Nitrogen loads influence trophic organization of estuarine fish assemblages

Nutrient (N and P) loading may affect functioning in aquatic ecosystems by restructuring producer assemblages with flow-on effects to consumers. Trophic niche occupancy and trophic organization of consumers are key components of ecosystem function that have been increasingly investigated using quantitative isotopic niche indices. These indices are based on the premise that the isotopic values of consumer tissues indicate their assimilated diet. Typically, isotopic niche indices are calculated using only consumer isotope data, which limit their application for spatial and temporal comparisons because consumer isotopic niches depend on isotopic variability of available autotrophs.
We used measures of isotopic variability of autotrophs to standardize isotopic niche indices, which enabled us to compare trophic organization of fish assemblages in nine estuaries spanning a broad range of nutrient loading. We related standardized isotopic niche indices of fish assemblages to nitrogen and phos...