title: Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem.
abstract: Since the collapse of the pelagic fisheries off southwest Africa in the late 1960s, jellyfish biomass has increased and the structure of the Benguelan fish community has shifted, making the bearded goby (Sufflogobius bibarbatus) the new predominant prey species. Despite increased predation pressure and a harsh environment, the gobies are thriving. Here we show that physiological adaptations and antipredator and foraging behaviors underpin the success of these fish. In particular, body-tissue isotope signatures reveal that gobies consume jellyfish and sulphidic diatomaceous mud, transferring "dead-end" resources back into the food chain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. anne.palm@bio.uib.no
authors.forename: Anne C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Utne-Palm
authors.forename: Anne G V
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Salvanes
authors.forename: Bronwen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.forename: Stein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaartvedt
authors.forename: Göran E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Victoria A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Braithwaite
authors.forename: Jonathan A W
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stecyk
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hundt
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van der Bank
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: Guro K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Sandvik
authors.forename: Thor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Klevjer
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sweetman
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brüchert
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pittman
authors.forename: Kathleen R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Peard
authors.forename: Ida G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Lunde
authors.forename: Rønnaug A U
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Strandabø
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gibbons
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D018533:Biomass; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D004063:Digestion; D017753:Ecosystem; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005398:Fisheries; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology; D020387:Food Chain; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000032:analysis; D009276:Namibia; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010473:Perciformes / Q000502:physiology*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D037401:Scyphozoa; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide