Analysis of the feeding ecology of the sea anemone Bunodosoma zamponii: populations under differential anthropogenic pressures

VAZQUEZ, NICOLÁS DARÍO; GARESE, A.; MIGLIORANZA, K.; ACUÑA, F. H.

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

NATL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA-N R C RESEARCH PRESS

Lugar: Otawa; Año: 2023 vol. 101 p. 393 - 407

0008-4301

Feeding ecology of two populations of the sea anemone Bunodosoma zamponii, living under different anthropogenic pressures, was studied in the city of Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina). One population was located in Las Delicias (LD, impacted site, adjacent to a wastewater treatment plant) and another in Punta Cantera (PC, reference site), both were monitored for two years and the anemone’s trophic ecology was analyzed. The mytilid Brachidontes rodriguezii was the main item found throughout all seasons. Prey diversity was greater in PC during autumn and it was the lowest during winter for both sites. Prey abundance was lower in LD during autumn and summer. Additionally, prey items were larger in PC during autumn, winter and summer. Item capture probability in autumn was significantly lower in LD. Overall, results indicate that B. zamponii’s diet significantly differed between sites and such differences varied throughout the year. Most of the differences occurred during autumn and winter, which correspond with a greater concentration of organochlorine pesticides, chlorpyrifos and polychlorinated biphenyls in anemones from LD registered in previous studies. Overall, these results provide significant information on the feeding ecology of Bunodosoma zamponii that complement the extant information, and hopefully will provide a meaningful insight into the current state of the populations of this anemone.