Approach to determine individual trophic level and the difference in food sources of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus in Sagami Bay, based on compound-specific nitrogen stable isotope analysis of amino acids

Amino acids compound-specific nitrogen stable isotope analysis (AA-CSIA) is an emerging tool in ecology for understanding trophic system dynamics. While it has been successfully used for several independent studies across a range of environments and study locations, researchers have encountered calculation issues for determining trophic position values. Most studies introduce modifications to the constants of trophic position equation calculations, but then fail to account for the equation variations when comparing across separate research studies. The broad acceptance of this approach is anchored in an underlying presumption that no addition of the exogenous nitrogen atom occurs in the different methods; and therefore, such variations should not affect the outcome. In this paper, we evaluate the use of the EZfaast amino acid derivatization kit (chloroformate) and compare it to the isotopic results of two other derivatization methods. We highlight new considerations for working with AA-CSIA that might account for some of the variations in the results and lead researchers to modify constants in the equation. This study concludes that developing unique constants per derivatization method is required to have more accurate cross-study comparisons of trophic positions.

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Food sources for the bivalve Corbicula japonica in the foremost fishing lakes estimated from stable isotope analysis

Fisheries Science ◽

10.1111/j.1444-2906.2006.01123.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 105-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Akihide KASAI ◽

Haruhiko TOYOHARA ◽

Akiko NAKATA ◽

Tsunehiro MIURA ◽

Nobuyuki AZUMA

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Stable Isotope Analysis ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Food Sources ◽

Corbicula Japonica

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An investigation of diet in early Anglo-Saxon England using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of human bone collagen

Journal of Archaeological Science ◽

10.1016/j.jas.2011.10.013 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 867-874 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

S. Mays ◽

N. Beavan

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Stable Isotope Analysis ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Human Bone ◽

Bone Collagen ◽

Anglo Saxon ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen

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Food sources of the pearl oyster in coastal ecosystems of Japan: Evidence from diet and stable isotope analysis

Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science ◽

10.1016/j.ecss.2007.07.046 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 76 (3) ◽

pp. 704-709 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Kayoko Fukumori ◽

Misa Oi ◽

Hideyuki Doi ◽

Noboru Okuda ◽

Hitomi Yamaguchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Stable Isotope Analysis ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Pearl Oyster ◽

Coastal Ecosystems ◽

Food Sources

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Stable isotope analysis reveals partitioning in prey use by Kajikia audax (Istiophoridae), Thunnus albacares, Katsuwonus pelamis, and Auxis spp. (Scombridae) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific of Ecuador

Neotropical Ichthyology ◽

10.1590/1982-0224-2020-0015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Rigoberto Rosas-Luis ◽

Nancy Cabanillas-Terán ◽

Carmen A. Villegas-Sánchez

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Food Web ◽

Stable Isotope Analysis ◽

Trophic Ecology ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Middle Level ◽

Food Sources ◽

Thunnus Albacares ◽

Katsuwonus Pelamis ◽

Δ13c And Δ15n

Abstract Kajikia audax, Thunnus albacares, Katsuwonus pelamis, and Auxis spp. occupy high and middle-level trophic positions in the food web. They represent important sources for fisheries in Ecuador. Despite their ecological and economic importance, studies on pelagic species in Ecuador are scarce. This study uses stable isotope analysis to assess the trophic ecology of these species, and to determine the contribution of prey to the predator tissue. Isotope data was used to test the hypothesis that medium-sized pelagic fish species have higher δ15N values than those of the prey they consumed, and that there is no overlap between their δ13C and δ15N values. Results showed higher δ15N values for K. audax, followed by T. albacares, Auxis spp. and K. pelamis, which indicates that the highest position in this food web is occupied by K. audax. The stable isotope Bayesian ellipses demonstrated that on a long time-scale, these species do not compete for food sources. Moreover, δ15N values were different between species and they decreased with a decrease in predator size.

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