Interaction between coastal and oceanic ecosystems of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean through predator-prey relationship studies.

ABSTRACT: The Western and Central Pacific Ocean sustains the highest tuna production in the world. This province is also characterized by many islands and a complex bathymetry that induces specific current circulation patterns with the potential to create a high degree of interaction between coastal and oceanic ecosystems. Based on a large dataset of oceanic predator stomach contents, our study used generalized linear models to explore the coastal-oceanic system interaction by analyzing predator-prey relationship. We show that reef organisms are a frequent prey of oceanic predators. Predator species such as albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) frequently consume reef prey with higher probability of consumption closer to land and in the western part of the Pacific Ocean.

SUBMITTER: Allain V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3352925 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature