Trophic relationship between the parasitic isopod ichthyoxenus japonensis and the fish carassius auratus auratus as revealed by stable isotopes

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was used to investigate the host-parasite trophic relationship between the parasitic isopod Ichthyoxenus japonensis and one of its freshwater fish host Carassius auratus auratus from Lake Fuxian, China. No significant differences in delta C-13 and delta N-15 were observed between the heterosexual pairs of I. japonensis in the same host. delta C-13 and delta N-15 of I. japonensis were significantly lower than those of its host fish, and the isotopic ratios of the isopod increased with the increase of host fish isotopic signatures. Unlike isotopic fractionation patterns generally observed among consumers and their diets, isopod parasite was delta C-13 and N-15 depleted relative to the muscle tissue of this host fish. Differential isotopic fractionation patterns in the isopod parasite and the fish may be attributed to differences in parasite and host metabolism.

Sources and preservation of organic matter in Plum Island salt marsh sediments (MA, USA): long-chain n-alkanes and stable carbon isotope compositions

Elemental (TOC, TN, C/N) and stable carbon isotopic (delta(13)C) compositions and n-alkane (nC(16-38)) concentrations were measured for Spartina alterniflora, a C-4 marsh grass, Typha latifolia, a C-3 marsh grass, and three sediment cores collected from middle and upper estuarine sites from the Plum Island salt marshes. Our results indicated that the organic matter preserved in the sediments was highly affected by the marsh plants that dominated the sampling sites. delta(13)C values of organic matter preserved in the upper fresh water site sediment were more negative (-23.0+/-0.3) as affected by the C-3 plants than the values of organic matter preserved in the sediments of middle (-18.9+/-0.8) and mud flat sites (-19.4+/-0.1) as influenced mainly by the C4 marsh plants. The distribution of n-alkanes measured in all sediments showed similar patterns as those determined in the marsh grasses S. alterniflora and T. latifolia, and nC(21) to nC(33) long-chain n-alkanes were the major compounds determined in all sediment samples. The strong odd-to-even carbon numbered n-alkane predominance was found in all three sediments and nC(29) was the most abundant homologue in all samples measured. Both delta(13)C compositions of organic matter and n-alkane distributions in these sediments indicate that the marsh plants could contribute significant amount of organic matter preserved in Plum Island salt marsh sediments. This suggests that salt marshes play an important role in the cycling of nutrients and organic carbon in the estuary and adjacent coastal waters. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stable Carbon Isotopic Composition in Soil Organic Carbon and C3/C4 Source Variations at the Haibei Alpine Meadow

Stable carbon isotopes of organic matter originated from different soil layers (0～5 cm, 5～15 cm, 15～25 cm, 25～35 cm, 35～50 cm, 50～65 cm) were investigated in the Haibei Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Research Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The preliminary results indicated that δ13C values of soil organic matter increased with increased soil depth. δ13C of soil organic carbon in 0～5 cm layer showed the lowest value, -25.09‰; while 50～65 cm soil layer possessed the lowerδ13C value, -13.87‰. Based on mass balance model of stable isotopes, it was proposed that the percentage of C4 carbon source tend to increase with increased soil depth. The preliminary study indicated that alpine meadow might have undergone a successive process from C4-dominated community to C3-dominated one. However, changing δ13C values in atmospheric CO2 overtime and different processes of soil organic carbon formation (or eluviation) might somewhat contribute to increasing δ13C values. In this case, mass balance model would underestimate C3 community and overestimate C4 community.

Seasonal variations in stable isotope ratios of two biomanipulation fishes and seston in a large pen culture in hypereutrophic Meiliang Bay, Lake Taihu

This paper reports on seasonal changes in stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of seston and muscle tissue of silver carp and bighead carp during 2004 and 2005, focusing primarily on the carbon sources and trophic relationships among phytoplankton, zooplankton and silver carp and bighead carp in a large fish pen of Meiliang Bay (Lake Taihu, China). delta C-13 showed a minimal value in March 2005 and a maximal value in August 2005 in seston both inside and outside the pen, whereas delta N-15 of seston showed the minimum in winter and the maximum during algal blooms. A positive correlation between delta C-13 of silver carp and that of seston suggested that temporal variation Of delta C-13 in seston was preserved in fish via the food chain. The differences of delta C-13 among seston, zooplankton and muscle tissue of silver carp and bighead carp ranged only 0.2-1.7%, indicating that plankton production was the primary food source of filter-feeding fishes. According to a mass balance model, we estimated that the contributions of zooplankton to the diets of silver carp and bighead carp were 45.7% and 54.3%, respectively, based on the delta N-15 values of zooplankton and planktivorous fishes. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Contributions of Pelagic and Benthic Dietary Sources to Freshwater Mussels: Evidence from Stable Carbon Isotope Analysis

In Gonghu Bay of Lake Taihu, tissue of five mussel species showed delta C-13 values similar to or slightly below that of pelagic suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM). This indicated that mussels in this area either fed non-selectively and so reflected available carbon in the pelagic habitat or selected for phytoplankton. The situation was the same for Anodonta woodiana woodiana and Cristaria plicata in Meiliang Bay; however, for the remaining three species, Hyriopsis cumingii, Arconaia lanceolata, and Lamprotula rochechouarti, tissue had intermediate delta C-13 values, falling between those for pelagic SPOM and benthic sediment organic matter (SOM), suggesting a possible preferential selection of phytoplankton from the pelagic SPOM but more likely reflecting local differences in pelagic SPOM and benthic SOM composition and available organic carbon sources. The mixing model showed that pelagic SPOM accounted for over 98% of carbon incorporated by all mussels in Gonghu Bay and two mussels in Meiliang Bay, suggesting the dietary importance of pelagic food sources for mussels. Less than 50% of the assimilation in H. cumingii, A. lanceolata, and L. rochechouarti came from the pelagic carbon sources in Meiliang Bay, which suggested that these species consumed a mix of benthic and pelagic derived carbon sources.

Stable carbon isotope variations in surface bloom scum and subsurface seston among shallow eutrophic lakes

Carbon stable isotope analysis of surface bloom scum and subsurface seston samples was conducted in shallow eutrophic lakes in China during warm seasons from 2003 to 2004. delta C-13 values of bloom scum were always higher (averaged 5 parts per thousand) than those of seston in this study, and the possible reasons were attributed to (i) direct use of atmospheric CO2 at the air-water interface, (ii) decrease in C-13 fractionation due to higher carbon fixation, (iii) active CO2 transport, and/or (iv) HCO3 accumulation. Negative correlation between delta C-13(scum) - delta C-13(seston) and pH in the test lakes indicated that phytoplankton at the subsurface water column increased isotopic enrichment under the-carbon limitation along with the increase of pH, which might in turn decreased the differences in 313 C between the subsurface seston and the surface scums. Significant positive correlations of seston 8 13C with total concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in water column suggested that the increase in delta C-13 of seston with trophic state was depending on nutrient (N or P, or both) supply. Our study showed that delta C-13 of phytoplankton was indicative of carbon utilization, primary productivity, and nutrient supply among the eutrophic lakes. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.