Niche separation between two dominant crustacean predators in European estuarine soft-bottom habitats

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108839
• Publication Date: 2022-04-05T21:53:45Z
• Authors: Andjin Siegenthaler; Owen S. Wangensteen; Chiara Benvenuto; Riccardo Lollobri...; Stefano Mariani
• Keywords: Crangon crangon; Carcinus maenas; Niche differentiation

Epibenthic predators in estuarine shallow soft-bottom environments are generally considered to have broad ecological niches with a wide overlap. This allows them cope abundant but highly variable prey communities. The assessment of trophic relationships habitats is, however, challenging and often complicated by the bias low resolution analytical tools available study diet relatively small invertebrates. investigates niche overlap between two dominant epibenthic European environments, brown shrimp (Crangon crangon L.) green crab (Carcinus maenas L.), means DNA-metabarcoding universal primers for cytochrome c oxidase I (COI). Results show differences composition predators, despite fact that both species opportunistic generalists high items (218 overlapping Molecular Taxonomic Units). showed richer, more even, geographically consistent than shrimp, fairly balanced consumption algal, arthropod, annelid mollusc food items. instead preferred arthropods annelids, spatial variation diet. observed separation could be linked behavioural showing active movements over compared which regularly stays buried sediment, ambushing its prey. An accurate understanding ecology these crustaceans is important capitalise on their role as sentinel organisms since reflects local diversity can result toxin bioaccumulation. provides new insights predator–prey web dynamics estuaries highlights importance marine webs.