Diet composition and trophic levels of marine mammals

Standardized diet compositions were derived for 97 species of marine mammals from published accounts of stomach contents as well as from morphological, behavioural and other information. Diet was apportioned among eight categories of prey types (benthic invertebrates, large zooplankton, small squids...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inICES journal of marine science Vol. 55; no. 3; pp. 467 - 481
Main Authors Pauly, D., Trites, A. W., Capuli, E., Christensen, V.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford University Press 01.06.1998
Subjects
Balaenoptera
Cetacea
diets
Enhydra lutris
Marine
marine mammals
Odontocetes
Orcinus orca
Pinnipedia
trophic levels
diets
trophic levels
marine mammals
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Summary:Standardized diet compositions were derived for 97 species of marine mammals from published accounts of stomach contents as well as from morphological, behavioural and other information. Diet was apportioned among eight categories of prey types (benthic invertebrates, large zooplankton, small squids, large squids, small pelagic fishes, mesopelagic fishes, miscellaneous fishes and higher invertebrates). Trophic levels were estimated for each species of marine mammals and compared with published estimates derived using stable isotope ratios. Trophic levels ranged from 3.2–3.4 in baleen whales and sea otters, to 3.8–4.4 in most pinnipeds and odontocete whales, to 4.5–4.6 in killer whales. Such information can be used for ecosystem modelling and related studies.
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ArticleID:55.3.467
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SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1054-3139
1095-9289
DOI:10.1006/jmsc.1997.0280