Isotopic niche overlap among foraging marine turtle species in the Gulf of Mexico.

ABSTRACT: Sympatric species may overlap in their use of habitat and dietary resources, which can increase competition. Comparing the ecological niches and quantifying the degree of niche overlap among these species can provide insights into the extent of resource overlap. This information can be used to guide multispecies management approaches tailored to protect priority habitats that offer the most resources for multiple species. Stable isotope analysis is a valuable tool used to investigate spatial and trophic niches, though few studies have employed this method for comparisons among sympatric marine turtle species. For this study, stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope values from epidermis tissue were used to quantify isotopic overlap and compare isotopic niche size in loggerhead (Caret

SUBMITTER: Weber S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10682896 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature