Seston Fatty Acid Research Articles

Responses in zooplankton populations to food quality and quantity changes after whole lake nutrient enrichment of an oligotrophic sub-alpine reservoir

To sustain production of higher trophic levels in oligotrophic systems it is important that the trophic transfer of energy and nutrients is efficient. The phytoplankton-zooplankton interface is of specific interest since nutritional constraints can decouple energy flow in this step. Increased nutrient loading to oligotrophic systems with initially low abundance of high quality phytoplankton could induce changes in seston composition that reduces the nutritional value for zooplankton. We carried out a whole lake enrichment experiment for five years in two ultraoligotrophic subalpine hydroelectric power reservoirs in Sweden. The first year was an untreated reference year. Phosphorus and nitrogen were added to Lake Stora Mjolkvattnet during the following four years, and upstream Lake Burvattnet was used as an untreated reference lake. The phosphorus content of seston in the experimental lake increased in the years of fertilization and seston phosphorus to carbon ratios (atomic) were non-limiting for zooplankton growth. Decreasing concentrations of phosphorus in the reference lake lead to low phosphorus to carbon ratios that probably affected zooplankton growth negatively. The seston fatty acid concentrations and phytoplankton composition indicated good food quality in both lakes. The phytoplankton increased in the experimental lake despite an increase in zooplankton biomass. Some changes in the relative contributions of plankton species occurred but the same species were present. The crustacean zooplankton community composition shifted towards smaller species during the latter years in the experimental lake, indicating increased predation pressure from fish. A major result of this whole-lake ecosystem fertilization experiment is that gentle fertilization can significantly boost phytoplankton production while food quality remains high, and plankton community composition is not substantially altered.

Egg production and hatching success in the calanoid copepods Calanus helgolandicus and Calanus finmarchicus in the North Sea from March to September 2001

Spatial and seasonal egg production rates (E r ) and egg hatching success in the copepods Calanus finmarchicus and Calanus helgolandicus were measured in the North Sea from March to September. Food availability was monitored by chlorophyll and protist concentrations and three size fractions of seston fatty acids. Seasonal and spatial distribution and production differed between the species. Calanus finmarchicus was found only offshore of the 50-m isobath, with decreasing E r (37-28 eggs female- day -1 ) from March to July. Calanus helgolandicus had two abundance peaks, in spring and autumn, with a low in May during which time the highest E r were observed (38 eggs female- day -1 ). At other times, E r in C. helgolandicus remained lower than in C. finmarchicus (∼20 eggs female -1 day -1 ). Normalized E r (E n ) in both C. finmarchicus and C. helgolandicus were positively related to ciliate biomass while only negative relationships were found for all other variables measured. Hatching success in both Calanus species combined was significantly correlated with the essential fatty acid ratio 22:6n3/20:5n3.

Copepod omnivory in the North Water Polynya (Baffin Bay) during autumn: spatial patterns in lipid composition

To deduce spatial patterns in copepod lipid composition and feeding strategy (i.e., degree of omnivory) in the North Water Polynya (Baffin Bay), three dominant species were sampled extensively over a broad geographical area (∼75–78°N; 77–69°W). Calanus hyperboreus CV, C. glacialis CV and Metridia longa females were collected in shallow and deep strata at 16 stations during autumn 1999 (August–October). Principal components analysis (PCA) revealed that all species fed omnivorously in the southeastern (SE) region of the polynya. Here, copepods generally had elevated levels of carnivorous (e.g., 18:1(n-9)), dinoflagellate (e.g., 18:4(n-3); 22:6(n-3)) and bacterial fatty acid markers (e.g., odd-numbered and/or branched; 18:1(n-7)). Copepods in the SE contained low proportions of diatom (e.g., 16:4(n-1); 20:5(n-3)) and phytoplankton (e.g., polyunsaturated fatty acids) markers, relative to animals from northwest stations. Values of the omnivory index ‘UC’ (i.e., unsaturation coefficient) were also low in SE copepods, which implied reduced phytoplankton ingestion. Spatial patterns in seston fatty acid composition resembled the dietary signatures in that dinoflagellate and bacterial indices were highest in SE waters. Estimates of primary production, particulate organic carbon, carbon to chlorophyll ratios, and abundances of diatoms, dinoflagellates and bacteria, provided further evidence of the importance of the microbial loop at SE stations. Comparable spatial patterns in feeding strategy were observed in both sampling layers, indicating that copepods from the entire water column were feeding on a similar food source. Several interesting species-specific trends also emerged from the PCA. In general, C. hyperboreus fed the most herbivorously, followed by C. glacialis and M. longa. C. glacialis showed a stronger connection to the microbial food web than the other two species, and M. longa fed herbivorously throughout much of the polynya. These latter two findings contradict the conventional wisdom and highlight the need for future work. In particular, the microbial community should be emphasized and characterized in subsequent studies on the feeding ecology of C. glacialis. Although the three species investigated responded quite differently to available prey by adopting specialized feeding strategies, copepod omnivory in the polynya was generally inversely related to the availability of diatoms.

Copepod omnivory in the North Water Polynya (Baffin Bay) during autumn: spatial patterns in lipid composition

To deduce spatial patterns in copepod lipid composition and feeding strategy (i.e., degree of omnivory) in the North Water Polynya (Baffin Bay), three dominant species were sampled extensively over a broad geographical area (∼75–78°N; 77–69°W). Calanus hyperboreus CV, C. glacialis CV and Metridia longa females were collected in shallow and deep strata at 16 stations during autumn 1999 (August–October). Principal components analysis (PCA) revealed that all species fed omnivorously in the southeastern (SE) region of the polynya. Here, copepods generally had elevated levels of carnivorous (e.g., 18:1(n-9)), dinoflagellate (e.g., 18:4(n-3); 22:6(n-3)) and bacterial fatty acid markers (e.g., odd-numbered and/or branched; 18:1(n-7)). Copepods in the SE contained low proportions of diatom (e.g., 16:4(n-1); 20:5(n-3)) and phytoplankton (e.g., polyunsaturated fatty acids) markers, relative to animals from northwest stations. Values of the omnivory index ‘UC’ (i.e., unsaturation coefficient) were also low in SE copepods, which implied reduced phytoplankton ingestion. Spatial patterns in seston fatty acid composition resembled the dietary signatures in that dinoflagellate and bacterial indices were highest in SE waters. Estimates of primary production, particulate organic carbon, carbon to chlorophyll ratios, and abundances of diatoms, dinoflagellates and bacteria, provided further evidence of the importance of the microbial loop at SE stations. Comparable spatial patterns in feeding strategy were observed in both sampling layers, indicating that copepods from the entire water column were feeding on a similar food source. Several interesting species-specific trends also emerged from the PCA. In general, C. hyperboreus fed the most herbivorously, followed by C. glacialis and M. longa. C. glacialis showed a stronger connection to the microbial food web than the other two species, and M. longa fed herbivorously throughout much of the polynya. These latter two findings contradict the conventional wisdom and highlight the need for future work. In particular, the microbial community should be emphasized and characterized in subsequent studies on the feeding ecology of C. glacialis. Although the three species investigated responded quite differently to available prey by adopting specialized feeding strategies, copepod omnivory in the polynya was generally inversely related to the availability of diatoms.