Data from: Impact of squid predation on juvenile fish survival

Predation is a major source of mortality during the early life stages of marine fishes; however, few studies have demonstrated its impact—especially that of squid predation—on survival processes. Here, we examined the feeding habits and predation impacts of swordtip squid on a major prey fish, juveniles of jack mackerel, in the East China Sea. Otoliths of the juveniles extracted from the squid stomach were used to reconstruct the age–length relationship and the growth trajectory of the consumed juveniles, and they were compared to those of juveniles collected with a net using a newly developed statistical framework. The juveniles consumed by squid had significantly shorter body lengths and smaller body sizes during the late larval and early juvenile stages than the netted juveniles, suggesting that smaller juveniles with slower growth rates have a higher probability to be selected. The body mass ratio of the predator squid to prey juveniles (predator-prey mass ratio, PPMR) ranged from 7 to 700, which was remarkably lower than the PPMR reported in various marine ecosystems based on analyses of fishes. Our findings demonstrate that squid predation can significantly impact the early life survival of fish and the trophodynamics in marine ecosystems.

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集研究了剑尖枪乌贼对幼年竹荚鱼的捕食影响，通过耳石分析重建被捕食幼鱼的生长轨迹，发现体型较小、生长较慢的幼鱼更容易被捕获。捕食者-猎物质量比（PPMR）范围在7到700之间，显著低于其他海洋生态系统，表明乌贼捕食对鱼类早期生存和海洋营养动态有重要影响。