Comparison of seasonal dynamics of the essential PUFA contents in benthic invertebrates and grayling Thymallus arcticus in the Yenisei river

Abstract

Seasonal dynamics of contents of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in dominant groups of benthic invertebrates: gammarids (Gammaridae, Amphipoda), oligochaetes (Oligochaeta), chironomid larvae (Chironomidae, Diptera) and caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera), and dominant benthivorous fish, Siberian grayling Thymallus arcticus, have been studied in ecosystem of the large Siberian river. During the year of the study most benthic invertebrate taxa showed significant variations in the contents of both C-18 and long chain C-20–22 PUFAs. In contrast, the fish, which consumed the zoobenthos, had no significant seasonal variations in long chain PUFAs' contents. Thereby, the fish, as organisms of relatively higher evolution level than invertebrates, was supposed to have more strict metabolic control of long chain PUFAs' contents. Evidence was obtained that the studied fish species, grayling, may be capable to convert dietary EPA into DHA.