Sourcing fatty acids to juvenile polar cod (Boreogadus saida) in the Beaufort Sea using compound-specific stable carbon isotope analyses

Graham, Cory; Oxtoby, L. E.; Wang, Shiway W.; Budge, Suzanne M.; Wooller, Matthew J.

doi:10.1007/s00300-014-1470-5

Cited by 32 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The pairing of information from δ 13 C FA ratios and FA profiles linked ice seals with both sympagic and pelagic carbon sources in the marine food web. This supports earlier evidence that molecular and isotopic biomarkers of these sources of organic matter input at the base of the food web in the Bering Sea are recorded in both pelagic and benthic food webs (Budge et al 2008, Graham et al 2014, Wang et al 2015. However, our understanding of mechanisms governing the movement of FAs derived from sympagic and pelagic sources through food webs to higher trophic levels is hampered by our incomplete understanding of food web production processes in these systems.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…We examined this possibility by using the fatty acid (FA) composition of ice seal blubber and stable carbon isotope composition of individual FAs (δ 13 C FA ) to (1) determine if diets changed seasonally within species (spring-summer vs. fall-winter months), (2) examine geographic and interannual variability in diets within species, (3) estimate the proportional contribution of pelagic and sympagic carbon sources to seal diets during the recent cold period, and (4) assess the importance of these two carbon sources in the recent warm and cold periods in the Bering Sea. FA analysis has been used widely to study diets of marine mammals (e.g., Iverson et al 1997, Thiemann et al 2007, Cooper et al 2009), and by combining stable isotope analysis with FA analysis, more detailed information on pathways of carbon and energy transfer through food webs can be obtained (Budge et al 2008, Graham et al 2014, Wang et al 2015.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbon sources and trophic relationships of ice seals during recent environmental shifts in the Bering Sea

Wang¹,

Springer²,

Budge³

et al. 2015

Ecological Applications

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Dramatic multiyear fluctuations in water temperature and seasonal sea ice extent and duration across the Bering-Chukchi continental shelf have occurred in this century, raising a pressing ecological question: Do such environmental changes alter marine production processes linking primary producers to upper trophic-level predators? We examined this question by comparing the blubber fatty acid (FA) composition and stable carbon isotope ratios of individual FA (δ 13 C FA ) of adult ringed seals (Pusa hispida), bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), spotted seals (Phoca largha), and ribbon seals (Histriophoca fasciata), collectively known as "ice seals," sampled during an anomalously warm, low sea ice period in 2002-2005 in the Bering Sea and a subsequent cold, high sea ice period in 2007-2010. δ 13 C FA values, used to estimate the contribution to seals of carbon derived from sea ice algae (sympagic production) relative to that derived from water column phytoplankton (pelagic production), indicated that during the cold period, sympagic production accounted for 62-80% of the FA in the blubber of bearded seals, 51-62% in spotted seals, and 21-60% in ringed seals. Moreover, the δ 13 C FA values of bearded seals indicated a greater incorporation of sympagic FAs during the cold period than the warm period. This result provides the first empirical evidence of an ecosystem-scale effect of a putative change in sympagic production in the Western Arctic. The FA composition of ice seals showed clear evidence of resource partitioning among ringed, bearded, and spotted seals, and little niche separation between spotted and ribbon seals, which is consistent with previous studies. Despite interannual variability, the FA composition of ringed and bearded seals showed little evidence of differences in diet between the warm and cold periods. The findings that sympagic production contributes significantly to food webs supporting ice seals, and that the contribution apparently is less in warm years with low sea ice, raise an important concern: Will the projected warming and continuing loss of seasonal sea ice in the Arctic, and the associated decline of organic matter input from sympagic production, be compensated for by pelagic production to satisfy both pelagic and benthic carbon and energy needs?

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon sources and trophic relationships of ice seals during recent environmental shifts in the Bering Sea

Wang¹,

Springer²,

Budge³

et al. 2015

Ecological Applications

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“…The fatty acid approach alone, however, cannot provide information on the proportional contribution of ice algae-vs. pelagic phytoplankton-produced FAs, because the same FAs can originate from sea ice-diatoms or diatoms in the water column (Søreide et al 2008). By combining FA biomarker analysis with stable isotope analysis of the bulk organic carbon content (e.g., Dehn et al 2007;Feder et al 2011;Weems et al 2012) or specific compounds, such as FAs (e.g., Budge et al 2008;Graham et al 2014;Wang et al 2015), it is possible to quantify the relative transfer of sea ice-and pelagic phytoplankton-derived organic matter to the consumers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of ice algae-produced carbon in the central Arctic Ocean ecosystem: Food web relationships revealed by lipid and stable isotope analyses

et al. 2016

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To better predict ecological consequences of changing Arctic sea ice environments, we aimed to quantify the contribution of ice algae-produced carbon (a Ice ) to pelagic food webs in the central Arctic Ocean. Eight abundant under-ice fauna species were submitted to fatty acid (FA) analysis, bulk stable isotope analysis (BSIA) of nitrogen (d 15 N) and carbon (d 13 C) isotopic ratios, and compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of d 13 C in trophic marker FAs. A high mean contribution a Ice was found in Apherusa glacialis and other sympagic (ice-associated) amphipods (BSIA: 87% to 91%, CSIA: 58% to 92%). The pelagic copepods Calanus glacialis and C. hyperboreus, and the pelagic amphipod Themisto libellula showed substantial, but varying a Ice values (BSIA: 39% to 55%, CSIA: 23% to 48%). Lowest a Ice mean values were found in the pteropod Clione limacina (BSIA: 30%, CSIA: 14% to 18%). Intra-specific differences in FA compositions related to two different environmental regimes were more pronounced in pelagic than in sympagic species. A comparison of mixing models using different isotopic approaches indicated that a model using d 13 C signatures from both diatomspecific and dinoflagellate-specific marker FAs provided the most conservative estimate of a Ice . Our results imply that ecological key species of the central Arctic Ocean thrive significantly on carbon synthesized by ice algae. Due to the close connectivity between sea ice and the pelagic food web, changes in sea ice coverage and ice algal production will likely have important consequences for food web functioning and carbon dynamics of the pelagic system.

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“…The mixing models can account for different isotopic turnover rates in the consumers. However, krillspecific trophic enrichment of 13 C is unknown, and was thus assumed to be zero for both BSIA and CSIA models (Budge et al, 2011;Graham et al, 2014;Wang et al, 2015). For the BSIA models, trophic enrichment of 15 N was assumed to be 3.4‰ per trophic level (Minagawa and Wada, 1984).…”

Section: Quantification Of Ice Algal Carbonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ice Algae-Produced Carbon Is Critical for Overwintering of Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba

Kohlbach

Lange

Schaafsma³

et al. 2017

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Antarctic krill Euphausia superba ("krill") constitute a fundamental food source for Antarctic seabirds and mammals, and a globally important fisheries resource. The future resilience of krill to climate change depends critically on the winter survival of young krill. To survive periods of extremely low production by pelagic algae during winter, krill are assumed to rely partly on carbon produced by ice algae. The true dependency on ice algae-produced carbon, however, is so far unquantified. This confounds predictions on the future resilience of krill stocks to sea ice decline. Fatty acid (FA) analysis, bulk stable isotope analysis (BSIA), and compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of diatom-and dinoflagellate-associated marker FAs were applied to quantify the dependency of overwintering larval, juvenile, and adult krill on ice algae-produced carbon (α Ice ) during winter 2013 in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence Zone. Our results demonstrate that the majority of the carbon uptake of the overwintering larval and juvenile krill originated from ice algae (up to 88% of the carbon budget), and that the dependency on ice algal carbon decreased with ontogeny, reaching <56% of the carbon budget in adults. Spatio-temporal variability in the utilization of ice algal carbon was more pronounced in larvae and juvenile krill than in adults. Differences between α Ice estimates derived from short-vs. long-term FA-specific isotopic compositions suggested that ice algae-produced carbon gained importance as the winter progressed, and might become critical at the late winter-spring transition, before the phytoplankton bloom commences. Where the sea ice season shortens, reduced availability of ice algae might possibly not be compensated by surplus phytoplankton production during wintertime. Hence, sea ice decline could seriously endanger the winter survival of recruits, and subsequently overall biomass of krill.

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Sourcing fatty acids to juvenile polar cod (Boreogadus saida) in the Beaufort Sea using compound-specific stable carbon isotope analyses

Cited by 32 publications

References 40 publications

Carbon sources and trophic relationships of ice seals during recent environmental shifts in the Bering Sea

Carbon sources and trophic relationships of ice seals during recent environmental shifts in the Bering Sea

The importance of ice algae-produced carbon in the central Arctic Ocean ecosystem: Food web relationships revealed by lipid and stable isotope analyses

Ice Algae-Produced Carbon Is Critical for Overwintering of Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba

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