Effects of Tissue Preservation on Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotope Signatures in Syngnathid Fishes and Prey

Isotopic stable analysis (SIA) is a powerful tool in the assessment of different types of ecological and physiological studies. For that, different preservative methods for the samples are commonly used prior to isotopic analysis. The effects of various preservative methods (drying, freezing, ethanol and formaldehyde) have been analyzed for C:N ratio, δ13C and δ15N on a variety of tissues including dorsal fins (three seahorse and two pipefish species), seahorse newborns (three seahorses species), and prey (copepods and different stages of Artemia) commonly used to feed the fishes in rearing conditions. The aims of the study were to: (i) evaluate isotopic effects of preservation methods across tissues; and (ii) construct the first conversion models available in syngnathid fishes. The preservation in ethanol and to a lesser extend in formaldehyde significantly affected δ13C values, whereas δ15N signatures were not affected significantly. Due to their low lipid content, the isotopic signals in fish fins were almost unaffected, supporting the suitability of dorsal fins as a convenient tool in isotopic studies on vulnerable species such as syngnathids. The regression equations provided permit the successful conversion of δ13C and δ15N values between preservative treatments. The conversion models can be applied to isotopic studies in the field and in the laboratory.

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Effects of Tissue Preservation on Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotope Signatures in Syngnathid Fishes and Prey

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10122301 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 2301

Author(s):

Miquel Planas ◽

Alex Paltrinieri ◽

Mario Davi Dias Carneiro ◽

Jorge Hernández-Urcera

Keyword(s):

Isotopic Analysis ◽

Field Studies ◽

Regression Equations ◽

Δ13c And Δ15n ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Historical Collections ◽

Preservation Methods ◽

Isotopic Studies ◽

Different Types ◽

Fish Fins

Isotopic stable analysis (SIA) is a powerful tool in the assessment of different types of ecological and physiological studies. For that, different preservation methods for sampled materials are commonly used prior to isotopic analysis. The effects of various preservation methods (freezing, ethanol and formaldehyde) were analyzed for C:N, and δ13C and δ15N signals on a variety of tissues including dorsal fins (three seahorse and two pipefish species), seahorse newborns (three seahorses species), and prey (copepods and different stages of Artemia) commonly used to feed the fishes under rearing conditions. The aims of the study were: (i) to evaluate isotopic effects of chemical preservation methods across different types of organisms and tissues, using frozen samples as controls, and (ii) to construct the first conversion models available in syngnathid fishes. The chemical preservation in ethanol and, to a lesser extent, in formaldehyde significantly affected δ13C values, whereas the effects on δ15N signatures were negligible. Due to their low lipid content, the isotopic signals in fish fins was almost unaffected, supporting the suitability of dorsal fins as the most convenient material in isotopic studies on vulnerable species such as syngnathids. The regression equations provided resulted convenient for the successful conversion of δ13C between preservation treatments. Our results indicate that the normalization of δ15N signatures in preserved samples is unnecessary. The conversion models should be applicable in isotopic field studies, laboratory experiments, and specimens of historical collections.

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Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of deep-sea meiofauna follow oceanographical gradients across the Southern Ocean

Progress In Oceanography ◽

10.1016/j.pocean.2013.01.001 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 110 ◽

pp. 69-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Gritta Veit-Köhler ◽

Katja Guilini ◽

Ilka Peeken ◽

Petra Quillfeldt ◽

Christoph Mayr

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Southern Ocean ◽

Deep Sea ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Stable Isotope Signatures

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The influence of breeding colony and sex on mercury, selenium and lead levels and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures in summer and winter feathers of Calonectris shearwaters

Oecologia ◽

10.1007/s00442-008-1215-7 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 159 (2) ◽

pp. 345-354 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Raül Ramos ◽

Jacob González-Solís ◽

Manuela G. Forero ◽

Rocío Moreno ◽

Elena Gómez-Díaz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Breeding Colony ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Stable Isotope Signatures ◽

Lead Levels

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Impacts of a tertiary treated municipal wastewater effluent on the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of two darter species (Etheostoma blennioides and E. caeruleum) in a small receiving environment

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.06.041 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 ◽

pp. 594-602 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Chris S. Robinson ◽

Gerald R. Tetreault ◽

Mark E. McMaster ◽

Mark R. Servos

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Municipal Wastewater ◽

Wastewater Effluent ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Stable Isotope Signatures ◽

Treated Municipal Wastewater ◽

Etheostoma Blennioides

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Within-lake variability in carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures

Freshwater Biology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2427.2006.01557.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 1090-1102 ◽

Cited By ~ 77

Author(s):

JARI SYVARANTA ◽

HEIKKI HAMALAINEN ◽

ROGER I. JONES

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Stable Isotope Signatures

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HUMAN DIETARY COMPLEXITY IN TIANSHAN REGION AND THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE ON HUMAN PALEODIET

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/rdc.2020.45 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 62 (5) ◽

pp. 1489-1502

Author(s):

Haiyan Zhao ◽

Weijian Zhou ◽

Hua Du ◽

Peng Cheng ◽

Peter Weiming Jia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Isotope Analysis ◽

Isotopic Analysis ◽

Climate Condition ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Regional Environment ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Dietary Reconstruction ◽

Nomadic Pastoralists ◽

Wide Range ◽

Crop Types

ABSTRACTWith the popularization of carbon and nitrogen stable-isotope analysis methods used on archaeological samples from Xinjiang, the ancient paleodiet there has been revealed. However, research about isotopic analysis combined with environmental factors is rare, especially in such a variable and complex climate as that of the Tianshan region. We systematically analyzed the δ13C and δ15N results from animals and humans for dietary reconstruction of nomadic pastoralists from the Tianshan region during 3900–1200 cal BP. The δ13C and δ15N values for animals (sheep/goat, horse and cattle; n = 57) have a wide range from –20.8‰ to –14.7‰ for δ13C (–19.2 ± 1.0‰) and 3.2‰ to 9.9‰ for δ15N (7.0 ± 1.2‰). The δ13C and δ15N values from humans range from –19.6 to –12.3‰ (–16.0 ± 1.5‰) and 7.1 to 16.7‰ (–13.6 ± 1.5‰), respectively. The animal δ15N results indicate that the dry environment in the Tianshan region may result in elevated δ15N values. Synthesizing animal and human isotope results suggests that the inhabitants engaged in mobile herding economies subsidized with crops and wild animal meat from the Tianshan Mountains. In conclusion, we found that the regional environment closely relates to crop types, and temporal climate change has an effect on human dietary structure. Therefore, climate condition cannot be ignored when studying human paleodiet.

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Changes in community composition, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures and feeding strategy in epilithic aquatic nematodes along a depth gradient

Aquatic Ecology ◽

10.1007/s10452-012-9408-x ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 371-384 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Lars Peters ◽

Carsten Faust ◽

Walter Traunspurger

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Community Composition ◽

Feeding Strategy ◽

Depth Gradient ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Aquatic Nematodes ◽

Stable Isotope Signatures

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Retention, breakdown, and biological utilisation of deciduous tree leaves in an estuarine tidal flat of southwestern British Columbia, Canada

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f07-151 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 65 (1) ◽

pp. 38-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Takashi Sakamaki ◽

John S Richardson

Keyword(s):

Food Source ◽

Deciduous Tree ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Leaf Breakdown ◽

Breakdown Rate ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Leaf Packs ◽

Breakdown Rates ◽

Stable Isotope Signatures ◽

Upper Intertidal

In an estuarine mudflat connected to a mountainous stream, coarse leaf material from deciduous trees was examined for its utilisation by invertebrates, retention, and breakdown rate. Leaves from the stream were deposited in the upper intertidal parts near the stream mouth. Their standing stocks were high in fall (~23.8 g AFDM·m–2) and mostly disappeared by spring. Breakdown rates of red alder leaf packs were higher at subtidal and lower intertidal stations (k = 0.013–0.027·day–1) than at stream channel and upper intertidal stations (k = 0.006–0.009·day–1). Longer contact of leaves with relatively warmer seawater may have enhanced leaf breakdown by microbial activities. In the upper intertidal stations, the decrease in the amount of deposited leaves from fall to spring (k = 0.023–0.039·day–1) was faster than leaf breakdown in the leaf packs, thus physical export was probably significant in the decrease in deposited leaves. Meanwhile, amphipods dominated the invertebrates colonising leaf packs. The invertebrate densities did not significantly differ between natural and polyester leaf packs, suggesting contribution of leaves as a microhabitat rather than a food source. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of amphipods indicated that benthic microalgae were their primary food source regardless of natural or artificial leaf packs.

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Effects of salmon on the diet and condition of stream-resident sculpins

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2013-0159 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 71 (4) ◽

pp. 521-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Noel R. Swain ◽

Morgan D. Hocking ◽

Jennifer N. Harding ◽

John D. Reynolds

Keyword(s):

Chum Salmon ◽

Pacific Salmon ◽

Pink Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Gorbuscha ◽

Oncorhynchus Keta ◽

Nitrogen Stable Isotope ◽

Pink Salmon Oncorhynchus Gorbuscha ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Stable Isotope Signatures ◽

The Individual

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) can subsidize freshwater food webs with marine-derived nutrients from their eggs, juveniles, and carcasses. However, trophic interactions between spawning salmon and freshwater fish across natural gradients in salmon subsidies remain unclear. We tested how salmon affected the diets and condition of two dominant freshwater consumers — prickly and coastrange sculpins (Cottus asper and Cottus aleuticus, respectively) — across a wide gradient of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) biomass from 33 streams in the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia, Canada. Sculpin diets shifted from invertebrates and juvenile salmonids to salmon eggs when salmon arrived in autumn, with salmon-derived nutrient contributions to diets and sculpin condition increasing with increasing biomass of spawning salmon among streams. Season, habitat, and individual sculpin body size and species also mediated the effects of salmon on sculpin diet as inferred from their carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures. This study shows the timing and pathways by which spawning salmon influence the diets and condition of freshwater consumers, and some of the individual and environmental factors that can regulate uptake of salmon nutrients in streams, thus informing ecosystem-based management.

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