Oxygen and carbon isoscapes for the Baltic Sea: Testing their applicability in fish migration studies

Conventional tags applied to individuals have been used to investigate animal movement, but these methods require tagged individuals be recaptured. Maps of regional isotopic variability known as “isoscapes” offer potential for various applications in migration research without tagging wherein isotope values of tissues are compared to environmental isotope values. In this study, we present the spatial variability in oxygen () and dissolved inorganic carbon (δ¹³C_DIC) isotope values of Baltic Sea water. We also provide an example of how these isoscapes can reveal locations of individual animal via spatial probability surface maps, using the high‐resolution salmon otolith isotope data from salmon during their sea‐feeding phase in the Baltic Sea. A clear latitudinal and vertical gradient was found for both and δ¹³C_DIC values. The difference between summer and winter in the Baltic Sea values was only slight, whereas δ¹³C_DIC values exhibited substantial seasonal variability related to algal productivity. Salmon otolith δ¹⁸O_oto and δ¹³C_oto values showed clear differences between feeding areas and seasons. Our example demonstrates that dual isotope approach offers great potential for estimating probable fish habitats once issues in model parameterization have been resolved.     

Functional roles of an engineer species for coastal benthic invertebrates and demersal fish

Through their tissues or activities, engineer species create, modify, or maintain habitats and alter the distribution and abundance of many plants and animals. This study investigates key ecological functions performed by an engineer species that colonizes coastal ecosystems. The gregarious tubiculous amphipod Haploops nirae is used as a biological model. According to previous studies, the habitat engineered by H. nirae (i.e., Haploops habitat) could provide food and natural shelter for several benthic species such as benthic diatoms belonging to the gender Navicula, the micrograzer Geitodoris planata, or the bivalve Polititapes virgineus. Using data from scientific surveys conducted in two bays, this study explored whether (1) the Haploops sandy‐mud community modifies invertebrate and ichthyologic community structure (diversity and biomass); (2) H. nirae creates a preferential feeding ground; and (3) this habitat serves as a refuge for juvenile fish. Available Benthic Energy Coefficients, coupled with more traditional diversity indices, indicated higher energy available in Haploops habitat than in two nearby habitats (i.e., Sternaspis scutata and Amphiura filiformis/Owenia fusiformis habitats). The use of isotopic functional indices (IFIs) indicated (1) a higher functional richness in the Haploops habitat, related to greater diversity in food sources and longer food chains; and (2) a higher functional divergence, associated with greater consumption of a secondary food source. At the invertebrate‐prey level, IFIs indicated little specialization and little trophic redundancy in the engineered habitat, as expected for homogenous habitats. Our results partly support empirical knowledge about engineered versus nonengineered habitats and also add new perspectives on habitat use by fish and invertebrate species. Our analyses validated the refuge‐area hypothesis for a few fish species. Although unique benthic prey assemblages are associated with Haploops habitat, the hypothesis that it is a preferential feeding area was not verified. However, specialist feeding behavior was observed for predators, which calls for further investigation.     

Partition and metabolic fate of dietary glycerol in muscles and liver of juvenile tilapia

This study investigated the effect of dietary glycerol on the metabolism of juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and to determine its metabolic fate. The experimental diets contained 0% (Group CON), 5% (Group G5) and 15% glycerol (Group G15) and were fed for 40 d to apparent satiation, three times a day. For the metabolism trials, six fish from each treatment were randomly chosen and tube-fed with five pellets labelled with ¹⁴C-glycerol [¹⁴C(U)] in order to evaluate the absorption, catabolism, retention and partition of glycerol in muscle and liver. Group G5 presented the highest ¹⁴C-glycerol retention and the lowest catabolism, with no significant differences between Groups CON and G15. In Group CON, the highest percentage of ¹⁴C was incorporated in muscle lipids; with no significant differences between Groups G5 and G15. Furthermore, no treatment effects were found for hepatic ¹⁴C-lipid and for ¹⁴C in hepatic and muscle non-lipid extract. In the non-lipid and non-protein fraction, the highest radioactivity was measured in livers of Group G5, however no significant differences were found for this fraction between Groups CON and G15 in liver and for all treatments in muscle. The results of the present study can have practical implications in diet formulations for tilapia and for other aquaculture species with similar feeding pattern since juvenile tilapia are able to metabolise dietary glycerol into lipids, protein and/or carbohydrates and to use it as energy source.     

碳稳定同位素技术在植物水分胁迫研究中的应用

植物体的碳稳定同位素组成主要由植物本身的生物学特性决定 ,但环境胁迫对其影响也十分明显。综述了碳稳定同位素技术在研究植物水分利用效率、生物量高低及判断历史气候依据等研究领域的进展 ,阐明了植物体的 δ1 3C值对干旱、盐分及其它环境因素的变化所引起的水分胁迫的响应 ,并对碳稳定同位素对水分胁迫的响应机理进行了归纳和推断     

Incorporating uncertainty and prior information into stable isotope mixing models

Stable isotopes are a powerful tool for ecologists, often used to assess contributions of different sources to a mixture (e.g. prey to a consumer). Mixing models use stable isotope data to estimate the contribution of sources to a mixture. Uncertainty associated with mixing models is often substantial, but has not yet been fully incorporated in models. We developed a Bayesian-mixing model that estimates probability distributions of source contributions to a mixture while explicitly accounting for uncertainty associated with multiple sources, fractionation and isotope signatures. This model also allows for optional incorporation of informative prior information in analyses. We demonstrate our model using a predator–prey case study. Accounting for uncertainty in mixing model inputs can change the variability, magnitude and rank order of estimates of prey (source) contributions to the predator (mixture). Isotope mixing models need to fully account for uncertainty in order to accurately estimate source contributions.     

Source water partitioning as a means of characterizing hydrologic function in mangroves

Mangrove ecosystems rely on seawater, rain-derived flow, and groundwater for hydrologic sustenance, flushing, and inflow of nutrients and sediments. The relative contribution of these source waters and their variability through time and space can provide key information concerning the hydrologic function of ecosystems. We used hydrologic tracers to partition source waters and trace their movements in the Enipoas stream, a river-dominated mangrove ecosystem on the island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and in the Yela watershed, an interior mangrove ecosystem on the island of Kosrae, FSM. The Enipoas site was characterized as a salt wedge estuary whose source water contributions alternated between predominantly seawater and rain-derived flow, depending on the tide. The source waters in the interior Yela site were also predominantly seawater and rain-derived flow, however the relative contribution of each was much more stable. The mean groundwatercontribution was 5% (SD 5 5.5) for the Enipoas site and 20% (SD 5 11.0) for the Yela site. Although a small contributor to flow, groundwater was a steady source of freshwater for both systems. Hydrologic linkages between mangroves and adjacent ecosystems were demonstrated by the temporal and spatial distribution of source waters.The 0.8 km Enipoas estuary, with its highly dynamic bi-directional flows, transported source waters along a hydrologic continuum comprised of coral reef, mangroves, and palm forest. In the interior mangroves of the Yela watershed, the presence of rain-derived flow and groundwater demonstrated a hydraulic connection between the mangroves and an upstream freshwater swamp. Interior mangroves with such linkages avoid stresses such as desiccation and heightened salinity, and thus are more productive than those with little or no freshwater flows.     

多年放牧对不同类型草原植被及土壤碳同位素的影响

放牧是草原牧区常见的人类活动,多年放牧对草原植被及土壤的碳过程产生较大的影响.本研究采集不同类型草原多年放牧前后植被及土壤样品,对室内碳同位素进行分析,研究了不同草原生态系统Δ¹³C(碳同位素分馏值)差异及其影响因素.结果表明: 放牧强度对植被Δ¹³C值的影响显著,0～5 cm表层土壤Δ¹³C值在放牧前后变化显著,而对深层土壤(>5 cm)影响不显著.多年放牧后大部分植被Δ¹³C值显著升高,高海拔地区升高的幅度较大.可见,放牧行为对不同草地生态系统类型、不同土壤深度以及不同海拔生态系统碳过程产生的影响差异显著.针对不同类型的草原,放牧应采取多样化的管理方式.     

极端干旱生境下胡杨克隆水分整合特征及其生态意义

克隆水分整合是克隆植物有效利用异质性生境资源的重要对策,也是在恶劣生境下得以定植、存活的重要生存策略。本研究以塔里木河下游的胡杨（Populus euphratica Oliv.）为对象,结合野外调查、稳定同位素技术、生理生态监测实验,调查胡杨的克隆水分整合特征并分析其生态意义。结果显示,胡杨母株与其克隆幼株间存在显著水分生理整合,水分整合以顶向传输为主,水分整合过程与整合水量受到母株生理节律及母株到幼株间隔子长度的影响;克隆幼株因水分整合而能够获取与母株相似的深层土壤水分,比同一区域实生幼株拥有更好的水分获取能力,并使胡杨克隆幼株比实生幼株保持相对更高的水力导度、叶片水分含量及叶水势;在极端干旱生境下的这种水分获取及利用策略使胡杨克隆幼株比实生幼株具有更高的光化学效率与光合性能,有助于克隆幼株在不利生境下定植、存活并保持更高的生存优势。     

Ecological Roles of Tryptanthrin,Indirubin and N‐Formylanthranilic Acid in Isatis indigotica: Phytoalexins or Phytoanticipins?

Leaves of the plant species Isatis indigotica Fortune ex Lindl. (Chinese woad) produce the metabolites tryptanthrin, indirubin and N‐formylanthranilic acid upon spraying with an aqueous solution of copper chloride but not after spraying with water. The antifungal activities of these metabolites against the phytopathogens Alternaria brassicicola, Leptosphaeria maculans and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum established that tryptanthrin is a much stronger growth inhibitor of L. maculans than the phytoalexin camalexin. The biosynthetic precursors of tryptanthrin and N‐formylanthranilic acid are proposed based on the deuterium incorporations of isotopically labeled compounds. The overall results suggest that tryptanthrin is a phytoalexin and indirubin and N‐formylanthranilic acid are phytoanticipins in the plant species I. indigotica and that chemical diversity and biodiversity are intimately connected.