Habitat dimensionality, temperature and feeding strategies as determinants of trophic structure in a marine food web

Disentangling the determinants of trophic structure is central to ecology. The capacity to capture subjugate and consume a prey (i.e. gape limitation) is a relevant limitation to acquire energy for most organisms, especially those in smaller size ranges. This generates a size hierarchy of trophic positions in which large organisms consume small ones. Body size is tightly correlated to gape limitation and explains a large fraction of variance in the body size-trophic position relationship. However, a considerable fraction of variance still remains to be explained. Consumer search space dimensionality (2D or 3D) and feeding strategies, temperature and the size structure of primary producers can alter the trophic structure, but tests based on information from natural food webs are scarce.
We generated specific predictions about the body size trophic position relationship and evaluated them using information from a subtropical South Atlantic coastal marine ecosystem: benthic realm (2D, rock..., Study area and field collections
Samples were collected from Punta del Diablo, a coastal marine ecosystem on the South Atlantic coast of Uruguay (33°54’S - 53°30’W and 34°02’S – 53°32’W). Two surveys were conducted: one during austral summer (12th February) and a second one in winter (14th September) of 2015, at five sampling stations in both pelagic and benthic realms. Biological samples were collected with multiple gears to capture different size groups and to perform stable isotope analyses (SIA).
Laboratory analysis
Samples were analyzed at the Center for Stable Isotopes, University of New Mexico, USA (https://csi.unm.edu/). Carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope ratios were measured by Elemental Analyzer Continuous Flow Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry using a Costech ECS 4010 Elemental Analyzer coupled to a ThermoFisher Scientific Delta V Advantage mass spectrometer via a CONFLO IV interface.
Detailed descriptions of the methodologies for SIA analysis, the study area, and the as..., , ---

**Title of Dataset**
Data from: Habitat dimensionality, temperature and feeding strategies as determinants of trophic structure in a marine food web

Corresponding author: Angel Manuel Segura ([[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]))

This dataset encompasses Carbon (δ¹³C) and Nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotopic values obtained from various organisms and species during two surveys in 2015, conducted during the austral summer and winter, and covering both benthic and pelagic zones in the coastal area of Punta del Diablo (Uruguay), situated in the subtropical convergence of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

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**Description of Dataset**
File count: 1
File size: 8.3 KB
File format: .csv
File name: stable_isotope_data_punta_del_diablo_2015.csv

Provides a concise summary of isotopic values from:
\- Pelagic Particulate Organic Matter (POM), serving as a proxy for phytoplankton
\- Composite Zooplankton
\- 32 Species of Macroinvertebrates from rocky shores, sublittoral zones, and sandy h...