Deep-sea predator niche segregation revealed by combined cetacean biologging and eDNA analysis of cephalopod prey

F. Visser; V. J. Merten; T. Bayer; M. G. Oudejans; D. S. W. de Jonge; O. Puebla; T. B. H. Reusch; J. Fuss; H. J. T. Hoving

doi:10.1126/sciadv.abf5908

Deep-sea predator niche segregation revealed by combined cetacean biologging and eDNA analysis of cephalopod prey

F. Visser, V. J. Merten, T. Bayer, M. G. Oudejans, D. S. W. de Jonge, O. Puebla, T. B. H. Reusch, J. Fuss, H. J. T. Hoving

School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Fundamental insight on predator-prey dynamics in the deep sea is hampered by a lack of combined data on hunting behavior and prey spectra. Deep-sea niche segregation may evolve when predators target specific prey communities, but this hypothesis remains untested. We combined environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with biologging to assess cephalopod community composition in the deep-sea foraging habitat of two top predator cetaceans. Risso's dolphin and Cuvier's beaked whale selectively targeted distinct epi/meso- and bathypelagic foraging zones, holding eDNA of 39 cephalopod taxa, including 22 known prey. Contrary to expectation, extensive taxonomic overlap in prey spectra between foraging zones indicated that predator niche segregation was not driven by prey community composition alone. Instead, intraspecific prey spectrum differences may drive differentiation for hunting fewer, more calorific, mature cephalopods in deeper waters. The novel combination of methods presented here holds great promise to disclose elusive deep-sea predator-prey systems, aiding in their protection.

Original language	English
Article number	eabf5908
Journal	Science Advances
Volume	7
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf5908
Publication status	Published - 31 Mar 2021

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title = "Deep-sea predator niche segregation revealed by combined cetacean biologging and eDNA analysis of cephalopod prey",

abstract = "Fundamental insight on predator-prey dynamics in the deep sea is hampered by a lack of combined data on hunting behavior and prey spectra. Deep-sea niche segregation may evolve when predators target specific prey communities, but this hypothesis remains untested. We combined environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with biologging to assess cephalopod community composition in the deep-sea foraging habitat of two top predator cetaceans. Risso's dolphin and Cuvier's beaked whale selectively targeted distinct epi/meso- and bathypelagic foraging zones, holding eDNA of 39 cephalopod taxa, including 22 known prey. Contrary to expectation, extensive taxonomic overlap in prey spectra between foraging zones indicated that predator niche segregation was not driven by prey community composition alone. Instead, intraspecific prey spectrum differences may drive differentiation for hunting fewer, more calorific, mature cephalopods in deeper waters. The novel combination of methods presented here holds great promise to disclose elusive deep-sea predator-prey systems, aiding in their protection.",

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AU - Visser, F.

AU - Merten, V. J.

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AU - Oudejans, M. G.

AU - de Jonge, D. S. W.

AU - Puebla, O.

AU - Reusch, T. B. H.

AU - Fuss, J.

AU - Hoving, H. J. T.

N1 - Copyright © 2021 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).

PY - 2021/3/31

Y1 - 2021/3/31

N2 - Fundamental insight on predator-prey dynamics in the deep sea is hampered by a lack of combined data on hunting behavior and prey spectra. Deep-sea niche segregation may evolve when predators target specific prey communities, but this hypothesis remains untested. We combined environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with biologging to assess cephalopod community composition in the deep-sea foraging habitat of two top predator cetaceans. Risso's dolphin and Cuvier's beaked whale selectively targeted distinct epi/meso- and bathypelagic foraging zones, holding eDNA of 39 cephalopod taxa, including 22 known prey. Contrary to expectation, extensive taxonomic overlap in prey spectra between foraging zones indicated that predator niche segregation was not driven by prey community composition alone. Instead, intraspecific prey spectrum differences may drive differentiation for hunting fewer, more calorific, mature cephalopods in deeper waters. The novel combination of methods presented here holds great promise to disclose elusive deep-sea predator-prey systems, aiding in their protection.

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Deep-sea predator niche segregation revealed by combined cetacean biologging and eDNA analysis of cephalopod prey

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