Role of the fish Astyanax aeneus (Characidae) as a keystone nutrient recycler in low-nutrient Neotropical streams

Nutrient recycling by animals is a potentially important biogeochemical process in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Stoichiometric traits of individual species may result in some taxa playing disproportionately important roles in the recycling of nutrients relative to their biomass, acting as keystone nutrient recyclers. We examined factors controlling the relative contribution of 12 Neotropical fish species to nutrient recycling in four streams spanning a range of phosphorus (P) levels. In high-P conditions (135 μg/L soluble reactive phosphorus, SRP), most species fed on P-enriched diets and P excretion rates were high across species. In low-P conditions (3 μg/L SRP), aquatic food resources were depleted...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation; Tags: Astyanax aeneus, Atherinidae, Characidae, Cichlidae, Costa Rica, All tags... La Selva Biological Station, Phosphorus, Poecilidae, ecological stoichiometry, fish, nutrient cycling, streams, Fewer tags