@article{fdi:010096374,
  title = {{W}eak trophic position-body mass relationships undermine simple size-spectrum models for coral reefs},
  author = {{D}elecambre, {Z}. and {G}hilardi, {M}. and {B}arneche, {D}. {R}. and {A}djeroud, {M}ehdi and {B}randl, {S}. {J}. and {C}asey, {J}. {M}. and {K}ulbicki, {M}ichel and {M}erci{\`e}re, {A}. and {M}orais, {R}. {A}. and {M}orat, {F}. and {C}ostesec, {E}. {P}. and {S}chiettekatte, {N}. {M}. {D}. and {V}ii, {J}. and {L}etourneur, {Y}. and {P}arravicini, {V}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{U}nravelling food web dynamics across biological communities is a central goal of ecology. {I}n size-structured ecosystems, the shape of trophic pyramids is often inferred from their size spectra-the distribution of biomass across body-mass classes. {S}ize-spectrum analysis has become a popular tool to study ecosystem functioning in aquatic ecosystems, including coral reefs. {H}owever, the key assumption behind size spectra, that body size directly and positively correlates with trophic position, has rarely been evaluated in these systems. {H}ere, we test this assumption by quantifying body mass, population densities and estimating trophic position from stable isotopes for 325 fish species across four {I}ndo-{P}acific locations. {C}onsistent with prior studies, we found a positive relationship between biomass and body mass. {H}owever, weak and variable relationships between body mass and trophic position led to higher biomass in primary consumers than in predators, as expected in traditional bottom-heavy or diamond-shaped trophic structures. {O}ur findings thus challenge previous reports of coral reef fish biomass prevalence in higher trophic levels (e.g. inverted biomass pyramids), supporting earlier suggestions that simple size-spectrum models do not adequately represent the trophic structure of reef fish communities.},
  keywords = {trophic position ; biomass pyramid ; size spectrum ; community ; stable ; isotopes},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}roceedings of the {R}oyal {S}ociety {B} : {B}iological {S}ciences},
  volume = {293},
  numero = {2064},
  pages = {20252357 [10 p.]},
  ISSN = {0962-8452},
  year = {2026},
  DOI = {10.1098/rspb.2025.2357},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010096374},
}