C and N stable isotopes enlighten the trophic behaviour of the dugong (Dugong dugon).

ABSTRACT: The dugong (Dugong dugon), a large marine mammal herbivore of the Indo-Pacific, is vulnerable to extinction at a global scale due to a combination of human-related threats including habitat degradation. The species forages on seagrass habitats (marine phanerogams) and plays a key role in the functioning and sensitivity of these declining coastal ecosystems. The trophic behaviour and plasticity of dugong populations in response to extrinsic and intrinsic factors are therefore crucial features to both dugong and seagrass conservation. Yet, this knowledge remains limited to few visual observations and analyses of mouth, stomach or faecal contents of stranded individuals. We take advantage of a long-term monitoring of stranded individuals from the endangered New Caledonian population to depict

SUBMITTER: Thibault M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10776846 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature