Download or read book Tracing Organic Matter Pathways in Marine Food Webs Using Fatty Acids and Compound Specific Stable Isotope Analysis written by Stephanie Denise Smith and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Organic matter inputs to the marine environment vary over seasonal and spatial scales, altering the type and availability of food sources for marine consumers. It is important to identify diet in order to understand basic ecology, characterize trophic interactions, and predict consequences of biotic and abiotic change within a community. Methods of direct observation of diet and feeding can be difficult, so indirect methods have been developed such as analysis of gut contents and fecal pellets. However, these methods only represent a snapshot of the last meal, and provide information about what was ingested, but not what was actually incorporated into consumer tissues. Therefore, biogeochemical approaches such as fatty acid (FA) and stable isotope analyses have been developed, which provide a time-integrated measure of diet. Further, stable isotope measurements of specific FA markers can be used to identify carbon sources, and can be applied to a variety of food web studies (Iverson et al., 2004). The purpose of this research is to examine the linkages between organic carbon sources and trophic transfer by consumers. To achieve this, we use FA biomarkers and compound specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) to trace carbon cycling. This study has two main components: environmental sampling and experimental research. Chapter 1 demonstrates the use of these tools for elucidating seasonal trophic linkages in invertebrates collected from the Alaskan Arctic coast. Overall, invertebrate diets were characterized by terrestrial, detrital, and carnivorous sources in winter and spring, with a shift toward autochthonous diatom-based diets in summer. Our results demonstrate the importance of terrestrial organic carbon as a subsistence food source in winter, whereas in situ production in summer was critical for accumulating FA stores rich in essential FAs. Chapter 2 is an experimental feeding study designed to quantify the incorporation rates of 18:2n-6 from diet to tissue in Atlantic croaker. Liver tissues accumulated FAs more quickly than muscle tissues, but both tissues reached equilibrium at 5 to 7 weeks. From these experiments, quantitative assessments of diet sources can be made with confidence when using FAs to understand trophic interactions of Atlantic croaker and other similar species.
Download or read book Tracking Carbon Sources Through an Arctic Marine Food Web written by 王小葳 and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Marine production across the Bering-Chukchi continental shelf is influenced by seasonal sea ice dynamics and climatic conditions. Of particular importance is variability in the magnitude and timing of annual phytoplankton production in the water column and in sea ice, and effects of such variability on food web composition and productivity. Of primary concern is the long-term effect of the projected loss of Arctic sea ice on ecosystem productivity and stability, and the fate of upper trophic level species. I examined a portion of the Bering-Chukchi Sea food web by analyzing the fatty acid composition and stable carbon isotope ratios of individual fatty acids in particulate organic matter from sea ice and the water column. These techniques were used to make inferences about diets of three species of zooplankton (Themisto libellula, Calanus marshallae/glacialis, Thysanoessa raschii) sampled during a recent climatically cold, relatively heavy sea ice period in the Bering Sea. I also analyzed fatty acids of four species of ice-associated seals--ringed (Pusa/Phoca hispida), bearded (Erignathus barbatus), spotted (Phoca largha), and ribbon seals (Histriophoca fasciata)--sampled during the same relatively cold period (2007-2010) as well as a preceding warm (2002-2005), relatively low sea ice period in the Bering Sea. Particulate organic matter from sea ice and the water column had different fatty acid characteristics, most likely stemming from differences in algal composition. My results also showed that in the Bering Sea cold period, the amphipod T. libellula was predominately carnivorous, and the copepod C. marshallae/glacialis and euphausiid T. raschii were primarily herbivorous, but displayed some degree of omnivory. Across all years (2002-2010), fatty acid composition of ice seals showed clear evidence of resource partitioning among them, and little niche separation between spotted and ribbon seals, which is consistent with previous studies. The fatty acid composition of primarily pelagic feeding adult ringed seals and predominantly benthic feeding adult bearded seals did not differ between the recent warm (2002-2005) and cold (2007-2010) periods in the Bering Sea, suggesting that their diets and possibly food web structures were not affected by these large multiyear environmental fluctuations. Notably however, the stable carbon isotope ratios of individual fatty acids of bearded seals from the Bering Sea cold period were higher than those from the warm period, which suggests that their prey base in the Bering Sea was receiving more input from particulate organic matter from sea ice than the water column during those years. By using the stable carbon isotope ratios of individual fatty acids of particulate organic matter from sea ice and the water column in a series of stable isotope mixing models, I estimated the proportional contribution of fatty acids from sea ice particulate organic matter in T. libellula, C. marshallae/glacialis, and T. raschii collected in 2009 and 2010 as 36-72%, 27-63%, and 39-71%, respectively. Using a similar set of mixing models, I estimated that adult bearded seals had the highest level of fatty acids from sea ice particulate organic matter (62-80%), followed by spotted seals (51-62%), and then ringed seals (21-60%) in 2009 and 2010. Although estimates could not be made for ribbon seals due to lack of samples in 2009 and 2010, their stable carbon isotope ratios of individual fatty acids from 2003 were very similar to those of spotted seals suggesting that the proportional contribution of fatty acids from sea ice particulate organic matter to ribbons seals was similar to that of spotted seals. Assuming that seals sourced their sympagic fatty acids from the Bering Sea, these results suggest that sympagic production is currently an important contributor to food webs supporting both benthic and pelagic upper trophic level species in years with heavy ice cover in the Bering Sea. Thus, the question is raised--with the projected continuing loss of seasonal sea ice in the Arctic, will organic matter input from sympagic production also decline, and will it be compensated for by pelagic production to balance both pelagic and benthic carbon and energy budgets?
Download or read book Compound specific Stable Isotope Analysis written by Maik A Jochmann and published by Royal Society of Chemistry. This book was released on 2015-11-09 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The use of Compound-specific Stable Isotope Analysis (CSIA) is increasing in many areas of science and technology for source allocation, authentication, and characterization of transformation reactions. Until now, there have been no textbooks available for students with an analytical chemical background or basic introductory books emphasising the instrumentation and theory. This book is the first to focus solely on stable isotope analysis of individual compounds in sometimes complex mixtures. It acts as both a lecture companion for students and a consultant for advanced scientists in fields including forensic and environmental science. The book starts with a brief history of the field before going on to explain stable isotopes from scratch. The different ways to express isotope abundances are introduced together with isotope effects and isotopic fractionation. A detailed account of the required technical equipment and general procedures for CSIA is provided. This includes sections on derivatization and the use of microextraction techniques in GC-IRMS. The very important topic of referencing and calibration in CSIA is clearly described. This differs from approaches used in quantitative analysis and is often difficult for the newcomer to comprehend. Examples of successful applications of CSIA in food authenticity, forensics, archaeology, doping control, environmental science, and extraterrestrial materials are included. Applications in isotope data treatment and presentation are also discussed and emphasis is placed on the general conclusions that can be drawn from the uses of CSIA. Further instrumental developments in the field are highlighted and selected experiments are introduced that may act as a basis for a short practical course at graduate level.
Download or read book Marine Organic Matter Biomarkers Isotopes and DNA written by J. K. Volkman and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-02-09 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The oceans contain a great biodiversity of marine organisms. They include a rich variety of unusual genes and biochemistries and hence a diverse array of organic compounds ranging from colourful carotenoids and chlorophylls to lipids with structures ranging from the simple to the complex. This volume brings together ten chapters on the occurrence and identification of the lipid biomarkers and of pigments in marine waters. It describes how they can be used in conjunction with stable isotopes and molecular biology to ascertain the sources and fate of organic matter (both natural and pollutant) in the sea and underlying sediments. The authors are each experts in their field and the chapters provide both an overview of the state-of-the-art and knowledge gaps together with abundant detail to satisfy the needs of specialists and non-specialists alike.
Download or read book Dynamics and Characterization of Marine Organic Matter written by N. Handa and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 561 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past decade the scientific activities of the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS), which focuses on the role of the oceans in controlling climate change via the transport and storage of greenhouse gases and organic matter, have led to an increased interest in the study of the biogeochemistry of organic matter. There is also a growing interest in global climate fluctuations. This, and the need for a precise assessment of the dynamics of carbon and other bio-elements, has led to a demand for an improved understanding of biogeochemical processes and the chemical characteristics of both particulate and dissolved organic matter in the ocean. A large amount of proxy data has been published describing the changes of the oceanic environment, but qualitative and quantitative estimates of the vertical flux of (proxy) organic compounds have not been well documented. There is thus an urgent need to pursue this line of study and, to this end, this book starts with several papers dealing with the primary production of organic matter in the upper ocean. Thereafter, the book goes on to follow the flux and characterization of particulate organic matter, discussed in relation to the primary production in the euphotic zone and resuspension in the deep waters, including the vertical flux of proxy organic compounds. It goes on to explain the decomposition and transformation of organic matter in the ocean environment due to photochemical and biological agents, and the reactivity of bulk and specific organic compounds, including the air-sea interaction of biogenic gases. The 22 papers in the book reflect the interests of JGOFS and will thus serve as a valuable reference source for future biogeochemical investigations of both bio-elements and organic matter in seawater, clarifying the role of the ocean in global climate change.
Download or read book Tracing Nutrients and Contaminants in Nearshore Food Web written by Oluwuyi Ajani Babaranti and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sewage derived organic matter from domestic and municipal wastewater, promotes enhanced secondary productivity, eutrophication and trace metal contamination, reduction in oxygen levels, and biodiversity. It poses a potential impact on human health, contamination of seafood and water and ecological disturbances in the natural aquatic ecosystem. Thus, this research examined the impact of improvement in treatment and disposal schemes employed by a municipal sewage treatment facility on a previously sewage contaminated coastal marine system. It took a critical look into the influence of the discharged of inadequately treated sewage effluent and the modern improved mitigating efforts put in place to ensure proper treatment and disposal by the municipal wastewater treatment plant on the coastal marine waters. It also investigated the influence of other potential terrestrial organic nutrients and contaminants on the coastal marine waters, the flow of energy and their fate through the natural coastal marine food web. Stable isotope analyses incorporated with mixing models, other independent chemical tracers such as (i.e. faecal sterol, fatty acid and elemental analyses) were utilised to infer change in the sewage derived organic matter dynamics of the coastal marine waters. The detected change was attributed to the modification in wastewater treatment and disposal techniques adopted by the municipal wastewater treatment plant. The differences in the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of Mytilus galloprovincialis (sentinel organism) were assessed in a preliminary survey to determine the tissues of choice as indicative tools for long-term ecological-based study aimed at tracing the sources and fate of sewage organic materials in the coastal marine waters. The preliminary survey aided the experimental design of the study. Isotope mass balance mixing models were fitted to quantify the contributions of land-based organic materials as part of the diet constituents to examine the influence of terrigenous materials on observed diet switching changes from sewage-derived nutrient source to marine nutrient source in Mytilus galloprovincialis, a prevalent resident marine bivalve collected at the nearshore marine waters. Biochemical compositions and elemental concentrations (independent tracers) in Mytilus galloprovincialis were analysed and used as independent indicative tools for testing the assumptions obtained from the stable isotope analysis mixing models. The tracers indicated the source of nourishment to the resident organism and provided additional insight into the organic nutrient supply and contaminant dynamics of the coastal marine waters. The independent tracers revealed that the marine particulate organic matter was main source of nourishment to the marine bivalve. The sea lion colony provided a minor contribution of faecal matter to the nearshore marine waters. The chemical tracers affirmed that the improvement in the treatment and disposal methods had a positive impact on the nearshore marine waters. Trace metal levels and human health risk assessment on the nearshore marine bivalve affirmed the safe human consumption of the nearshore marine fisheries.
Download or read book Current Topics in Marine Organic Biogeochemical Research written by Carol Arnosti and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2021-02-25 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Proceedings written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY Volume III written by Aleksandar Sabljic and published by EOLSS Publications. This book was released on 2009-02-04 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental and Ecological Chemistry is a component of Encyclopedia of Chemical Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The Theme on Environmental and Ecological Chemistry prsents the essential aspects such as: Fundamental Environmental Chemistry; Atmospheric Chemistry; Soil Chemistry; Aquatic Chemistry; Ecological Chemistry; Chemistry of Organic Pollutants Including Agrochemicals. These volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.
Download or read book GEOLOGY Volume III written by Benedetto De Vivo and published by EOLSS Publications. This book was released on 2009-12-11 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Geology is the Component of Encyclopedia of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS)), which is an integrated compendium of twenty Encyclopedias. The theme on geology in the Encyclopedia of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, presents many aspects of geology under the following nine different topics: The Organized Earth.; Tectonics and Geodynamics; Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology; Sedimentary Geology and Paleontology; Overview of the Mineralogical Sciences; Geology of Metallic and Non-Metallic Mineral Resources; Regional Geology; Geology of Petroleum, Gas, and Coal; Environmental and Engineering Geology.
Download or read book Fatty Acids as Dietary Tracers at the Base of Benthic Food Webs written by Jennifer R. Kelly and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Treatise on Estuarine and Coastal Science written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2012-03-06 with total page 4604 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study of estuaries and coasts has seen enormous growth in recent years, since changes in these areas have a large effect on the food chain, as well as on the physics and chemistry of the ocean. As the coasts and river banks around the world become more densely populated, the pressure on these ecosystems intensifies, putting a new focus on environmental, socio-economic and policy issues. Written by a team of international expert scientists, under the guidance of Chief Editors Eric Wolanski and Donald McClusky, the Treatise on Estuarine and Coastal Science, Ten Volume Set examines topics in depth, and aims to provide a comprehensive scientific resource for all professionals and students in the area of estuarine and coastal science Most up-to-date reference for system-based coastal and estuarine science and management, from the inland watershed to the ocean shelf Chief editors have assembled a world-class team of volume editors and contributing authors Approach focuses on the physical, biological, chemistry, ecosystem, human, ecological and economics processes, to show how to best use multidisciplinary science to ensure earth's sustainability Provides a comprehensive scientific resource for all professionals and students in the area of estuarine and coastal science Features up-to-date chapters covering a full range of topics
Download or read book Stable Isotope Ecology written by Brian Fry and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-01-15 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A solid introduction to stable isotopes that can also be used as an instructive review for more experienced researchers and professionals. The book approaches the use of isotopes from the perspective of ecological and biological research, but its concepts can be applied within other disciplines. A novel, step-by-step spreadsheet modeling approach is also presented for circulating tracers in any ecological system, including any favorite system an ecologist might dream up while sitting at a computer. The author’s humorous and lighthearted style painlessly imparts the principles of isotope ecology. The online material contains color illustrations, spreadsheet models, technical appendices, and problems and answers.
Download or read book Tracing the Flow of Organic Matter Based Upon Dual Stable Isotope Technique and Trophic Transfer of Trace Metals in Benthic Food Web of the Gulf of Gda sk southern Baltic Sea written by Adam Sokołowski and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Carbon Isotope Ratios and Composition of Fatty Acids written by Ruben Jelmar Veefkind and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding the movement and feeding habits of marine animals is crucial when managing their populations. The molecular, and stable carbon isotope composition of fatty acids from an organism provides time-integrated information on its dietary intake. Hence, when spatial differences in the quality of seston exist it should be able to trace these differences up into higher trophic level organisms. The presented study evaluates the applicability of 13C/12C ratios of individual fatty acids, as natural tags and dietary markers in marine pelagic organisms. In addition, the use of 13C/12C ratios of bulk sample, as well as fatty acid composition data in examining the movement, and diet of animals are further explored. Samples of particulate organic matter, zooplankton, larval fish and juvenile salmon collected during three cruises off the west coast of Vancouver Island were analyzed. The fatty acid composition, stable carbon isotope ratio of either bulk sample, or individual fatty acids could typically distinguish samples collected in continental shelf waters from off-shelf samples. The differences in fatty acid composition between the adjoining foodwebs seem to be mainly caused by the different contribution of diatom-derived material to the base of the food web. The higher 13C/12C ratios found in the diatom-richer seston inshelf waters were not simply caused by the higher contribution of diatoms. Instead, stable carbon isotope data on individual fatty acids indicate that growth conditions favouring diatom growth caused 13C-enrichment in algae other than diatoms as well. The relative abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3), were found to increase with trophic level. Whereas the abundance of saturated, and monounsaturated fatty acids was higher in organisms from lower trophic levels. This suggests that the fatty acid composition may be a useful trophic level indicator. However, literature data indicate that these trends observed in seston, zooplankton, larval fish and juvenile salmon, do not hold for larger organisms and adult life stages.
Download or read book Radiocarbon and Climate Change written by Edward A.G. Schuur and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-05-17 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a useful guide for researchers in ecology and earth science interested in the use of accelerator mass spectrometry technology. The development of research in radiocarbon measurements offers an opportunity to address the human impact on global carbon cycling and climate change. Presenting radiocarbon theory, history, applications, and analytical techniques in one volume builds a broad outline of the field of radiocarbon and its emergent role in defining changes in the global carbon cycle and links to climate change. Each chapter presents both classic and cutting-edge studies from different disciplines involving radiocarbon and carbon cycling. The book also includes a chapter on the history and discovery of radiocarbon, and advances in radiocarbon measurement techniques and radiocarbon theory. Understanding human alteration of the global carbon cycle and the link between atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and climate remains one of the foremost environmental problems at the interface of ecology and earth system science. Many people are familiar with the terms ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’, but fewer are able to articulate the science that support these hypotheses. This book addresses general questions such as: what is the link between the carbon cycle and climate change; what is the current evidence for the fate of carbon dioxide added by human activities to the atmosphere, and what has caused past changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide? How can the radiocarbon and stable isotopes of carbon combined with other tools be used for quantifying the human impact on the global carbon cycle?
Download or read book Climate Change Ocean Acidification and Sponges written by José Luis Carballo and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-10-27 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While sponges represent a very simple group of organisms, which are represented by over 8000 species, there is considerable interest in the increasing role they may play in future marine ecosystems. While we still have a comparatively limited understanding of how sponges will respond to ocean warming and acidification there is evidence that some species may have the ability to acclimate or even adapt to these stressors. This comprehensive collection of articles describes our current understanding of the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on sponges across multiple levels of biological organisation, and from the geological past to the present. With expert contributions from across the world this book represents the most up-to-date view on sponge responses to climate change. This book will be of interest to a wide audience of marine scientists and managers, who are grappling with how to manage, conserve and protect marine ecosystems.
