Global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses.

The δ(15)N values of organisms are commonly used across diverse ecosystems to estimate trophic position and infer trophic connectivity. We undertook a novel cross-basin comparison of trophic position in two ecologically well-characterized and different groups of dominant mid-water fish consumers usi...

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Main Authors: C Anela Choy, Peter C Davison, Jeffrey C Drazen, Adrian Flynn, Elizabeth J Gier, Joel C Hoffman, Jennifer P McClain-Counts, Todd W Miller, Brian N Popp, Steve W Ross, Tracey T Sutton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/23209656/?tool=EBI
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author C Anela Choy
Peter C Davison
Jeffrey C Drazen
Adrian Flynn
Elizabeth J Gier
Joel C Hoffman
Jennifer P McClain-Counts
Todd W Miller
Brian N Popp
Steve W Ross
Tracey T Sutton
author_facet C Anela Choy
Peter C Davison
Jeffrey C Drazen
Adrian Flynn
Elizabeth J Gier
Joel C Hoffman
Jennifer P McClain-Counts
Todd W Miller
Brian N Popp
Steve W Ross
Tracey T Sutton
author_sort C Anela Choy
collection DOAJ
description The δ(15)N values of organisms are commonly used across diverse ecosystems to estimate trophic position and infer trophic connectivity. We undertook a novel cross-basin comparison of trophic position in two ecologically well-characterized and different groups of dominant mid-water fish consumers using amino acid nitrogen isotope compositions. We found that trophic positions estimated from the δ(15)N values of individual amino acids are nearly uniform within both families of these fishes across five global regions despite great variability in bulk tissue δ(15)N values. Regional differences in the δ(15)N values of phenylalanine confirmed that bulk tissue δ(15)N values reflect region-specific water mass biogeochemistry controlling δ(15)N values at the base of the food web. Trophic positions calculated from amino acid isotopic analyses (AA-TP) for lanternfishes (family Myctophidae) (AA-TP ∼2.9) largely align with expectations from stomach content studies (TP ∼3.2), while AA-TPs for dragonfishes (family Stomiidae) (AA-TP ∼3.2) were lower than TPs derived from stomach content studies (TP∼4.1). We demonstrate that amino acid nitrogen isotope analysis can overcome shortcomings of bulk tissue isotope analysis across biogeochemically distinct systems to provide globally comparative information regarding marine food web structure.
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spelling doaj.art-d615fed158924ba5a952561c0bdc104f2022-12-21T22:42:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-01711e5013310.1371/journal.pone.0050133Global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses.C Anela ChoyPeter C DavisonJeffrey C DrazenAdrian FlynnElizabeth J GierJoel C HoffmanJennifer P McClain-CountsTodd W MillerBrian N PoppSteve W RossTracey T SuttonThe δ(15)N values of organisms are commonly used across diverse ecosystems to estimate trophic position and infer trophic connectivity. We undertook a novel cross-basin comparison of trophic position in two ecologically well-characterized and different groups of dominant mid-water fish consumers using amino acid nitrogen isotope compositions. We found that trophic positions estimated from the δ(15)N values of individual amino acids are nearly uniform within both families of these fishes across five global regions despite great variability in bulk tissue δ(15)N values. Regional differences in the δ(15)N values of phenylalanine confirmed that bulk tissue δ(15)N values reflect region-specific water mass biogeochemistry controlling δ(15)N values at the base of the food web. Trophic positions calculated from amino acid isotopic analyses (AA-TP) for lanternfishes (family Myctophidae) (AA-TP ∼2.9) largely align with expectations from stomach content studies (TP ∼3.2), while AA-TPs for dragonfishes (family Stomiidae) (AA-TP ∼3.2) were lower than TPs derived from stomach content studies (TP∼4.1). We demonstrate that amino acid nitrogen isotope analysis can overcome shortcomings of bulk tissue isotope analysis across biogeochemically distinct systems to provide globally comparative information regarding marine food web structure.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/23209656/?tool=EBI
spellingShingle C Anela Choy
Peter C Davison
Jeffrey C Drazen
Adrian Flynn
Elizabeth J Gier
Joel C Hoffman
Jennifer P McClain-Counts
Todd W Miller
Brian N Popp
Steve W Ross
Tracey T Sutton
Global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses.
PLoS ONE
title Global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses.
title_full Global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses.
title_fullStr Global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses.
title_full_unstemmed Global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses.
title_short Global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses.
title_sort global trophic position comparison of two dominant mesopelagic fish families myctophidae stomiidae using amino acid nitrogen isotopic analyses
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/23209656/?tool=EBI
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