@article{fdi:010072429,
  title = {{R}egime shifts shorten food chains for mesopredators with potential sublethal effects},
  author = {{H}empson, {T}. {N}. and {G}raham, {N}. {A}. {J}. and {M}ac{N}eil, {M}. {A}. and {B}odin, {N}athalie and {W}ilson, {S}. {K}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{P}redator populations are in decline globally. {E}xploitation, as well as habitat degradation and associated changes in prey availability are key drivers of this process of trophic downgrading. {I}n the short term, longevity and dietary adaptability of large-bodied consumers can mask potential sublethal effects of a changing prey base, producing a delayed effect that may be difficult to detect. {I}n coral reef ecosystems, regime shifts from coral- to algae-dominated states caused by coral bleaching significantly alter the assemblage of small-bodied reef fish associated with a reef. {T}he effects of this changing prey community on reef-associated mesopredators remains poorly understood. {T}his study found that the total diversity, abundance and biomass of piscivorous mesopredators was lower on regime-shifted reefs than recovering reefs, 16years after the 1998 mass coral bleaching event. {W}e used stable isotope analyses to test for habitat-driven changes in the trophic niche occupied by a key piscivorous fishery target species on reefs that had regime-shifted or recovered following climatic disturbance. {U}sing morphometric indices, histology, and lipid analyses, we also investigated whether there were sublethal costs for fish on regime-shifted reefs. {S}table isotopes demonstrated that fish from regime-shifted reefs fed further down the food chain, compared to recovering reefs. {L}ower densities of hepatocyte vacuoles in fish from regime-shifted reefs, and reduced lipid concentrations in spawning females from these reefs, indicated a reduction in energy stores, constituting a sublethal and potential delayed effect on populations. {R}educed energy reserves in mesopredators could lead to energy allocation trade-offs, and decreased growth rates, fecundity and survivorship, resulting in potential population declines in the longer term.},
  keywords = {coral bleaching ; coral reef fish ; food chain ; habitat degradation ; mesopredator ; prey availability ; trophic level},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}unctional {E}cology},
  volume = {32},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {820--830},
  ISSN = {0269-8463},
  year = {2018},
  DOI = {10.1111/1365-2435.13012},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010072429},
}