Stable isotopic niche analysis of the food web in the typical coral reefs of the South China Sea

Chang SUN; Pei QU; Zhenwei SUN; Jilin LIANG; Yuanchao LI; Yulong ZHANG; Zongling WANG; Xuelei ZHANG; Min PANG

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Stable isotopic niche analysis of the food web in the typical coral reefs of the South China Sea

Updated：2026-07-29

- Stable isotopic niche analysis of the food web in the typical coral reefs of the South China Sea
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Pages: 1-15(2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Marine Ecology Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of the People's Republic of China, Qingdao 266061, China
  2.Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
  3.Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571126, China
- Author bio：
  
  pm_cat@hotmail.com
- Funds：
- DOI：
  CLC：
- Received：08 October 2025，
  
  Online First：29 July 2026，
- Accepted：
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SUN Chang,QU Pei,SUN Zhenwei,et al.Stable isotopic niche analysis of the food web in the typical coral reefs of the South China Sea[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,
DOI：

SUN Chang,QU Pei,SUN Zhenwei,et al.Stable isotopic niche analysis of the food web in the typical coral reefs of the South China Sea[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, DOI：.

摘要

Abstract

The South China Sea (SCS)

due to its unique geographical location and marine environment

harbors a diverse and representative coral reef ecosystem. This study examines the trophic structure of major marine organisms within the coral reef ecosystem of the southern SCS through stable isotope analysis (δ

C and δ

N). The analysis is based on field samples collected during the spring of 2023 and 2024. The δ

C values of consumers spanned from -21.72‰ to -3.26‰

and the δ

N values ranged from 2.42‰ to 10.97‰

which indicates a well-defined and continuous trophic spectrum. The trophic levels (TLs) of fish varied from 1.80 to 3.35

whereas those of invertebrates ranged from 1.08 to 2.76

suggesting a structured ecosystem in the study area. MixSIAR modeling revealed that macroalgae

plankton

and organic matter on coral surfa

ces (OMCs) were the predominant basal food sources

supporting five major trophic groups: carnivores

corallivores

planktivores

macroalgae-consuming herbivores and omnivores. Notably

several species that traditionally feed on coral

such as

Chaetodon

ornatissimus

and

Heniochus

chrysostomus

demonstrated an increased reliance on algal resources

implying a possible change in feeding strategy. Additionally

the diet preference of

Acanthaster

planci

showed a strong reliance on crustose coralline algae (CCA)

with juveniles experiencing growth stagnation or adults suffering from long-term starvation being the predominant individuals. This highlights the importance of food-source monitoring for understanding the population dynamics of

planci

. This study provides basic data and novel perspectives for coral reef conservation and sustainable management in the coral reef ecosystems of the western Pacific Ocean.

关键词

Keywords

references

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