Fatty Acids and Fatty Alcohols of Zooplankton from Coastal Upwelling Area of Hyuga Nada, Japan.

Abstract

Lipid content and fatty acid and fatty alcohol compositions in zooplankton collected from different stations of Hyuga Nada are described. The predominant fatty acids of zooplankton at all stations were saturated acids, 14:0 and 16:0, and the polyunsaturated acid, 20:5. Major fatty alcohols were 16:0 and 20:1 followed by 16:1. The similarity analysis showed that the fatty acid and fatty alcohol compositions were similar at Stations 1, 2, 3, and 9, being different from Stations 4 and 8. Lipid contents were considerably higher at Stations 8 and 9 than those of other stations. The environmental conditions at Stations 8 and 9 also revealed higher levels of nutrients and chlorophyll a due to pronounced upwelling of nutrients rich subsurface water, especially at Station 8. The variations in lipid content and compositions of fatty acids and fatty alcohols among the stations may be due to the availability of food and the environmental characteristics of the study area.