The trophic ecology of caridean shrimps in an eelgrass community

摘要: Abstract Four species of caridean decapods together represent a productive elements the epifauna eelgrass beds in Western Port, Australia. The guild is dominated by palaemonid species, Macrobrachium intermedium Stimpson, which was found to have mean annual density approximately 50 individuals m −2 and an productivity 3.4 g ash-free dry mass . Analyses shrimp diets indicated that three M. intermedium, Hippolyte caradina Holthuis Chlorotocella leptorhyncus (Stimpson), are consumers both animal plant material, while single (crangonid) Pontophilus intermedius (Fulton Grant), specialized carnivore. Predation shrimps may be responsible for removal substantial proportions cohabiting smaller invertebrates such as gastropod molluscs, peracaridean crustaceans polychaetes, probably eclipses level predation fish. Plant detritus (along with associated microorganisms) more prominent during winter, correlated reduced availability prey this period. Shrimps consumed number common predatory fish birds flats. concentrated on two numerically dominant carideans important factor modifying population structure these species. It concluded Caridea occupy key position trophic processes within system (i) exerting strong influence dynamics lower levels system; (ii) transferring major proportion their relatively high higher consumers.