Trophic levels of fish species of commercial importance in the Colombian Caribbean.

Ecological studies on commercial important fish species are of great value to support resource management issues. This study calculated trophic levels of those Colombian Caribbean fish species whose diet has been locally described. Usable diet data of 119 species resulted in 164 trophic level estimates. An ordinary regression model relating trophic level and fish size was formulated. The regression slope was positive and significantly different from zero (p < 0.05) suggesting a scaling of trophic level with fish size. Both the list of trophic levels and the regression model should be of help in the formulation of trophic indicators and models of neotropical ecosystems.

Trophic levels of fish species of commercial importance in the Colombian Caribbean

Ecological studies on commercial important fish species are of great value to support resource management issues. This study calculated trophic levels of those Colombian Caribbean fish species whose diet has been locally described. Usable diet data of 119 species resulted in 164 trophic level estimates. An ordinary regression model relating trophic level and fish size was formulated. The regression slope was positive and significantly different from zero (p<0.05) suggesting a scaling of trophic level with fish size. Both the list of trophic levels and the regression model should be of help in the formulation of trophic indicators and models of neotropical ecosystems. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (3): 1195-1203. Epub 2011 September 01.

Estudios ecológicos de especies de peces importantes comercialmente son de gran valor como insumos en temas de manejo. Aquí se presenta estimaciones del nivel trófico de aquellas especies de peces del Caribe colombiano cuya dieta ha sido descrita localmente. Información utilizable sobre 119 especies resulto en 164 estimaciones de nivel trófico. Se propone un modelo de regresión ordinaria entre el nivel trófico y el tamaño de los peces. La pendiente resultó positiva y significativamente diferente de cero (p<0.05) lo cual sugiere una relación moduladora entre el nivel trófico y el tamaño de los peces. Tanto la lista de niveles tróficos como el modelo de regresión, deben ser de ayuda en la formulación de indicadores tróficos y modelos de los ecosistemas neotropicales.