Inferring trophic variation for Antarctic krill (<i>Euphausia superba</i>) in the Antarctic Peninsula from the austral fall to early winter using stable isotope analysis

ZHU Guoping; ZHANG Haiting; SONG Qi; YANG Yang; WANG Shaoqin; YANG Qingyuan

doi:10.1007/s13131-018-1176-6

Article Contents

Article Navigation > Acta Oceanologica Sinica > 2018 > 37(6): 90-95

ZHU Guoping, ZHANG Haiting, SONG Qi, YANG Yang, WANG Shaoqin, YANG Qingyuan. Inferring trophic variation for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in the Antarctic Peninsula from the austral fall to early winter using stable isotope analysis[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2018, 37(6): 90-95. doi: 10.1007/s13131-018-1176-6

Citation:

ZHU Guoping, ZHANG Haiting, SONG Qi, YANG Yang, WANG Shaoqin, YANG Qingyuan. Inferring trophic variation for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in the Antarctic Peninsula from the austral fall to early winter using stable isotope analysis[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2018, 37(6): 90-95. doi: 10.1007/s13131-018-1176-6

Citation:

PDF( 542 KB)

Inferring trophic variation for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in the Antarctic Peninsula from the austral fall to early winter using stable isotope analysis

doi: 10.1007/s13131-018-1176-6

1.
College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China;National Engineering Research Center for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai 201306, China;Polar Marine Ecosystem Group, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201306, China
2.
College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
3.
College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China;National Engineering Research Center for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai 201306, China

Received Date: 2017-03-28
Rev Recd Date: 2017-07-29

Abstract

Abstract

The Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a key species in the Southern Ocean ecosystem and an important link in the food web of the Antarctic ecosystem. The trophic information for this species during the transition from the austral fall to the winter is important to understand its poorly known overwintering mechanisms. However, the few studies on the topic differ in their results, in terms of both spatial and temporal variables. We investigated the size dependence and monthly and regional variation in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of adult krill in the Antarctic Peninsula, in the austral fall (April to May) and the early winter (June). We aimed to examine the trophic variations of krill occurred during this period, and the relationship between krill and their feeding environment in the Antarctic marine ecosystem. The following results were obtained:(1) no significant relationship was observed between size and the δ¹³C value of krill, but the δ¹⁵N value of krill presented a remarkable association with size; (2) the δ¹³C values of krill increased during the austral fall, but no remarkable variation existed at the onset of winter, and the δ¹⁵N values were not significant different during this period; (3) mean δ¹⁵N values of krill differed significantly between the Bransfield Strait and the South Shetland Islands. Our data imply that adult krill present size-, season-, and region-dependent trophic variation during the transition from austral fall to early winter in the Antarctic Peninsula.
- Euphausia superba,
- stable isotope,
- trophic variation,
- Antarctic Peninsula,
- feeding habit

FullText(HTML)

References(39)

References

Agersted M D, Bode A, Nielsen T G. 2014. Trophic position of coexisting krill species:a stable isotope approach. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 516:139-151

Anderson O R J, Phillips R A, McDonald R A, et al. 2009. Influence of trophic position and foraging range on mercury levels within a seabird community. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 375:277-288

Atkinson A, Meyer B, Stübing D, et al. 2002. Feeding and energy budgets of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba at the onset of winter:Ⅱ. juveniles and adults. limnology and oceanography, 47(6):953-966

Atkinson A, Siegel V, Pakhomov E A, et al. 2009. A re-appraisal of the total biomass and annual production of Antarctic krill. Deep Sea Research Part I:Oceanographic Research Papers, 56(5):727-740

Atkinson A, Siegel V, Pakhomov E, et al. 2004. Long-term decline in krill stock and increase in salps within the Southern Ocean. Nature, 432(7013):100-103

Barkley E. 1940. Nahrung und Filterapparat des walkrebschens Euphausia superba Dana. Zeitschrift für Fischerei und deren Hilfswissen-schaften, 1:65-156

Corbisier T N, Petti M A V, Skowronski R S P, et al. 2004. Trophic relationships in the nearshore zone of Martel Inlet (King George Island, Antarctic):δ¹³C stable-isotope analysis. Polar Biology, 27(2):75-82

Croxall J P, Reid K, Prince P A. 1999. Diet, provisioning and productivity responses of marine predators to differences in availability of Antarctic krill. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 177:115-131

Dunton K H. 2001. δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C Measurements of Antarctic peninsula fauna:trophic relationships and assimilation of benthic seaweeds. American Zoologist, 41(1):99-112

Everson I. 2000. Role of krill in marine food webs:the Southern Ocean. In:Everson I, ed. Krill:Biology, Ecology and Fisheries. Oxford:Blackwell Science, 194-201

Fischer G. 1991. Stable carbon isotope ratios of plankton carbon and sinking organic matter from the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Marine Chemistry, 35(1-4):581-596

France R L. 1995. Carbon-13 enrichment in benthic compared to planktonic algae:food web implications. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 124:307-312

Frazer T K. 1996. Stable isotope composition (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) of larval krill, Euphausia superba, and two of its potential food sources in winter. Journal of Plankton Research, 18(8):1413-1426

Fry B, Sherr E B. 1989. δ¹³C measurements as indicators of carbon flow in marine and freshwater ecosystems. In:Rundel P W, Ehleringer J R, Nagy K A, eds. Stable Isotopes in Ecological Research. Ecological Studies (Analysis and Synthesis). New York, NY:Springer, 196-229

Hobson K A, Welch H E. 1992. Determination of trophic relationships within a high Arctic marine food web using δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analysis. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 84:9-18

Hobson K A, Clark R G. 1992. Assessing avian diets using stable isotopes I:turnover of C in tissues. The Condor, 94(1):181-188

Hopkins T L. 1985. Food web of an Antarctic midwater ecosystem. Marine Biology, 89(2):197-212

Huntley M E, Zhou M. 2004. Influence of animals on turbulence in the sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 273:65-79

Jia Z N, Swadling K M, Meiners K M, et al. 2016. The zooplankton food web under East Antarctic pack ice—A stable isotope study. Deep Sea Research Part Ⅱ:Topical Studies in Oceanography, 131:189-202

Kils U. 1983. Swimming and feeding of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba—some outstanding energetic and dynamics, some unique morphological details. Berichte zur Polarforschung, 4:130-155

Ko A R, Yang E J, Kim M S, et al. 2016. Trophodynamics of euphausiids in the Amundsen Sea during the austral summer by fatty acid and stable isotopic signatures. Deep Sea Research Part Ⅱ:Topical Studies in Oceanography, 123:78-85

Kokubun N, Choy E J, Kim J H, et al. 2015. Isotopic values of Antarctic krill in relation to foraging habitat of penguins. Ornithological Science, 14(1):13-20

Makarov R R, Denys C J. 1981. Stages of sexual maturity of Euphausia superba Dana. BIOMASS Handbook. v 11. Cambridge:Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, 1-13

Martin D L, Ross R M, Quetin L B, et al. 2006. Molecular approach (PCR-DGGE) to diet analysis in young Antarctic krill Euphausia superba. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 319:155-165

Meyer B, Auerswald L, Siegel V, et al. 2010. Seasonal variation in body composition, metabolic activity, feeding, and growth of adult krill Euphausia superba in the Lazarev Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 398:1-18

Michener R H, Schell D M. 1994. Stable isotope ratios as tracers in marine aquatic food webs. In:Lajtha K, Michener R H, eds. Stable Isotopes in Ecology and Environmental Science. Oxford, UK:Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 138-158

Mordy C W, Penny D M, Sullivan C W. 1995. Spatial distribution of bacterioplankton biomass and production in the marginal ice-edge zone of the Weddell-Scotia Sea during austral winter. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 122:9-19

Nicol S, Foster J. 2016. The fishery for Antarctic krill:its current status and management regime. In:Siegel V, ed. Biology and Ecology of Antarctic Krill. Cham:Springer, 387-421

Nishino Y, Kawamura A. 1996. Food habits of the Antarctic krill Euphausia superba Dana in South Shetland waters. Bulletin of Plankton Society of Japan, 43(1):9-19

Polito M J, Goebel M E. 2010. Investigating the use of stable isotope analysis of milk to infer seasonal trends in the diets and foraging habitats of female Antarctic fur seals. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 395(1–2):1-9

Polito M J, Reiss C S, Trivelpiece W Z, et al. 2013. Stable isotopes identify an ontogenetic niche expansion in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) from the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Mar Biol, 160(6):1311-1323

Schmidt K, Atkinson A, Stübing D, et al. 2003. Trophic relationships among Southern Ocean copepods and krill:Some uses and limitations of a stable isotope approach. Limnology and Oceanography, 48(1):277-289

Schmidt K, McClelland J W, Mente E, et al. 2004. Trophic-level interpretation based on δ¹⁵N values:implications of tissue-specific fractionation and amino acid composition. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 266:43-58

Schmidt K, Atkinson A, Petzke K J, et al. 2006. Protozoans as a food source for Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba:complementary insights from stomach content, fatty acids, and stable isotopes. Limnology and Oceanography, 51(5):2409-2427

Schmidt K, Atkinson A. 2016. Feeding and food processing in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba Dana). In:Siegel V, ed. Biology and Ecology of Antarctic krill. Switzerland:Springer, 175-224

Stowasser G, Atkinson A, McGill R A R, et al. 2012. Food web dynamics in the Scotia Sea in summer:a stable isotope study. Deep-Sea Research Part Ⅱ, 59:208-221

Trivelpiece W Z, Hinke J T, Miller A K, et al. 2011. Variability in krill biomass links harvesting and climate warming to penguin population changes in Antarctica. Proceedings of the National Academy Science of the United States of America, 108(18):7625-7628

Vander Zanden M J, Rasmussen J B. 2001. Variation in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C trophic fractionation:implications for aquatic food web studies. Limnology and Oceanography, 46(8):2061-2066

Wada E, Terazaki M, Kabaya Y, et al. 1987. ¹⁵N and ¹³C abundances in the Antarctic Ocean with emphasis on the biogeochemical structure of the food web. Deep Sea Research Part A. Oceanographic Research Papers, 34(5-6):829-841

Relative Articles

Supplements(0)

Cited By

Proportional views