热带珊瑚礁区红腹海参及绿刺参食物来源分析——脂肪酸标志法

沉积食性海参通过大量摄取沉积物在热带珊瑚礁生态系统中发挥重要的生态功能,但其食物来源组成尚不清楚。本文研究了海南三亚近岸典型珊瑚礁海域红腹海参(Holothuria edulis)及绿刺参(Stichopus chloronotus)脂肪酸组成,利用脂肪酸标志法探讨了夏季和冬季两种海参的食物来源异同。结果表明,红腹海参与绿刺参的脂肪酸组成存在显著种间和季节差异。7月份时,鞭毛藻及原生动物是绿刺参的重要食物来源,而12月份绿刺参的食物来源较为广泛,涵盖鞭毛藻及原生动物、异养细菌褐藻和红藻等。红腹海参7月份的主要食物来源包括褐藻和红藻等,12月份异养细菌和绿藻在红腹海参的食物组成中比例相对较高。研究结果可为揭示红腹海参及绿刺参摄食活动的生态功能提供数据支持。

Determination of the food sources of two tropical coral reef sea cucumbers Holothuria edulis and Stichopus chloronotus using a fatty acid biomarker analysis

Sediment-feeding sea cucumbers play an essential ecological role in the tropical coral reef ecosystem through a large sediment intake. Still, the composition of their food sources is not clear. In this paper, we studied the fatty acid composition of Holothuria edulis and Stichopus chloronotus in the typical coral reef off the coast of Sanya, Hainan. The results showed significant interspecific and seasonal differences in fatty acid composition between H.edulis and S.chloronotus. In July, flagellate algae and protozoa were important food sources of S.chloronotus. In December, S.chloronotus had a wide range of food sources, including flagellate algae and protozoa, heterotrophic bacteria, brown algae, and red algae. The main food sources of H.edulis in July were brown algae and red algae, and the heterotrophic bacteria and green algae were relatively higher in December. The results of this study can provide data for revealing the ecological functions of H.edulis and S.chloronotus in feeding activities.