Arctic seals as tracers of environmental and ecological change
Arctic seals as tracers of environmental and ecological change
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DOI：
10.1002/lol2.10176
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发表时间：
2020-11-12
影响因子：
7.8
通讯作者：
Jeffreys, Rachel M.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
de la Vega, Camille;Mahaffey, Claire;Jeffreys, Rachel M.
物种营养位置（TP）知识是生态系统管理的重要组成部分。从捕食者的稳定氮同位素（δ N-15）中测定TP需要了解这些示踪剂在不同环境下的变化以及它们与捕食者同位素组成的关系。我们使用两种海豹作为模型来确定北极大空间尺度上的TP。海水硝酸盐（δ N-15(NO3)）和海豹肌肉氨基酸（δ N-15(AA)）分别独立表征了食物网的基础和海豹和环斑海豹的TP，表明δ N-15（NO3）和δ N-15（AA）之间存在直接联系。结果表明，海豹体内N-15（AA）的空间变化反映了太平洋和大西洋海域N-15（NO3）末端成员的差异。该研究为捕食者TP的精确比较提供了最佳实践参考，并为评估环境和人为变化对泛北极尺度生态系统的影响提供了框架。
Knowledge of species trophic position (TP) is an essential component of ecosystem management. Determining TP from stable nitrogen isotopes (delta N-15) in predators requires understanding how these tracers vary across environments and how they relate to predator isotope composition. We used two seal species as a model for determining TP across large spatial scales in the Arctic. delta N-15 in seawater nitrate (delta N-15(NO3)) and seal muscle amino acids (delta N-15(AA)) were determined to independently characterize the base of the food web and the TP of harp and ringed seals, demonstrating a direct link between delta N-15(NO3) and delta N-15(AA). Our results show that the spatial variation in delta N-15(AA) in seals reflects the delta N-15(NO3) end members in Pacific vs. Atlantic waters. This study provides a reference for best practice on accurate comparison of TP in predators and as such, provides a framework to assess the impact of environmental and human-induced changes on ecosystems at pan-Arctic scales.