Food Source Identification of Macrozoobenthos in the Mangrove Ecosystem of Lubuk Damar, Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia: A Stable Isotope Approach.

Changes in the existence of mangroves will have an impact on changes in food webs in their respective areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the food source of the macrozoobenthos community within the Lubuk Damar mangrove ecosystem. Stable isotopes, carbon and nitrogen were used to describe the food sources for macrozoobenthos in the mangrove ecosystem of the Lubuk Damar Ecosystem, Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia. The stable isotope analysis of ¹³C and ¹⁵N was carried out using Isotopic-Ratio Mass Spectrometry. Potential food sources at the study site based on stable isotope ratios ranged between -29.08‰ to -20.66‰ (δ¹³C) and 4.07‰ to 5.63‰ (δ¹⁵N); macrozoobenthos -25.00‰ to -14.76‰ (δ¹³C) and 5.59‰ to 7.73‰ (δ¹⁵N). The potential food sources tested at the study site consisted of seven sources, but not all food sources in the ecosystem were consumed by the invertebrate community. This study shows that mangrove leaf litter serves as a food source for some invertebrates, such as the bivalves, gastropods, polychaetes, sipunculans, brachiopods and crustaceans. The results of this study evidence that the examined mangrove ecosystem has a function as a provider of food sources in the surrounding waters, therefore its existence is very important supporting diversity of coastal waters.