Improving consumption rate estimates by incorporating wild activity into a bioenergetics model

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Metabolic Ecology
• Bioenergetics

Background:

• Consumption rates are vital for assessing trophic impacts.
• Activity's energetic cost is key to consumption estimates, but often measured in captivity.
• Wild animal activity data is rarely integrated into consumption models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To calculate the consumption rate of free-ranging yellowtail kingfish.
• To integrate the energetic cost of wild activity into a bioenergetics model.
• To compare field-derived consumption estimates with traditional methods.

Main Methods:

• Used accelerometry transmitters to measure wild activity metabolic rates.
• Combined field data with laboratory respirometry.
• Compared accelerometry-derived estimates with morphometric and physiological methods.

Main Results:

• Field-derived consumption rate for kingfish was 152 J·g(-1)·day(-1).
• This estimate fell between morphometric (134 J·g(-1)·day(-1)) and physiological (181 J·g(-1)·day(-1)) methods.
• Field-derived activity reduced variance in consumption rates (σ=0.31) compared to traditional methods.

Conclusions:

• Integrating field-derived activity provides more realistic consumption rate estimates.
• This approach enhances understanding of trophic interactions for ecosystem-based management.
• Methods can be applied to other species and ecosystems to study ecological energetics.