Isotopic niche and niche overlap in benthic crustacean and demersal fish associated to the bottom trawl fishing in south-central Chile

Abstract In habitats impacted by bottom trawling that influences the resilience of few and widely distributed abundant species, it is relevant to analyze how populations are structured according to their niche and niche overlap, and hence contributing to the ecosystem-based management approach. We evaluated and compared the isotopic niche width and determined the isotopic niche overlap for target and bycatch species of crustaceans and demersal fish caught with bottom trawling on the continental shelf and upper slope of the central-southern zone of Chile. Stable isotope analysis relied on carbon and nitrogen isotopes (13C and 15N) and Bayesian statistics of niche size and community metrics. Crustaceans and fish species are structured in three clusters according to the stable isotope values and the Chilean hake Merluccius gayi, which was probably clustered isolated due to its pelagic stable isotope values due to diel vertical migrations associated with feeding on euphausiids in the water column. The first group was constituted by demersal fish, that showed higher δ15N (19‰) and narrower δ13C (−16‰). The two other groups constituted a mix of crustaceans and fish, with access to different carbon sources. There were degrees of specialization for most species within the groups and overlap in the isotopic niche between populations. The benthic and demersal macrofauna species are structured by sharing resources in the habitat, probably on available sources supported by the productive pelagic system.