Isotopes reveal fluctuation in trophic levels of estuarine organisms, in space and time

The estimation of the trophic level (TL) occupied by organisms in estuarine food webs, based on isotopic analysis, is generally done only for one season or averaged among seasons and sites. This does not allow the observation of possible alterations of TL in time and space. As estuaries are highly dynamic environments, it is plausible that the TLs of many of its organisms are not static, like usually portrayed in food web diagrams, but fluctuate in space and time. The TLs of marine juvenile fish, resident fish, shrimp, polychaetes, bivalves and amphipods were determined isotopically, in the Tagus estuary. Sampling was carried out in two nursery areas at each season. Significant changes in TL were observed, in space and time, for the vast majority of the organisms. A drop in TL in summer was observed for various species. The high availability of microalgae and macroalgae in summer may be the cause for this drop, which mainly affects low TL omnivores. These omnivores may opportunistically increase the proportion of primary producers in their diet, thus lowering their mean TL. Such an effect seems to cascade to secondary consumers, like Solea senegalensis and Pomatoschistus microps, which also presented a drop in TL in summer. This study also revealed that organisms that have been considered to be mainly primary consumers, like Liza ramada, and Scrobicularia plana, can actually assume considerably higher TLs seasonally, placing them as secondary consumers.

► Trophic levels were not static, they fluctuated seasonally and spatially.
► There was a seasonal drop in TLs, in summer.
► Organisms thought to be primary consumers, may seasonally assume higher TLs.
► Summer primary producer blooms may affect the structure of this estuarine food web.
► Omnivores will probably change their diet due to high availability of microalgae.