SEASONAL TROPHIC ECOLOGY OF THE DOMINANT ANTARCTIC CORAL Malacobelemnon daytoni (OCTOCORALLIA, PENNATULACEA, KOPHOBELEMNIDAE)

FUENTES, VERONICA; SAHADE, RICARDO; SERVETTO NATALIA; ALURRALDE, G.; ROSSI, S.; LAGGER, CRISTIAN

Punta Arenas

Congreso; IX Congreso Latinoamericano de Ciencia Antártica; 2017

Seasonal trophic ecological studies are especially difficult in polar areas because samplingsare quite limited in space and time. Information on the functioning of polar benthiccommunities and, particularly, their trophic links and the patterns of energy flow in a seasonalcontext is still fragmented (Norkko et al., 2007, Pasotti et al., 2015). The use of trophicbiomarkers such as the biochemical balance (protein-lipid-carbohydrate), fatty acids (FAs)and stable isotopes (SIs) are useful tools to assess energy origin and fate in autecologicalstudies. The pennatulid Malacobelemnon daytoni is one of the dominant species in theshallow benthic community at Potter Cove, Antarctica (Sahade et al., 1998, 2015). Itsabundance and distribution range has significantly increased during the past few years,probably favored by factors driven by climate change (increased sedimentation caused byglacier retreat and ice impact) (Sahade et al., 1998, 2015). Even though physiologicaltolerance to sediment and a striking reproductive strategy was recently observed (Servettoand Sahade, 2016; Servetto et al., 2013; Torre et al., 2012), the ecological success of thisoctocoral in Potter Cove is not yet completely understood.We used a combined approach on the basis of biochemical (lipids, carbohydrates andproteins) and trophic marker (FAs and SIs) dynamics in a year-round period with the aim ofassessing autecological strategies of M. daytoni. This will be an important contribution tocurrent knowledge of coastal ecosystem responses under ongoing climate change especiallyin the Antarctic Peninsula (AP).