Multidimensional trace metals and nutritional niche differ between sexually immature and mature common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)

There is a need to understand the links between metals and nutrition for apex marine predators, which may be subject to different ecotoxicological effects at different life stages. We combined stomach content analyses (SCA), prey composition analysis (PCA), the Multidimensional Niche Framework (MNNF) with Bayesian multivariate ellipses, trace metal analysis and nicheROVER to investigate nutrition and trace metals across sex, age, and sexual maturity status in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) from New Zealand. A broader prey composition niche breadth (SEAc) was estimated for immature compared to mature conspecifics, showing a higher degree of prey and nutrient generalism driven by protein (P) intake. Cd and Zn niche similarities suggests these metals were incorporated through similar prey in both immature and mature dolphins, whereas Hg and Se niche divergence indicates uptake occurred via different prey. Our multidisciplinary assessment demonstrated how nutrients and metal interactions differ in common dolphins depending upon sexual maturity. This approach has relevance when considering how marine pollution, environmental fluctuations and climate change may affect nutritional and trace metal interactions during different reproductive stages within marine predators.

Keywords

Delphinus delphis, Environmental contaminants, Life history, Multidimensional nutritional niche framework, SDG 14 – life below water, Animals, Common Dolphins, Bayes Theorem, Environmental Monitoring, Dolphins, Mercury, Trace Elements

Citation

Stockin KA, Machovsky-Capuska GE, Palmer EI, Amiot C. (2023). Multidimensional trace metals and nutritional niche differ between sexually immature and mature common dolphins (Delphinus delphis).. Environ Pollut. 333. (pp. 121935-).

URI

https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/72129

Collections

Journal Articles

Full item page