Distribution of δ13C and δ15N of deep-sea crabs and invertebrates on the Hupo Bank of East Sea (Sea of Japan)

Abstract

A combination of stable isotopic measurements was used to study food web structure of Hupo Bank in East Sea (Sea of Japan), an important snow crab fishing ground. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of various macrobenthic invertebrates and their potential food sources, such as suspended particulate organic matter (POM), sinking particle, sediment and meiobenthos were identified. We examined stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of 3 crabs and 11 invertebratetaxa common to the Hupo bank and Ulleung basin slope food web. A total of 21 individuals from 3 crab species (Chinoecete opilio, C. japonicas, Erimacrus isenbeckii) were analysed, and exhibited a broad range of δ13C (19.3~17.0‰) and δ15N (12.0~14.8‰). The food sources, pelagic particulate organic matter (POM) (δ13C=