Applying stable isotopes to examine food-web structure: an overview of analytical tools

Authors

Craig A. Layman, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Marcio S. Araujo, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Ross Boucek, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University
Caroline M. Hammerschlag-Peyer, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Elizabeth Harrison, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Zachary R. Jud, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Philip Matich, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Adam E. Rosenblatt, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Jeremy J. Vaudo, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Lauren A. Yeager, Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
David M. Post, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University
Stuart Bearhop, Centre for Ecology & Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter

Abstract

Stable isotope analysis has emerged as one of the primary means for examining the structure and dynamics of food webs, and numerous analytical approaches are now commonly used in the field. Techniques range from simple, qualitative inferences based on the isotopic niche, to Bayesian mixing models that can be used to characterize food-web structure at multiple hierarchical levels. We provide a comprehensive review of these techniques, and thus a single reference source to help identify the most useful approaches to apply to a given data set. We structure the review around four general questions: (1) what is the trophic position of an organism in a food web?; (2) which resource pools support consumers?; (3) what additional information does relative position of consumers in isotopic space reveal about food-web structure?; and (4) what is the degree of trophic variability at the intrapopulation level? For each general question, we detail different approaches that have been applied, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each. We conclude with a set of suggestions that transcend individual analytical approaches, and provide guidance for future applications in the field.

Comments

Post Print Version.

Copyright © 2012 Springer.

The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at http//dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2011.00208.x

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research program under Cooperative Agreements #DBI-0620409 and #DEB-9910514. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Recommended Citation

Layman, C.A., M.S. Araujo, R. Boucek, E. Harrison, Z.R. Jud, P. Matich, C.M. Hammerschlag-Peyer, A.E. Rosenblatt, J.J. Vaudo, L.A. Yeager, D. Post, S. Bearhop. 2012. Applying Stable Isotopes to Examine Food Web Structure: An Overview of Analytical Tools. Biological Reviews 87: 542-562.