates at locations of interception with the sound-scattering layer; (3) diel changes in utilisation rates due to availability of prey;(4) sufficient resource partitioning among species in order to avoid competitive exclusion.

KEYWORDS

Heino O. Fock (Corresponding Author)
hfock@awi-bremerhaven.de

Birte Matthiessen (Co-author)

Heike Zidowitz (Co-author)

Hein v. Westernhagen (Co-author)