Trophic structure of an African savanna river and organic matter inputs by large terrestrial herbivores: A stable isotope approach

摘要: 1. Knowledge of trophic structure is important to understand sources and pathways energy resources in community ecology identify determinants ecosystem changes. Yet, little known from rivers African savanna receiving large inputs terrestrial organic matter nutrients by mammalian herbivores. 2. We used Stable Isotope (δ13C δ15N) Bayesian Ellipses R (SIBER) Layman's community‐wide metrics describe seasonal variation niches structures midorder river reaches the Mara River (Kenya) that differed environmental conditions (agricultural vs. forested) amounts (low high livestock hippopotami, Hippopotamus amphibius). These analyses were supplemented with data on diversity macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups (FFGs) fish guilds. 3. The δ13C δ15N basal consumers between sites changed seasons. Sites agricultural areas utilised a site hippopotami had higher than forested due presence C4 carbon egestion excretion grazers. 4. recorded most taxon‐rich trophic‐diverse invertebrate community, suggesting both autochthonous allochthonous available. Agricultural abundances collector taxa response matter. Fish guilds less diverse dominated insectivores. 5. food web at widest niche size highest isotopic compared herbivores. Invertebrate sizes according varying space time. Invertebrates values during dry season. In contrast, showed wet season, constricted considerably overlapping, narrow range redundancy. 6. This study increased herbivores affected for aquatic draining savanna. Linking density function could help manage their populations sustainably.