Temporal and spatial variation in the δ15N and δ13C values of fish and squid from Alaskan waters

• Published in: Marine biology Vol. 158; no. 11; pp. 2389 - 2404
• Main Authors: Kurle, Carolyn M., Sinclair, Elizabeth H., Edwards, Ann E., Gudmundson, Carolyn J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.11.2011; Springer
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Life Sciences; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Microbiology; Oceanography; Original Paper; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Zoology; Site Fidelity; Marine Predator; Stable Isotope; Walleye Pollock; Lower Trophic Level; Cephalopoda; Vertebrata; C-13; Pisces; Alaska; Nitrogen-15; Invertebrata; Mollusca; Spatial variation; Time variation
• ISSN: 0025-3162; 1432-1793
• DOI: 10.1007/s00227-011-1741-4

To test the hypothesis that stable isotope ratios from marine organisms vary, the δ 15 N and δ 13 C values from fish and squid collected in Alaskan waters were measured across years (1997, 2000, and 2005), seasons, geographic locations, and different size/age classes, and between muscle tissue and whole animals. Temporal, geographic, and ontogenetic differences in stable isotope ratios ranged from 0.5–2.5‰ (δ 15 N) to 0.5–2.0‰ (δ 13 C). Twenty-one comparisons of stable isotope values between whole organisms and muscle tissue revealed only four small differences each for δ 15 N and δ 13 C, making costly and space prohibitive collection of whole animals unnecessary. The data from this study indicate that significant variations of stable isotope values from animals in marine systems necessitates collection of prey and predator tissues from the same time and place for best interpretation of stable isotope analysis in foraging ecology studies.