Carl Van Der Lingen on the Trophic Ecology of Sardine
Fast Moving Front Commentary, July 2010
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Article: Comparative trophodynamics of anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardinops sagax in the southern Benguela: are species alternations between small pelagic fish trophodynamically mediated?
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Carl Van Der Lingen talks with ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions about this month's Fast Moving Fronts paper in the field of Plant & Animal Science.
Why do you think your paper is highly cited?
Anchovy and sardine are economically and ecologically important, and alternations between the two species observed during the past century have significant economic and ecological effects. Given this, understanding such alternations is important, and many researchers are attempting to develop a mechanistic explanation behind such alternations. The trophic dissimilarity hypothesis is one such mechanism.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
A synthesis of knowledge and proposal of a hypothesis.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper
in layman's terms?
A hypothesis called the "trophic dissimilarity hypothesis" provides a plausible mechanistic explanation of observed species alternations between anchovy and sardine.
How did you become involved in this research, and
how would you describe the particular challenges, setbacks, and
successes that you've encountered along the way?
I conducted research on the trophic ecology of sardine for my Ph.D., and compared my findings with similar research previously conducted on anchovy. Challenges included capturing and maintaining a laboratory population of sardine upon which experiments could be made, successes finally completing my research!
Where do you see your research leading in the future?
I plan to continue studying the trophic ecology of small pelagic fish, both
from the Benguela current region and other systems, and am also broadening
my research field to examine the trophic ecology of other
fish.
Dr. Carl van der Lingen
Specialist Scientist
Offshore Resources Research, Fisheries
Department Of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Cape Town, South Africa
KEYWORDS: ANCHOVY, SARDINE, SOUTHERN BENGUELA, SPECIES ALTERNATIONS, TROPHODYNAMICS, FEEDING BEHAVIOR, UPWELLING SYSTEM, ABSORPTION EFFICIENCIES, NITROGEN EXCRETION, RESPIRATION RATE, SWIMMING SPEED, REGIME SHIFTS, PARTICLE SIZE.