Effect of temperature on contents of essential highly unsaturated fatty acids in freshwater zooplankton

In 11 lakes from cold and warm regions we studied the content of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) in seston (<130 μm) and crustacean zooplankton using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. An increase of temperature correlated with a decrease of HUFA content in zooplankton. A multivariate canonical correlation analyses revealed, that the decrease of HUFA content was related with a decrease of per cent of copepods in zooplankton communities, which are known to have higher HUFA levels in their biomass, than cladocerans. This means that temperature primarily affected the HUFA levels indirectly, via changing of taxonomic structure of zooplankton community, while the homeoviscous adaptation of zooplankton individuals had comparatively lower importance. As found, water temperature was better predictor of HUFA contents of zooplankton, than the fatty acid composition of seston. Thus, it can be predicted, that a probable climate warming will decrease the content of the essential HUFA in freshwater zooplankton with possible negative consequences for animals of higher trophic levels.     

Influence of food web structure on the biochemical composition of seston,zooplankton and recently deposited sediment in experimental freshwater mesocosms

The effects of food web structure on the quantity and biochemical composition of seston, zooplankton and recently deposited sediment in experimental freshwater mesocosms were examined. Food web structure was manipulated by addition of zooplanktivorous fish. Biochemical characterisations were carried out using lipid biomarkers (sterols, fatty acids, chlorophyll-derived compounds and long-chain alkanediols). Fish addition decreased zooplankton biomass and increased seston biomass and deposited sediment through a trophic cascade. Fish presence strongly influenced the biochemical characteristics of seston and sediment. In contrast, food web structure had a minor impact on the lipid biomarker composition of zooplankton. Although the relative abundance of sterols in the different compartments did not differ strongly between treatments, sterol profiles in seston and sediment depended on food web structure. The predominance of Δ⁷-sterols in seston and sediment in the fish treatment indicated a major contribution of Chlorophyceae. In contrast, the distribution of sterols in seston and sediment in the fishless treatment, dominated by cholesterol, indicated a major zooplanktonic input. The distribution of fatty acids and the relative abundance of chlorophyll-derived compounds and long-chain alkanediols agreed with the predominant contribution of phytoplankton or zooplankton to seston and sediment in the two treatments. The relative abundance of bacterial biomarkers suggested that the contribution of bacteria was rather low. The high relative abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and the absence of stanols in sediments suggested low microbial reworking of organic matter in the recently accumulated sediments. The trophic cascade, generated by the addition of fish, increased the relative abundance of PUFAs in deposited organic matter, thus enhancing sediment quality and potential degradability.     

Resource partitioning among cladocerans in a littoral macrophyte zone: implications for the transfer of essential compounds

The maintenance of species diversity in a given environment is strongly linked to resource partitioning. Littoral macrophyte zones are heterogeneous environments with high microcrustacean diversity, where zooplankton have dietary access to seston as well as organisms growing on macrophytic surfaces (epiphyton). We conducted a field study in a macrophyte-rich backwater of the river Allier to examine how seston and epiphyton were used as potential food sources by four dominant cladoceran species. Fatty acids were analyzed in these two food sources to assess how their differential uptake affects the trophic trajectory of essential compounds from these resources to cladocerans. Our results showed resource partitioning among the four cladocerans studied; while Eurycercus fed mostly on epiphyton, Daphnia mostly consumed phytoplankton, and Ceriodaphnia and Simocephalus were able to forage on sestonic and epiphytic resources. Based on their polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content, it was evident that epiphyton was of higher food quality than seston in this macrophyte-rich backwater system. Variability of PUFA compositions of seston and epiphyton, and diversity of foraging strategies of cladoceran species, which represent the major link between microorganisms and consumers at higher trophic levels, affect dietary energy pathways and point to a variable PUFA transfer efficiency in backwater food webs.     

Correlations between fatty acid composition of seston and zooplankton and effects of environmental parameters in a eutrophic Siberian reservoir

During two sampling seasons we analyzed on weekly basis fatty acid (FA) composition of seston fraction <130 μm and zooplankton fraction >130 μm, and compared them using a multivariate canonical correlation analysis (CCA). Besides, we evaluated a possible impact of water temperature and inorganic nutrients on FA composition of the seston and the zooplankton.In spite of significant differences in percentages of several individual FAs, we found very strong canonical correlation (cross-correlation, 1-week lag) between FA composition of the seston and the zooplankton. The most important factor, providing the overall canonical cross-correlation between FA profiles of the seston and the zooplankton fractions was eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5ω3, EPA). FA composition of the zooplankton fraction had comparatively poor correlations with taxonomic composition of the zooplankton. Thus, seasonal variations of FA composition of the zooplankton were determined primarily by seasonal changes in FA composition of the seston, rather than by taxonomic differences of FA profiles between rotifers, cyclopoids and cladocerans. FA composition of the seston was strongly affected by its taxonomic composition, namely by that of phytoplankton. According to CCA, the highest factor loadings pertained to diatoms interacting with their marker acids, including EPA, and cyanobacteria and greens, interacting with their marker acids. Ciliates and small rotifers composed considerable and sometimes major part of the seston biomass, but according to CCA their contributions to seasonal variations of the total FA profile of the seston were insignificant. This finding indirectly support the conclusion of the other authors, that the main source of FAs presented in ciliates and rotifers must be sought in algae and that they do not modify FA composition of food consumed, apart from repackaging it.Water temperature was the principal environmental parameter which drove the overall variations of FA composition. Factor loadings for the inorganic nutrients were comparatively negligible. The main contribution in the seasonal variation of FA composition of the seston was given by negative interaction between water temperature and percentage of EPA in the seston.     

Fatty Acid Composition of Plankton and Bighead Carp (Aristichthys nobilis) in Freshwater Ponds

The community structure and fatty acid composition of plankton in broodstock ponds were studied at the Bishui Fisheries Company in the Liaoning Province, northeast China, between May and December 2002 and in March 2003. The Fatty acid analysis of bighead carp larvae and plankton in the fry pond occurred during June, July, and September 2002. The fatty acid composition of the plankton varied with seasonal changes in the community structure. When blue‐green algae dominated the broodstock ponds in spring and summer, the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA) (especially 16:0) was high. When diatoms and cryptophytes dominated in autumn and winter, the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (mainly n–3 PUFA) was high. Similarly, a high content of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) occurred in autumn and winter when DHA‐rich copepods became an important group of zooplankton. In addition, environmental factors, especially water temperature, influenced the fatty acid composition of plankton. 16:0, DHA, and 18:1n–9 were dominant fatty acids of bighead carp larvae during ontogeny. 16:0, C18 unsaturated fatty acids, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were major fatty acids of plankton in the fry pond. Analysis of the relationship between the fatty acids of the larvae and those of plankton showed that the fatty acid profiles of the larvae did not always agree with those of plankton.     

Field observations on correlation of fatty acid profiles between suspended particulate matter and green-lipped mussels in subtropical waters of Hong Kong

By analysis of the fatty acid profiles in mussel tissues and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in water, the present study showed a significant relationship of the trophic linkage between mussels and the SPM. At seven locations from inner to outer areas along the eutrophic Tolo Harbour and Tolo Channel, Hong Kong, the composition (as percentage of total fatty acids) of both monoenoic and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the tissues of green-lipped mussels Perna viridis and SPM in water had significant correlation (p<0.01). In particular, the composition of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n3) (as percentage of total fatty acids) in mussel tissues was statistically correlated with that in SPM (p<0.01), implying that mussels incorporate DHA, the biomarker of dinoflagellates. Principal component analysis further demonstrated that the fatty acid profiles of SPM were different among locations in the harbour, mid and outer channel of the study area, so were the mussel tissue fatty acid profiles. Cluster analysis of phytoplankton data also revealed the dominance of diatoms in the inner harbour and channel areas, whereas dinoflagellates were abundant in the outer channel waters. The possible implications of using benthic suspension feeders such as green-lipped mussels P. viridis for controlling phytoplankton abundance in coastal waters are discussed.     

Field observations on correlation of fatty acid profiles between suspended particulate matter and green-lipped mussels in subtropical waters of Hong Kong

By analysis of the fatty acid profiles in mussel tissues and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in water, the present study showed a significant relationship of the trophic linkage between mussels and the SPM. At seven locations from inner to outer areas along the eutrophic Tolo Harbour and Tolo Channel, Hong Kong, the composition (as percentage of total fatty acids) of both monoenoic and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the tissues of green-lipped mussels Perna viridis and SPM in water had significant correlation (p < 0.01). In particular, the composition of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n3) (as percentage of total fatty acids) in mussel tissues was statistically correlated with that in SPM (p < 0.01), implying that mussels incorporate DHA, the biomarker of dinoflagellates. Principal component analysis further demonstrated that the fatty acid profiles of SPM were different among locations in the harbour, mid and outer channel of the study area, so were the mussel tissue fatty acid profiles. Cluster analysis of phytoplankton data also revealed the dominance of diatoms in the inner harbour and channel areas, whereas dinoflagellates were abundant in the outer channel waters. The possible implications of using benthic suspension feeders such as green-lipped mussels P. viridis for controlling phytoplankton abundance in coastal waters are discussed.     

Study of the trophic web of San Simón Bay (Ría de Vigo) by using stable isotopes

Based on the stable isotope composition in ¹⁵N and ¹³C of different potential sources of organic matter and consumers of an intertidal Zostera marina meadow located in San Simón Bay (Ría de Vigo, NW of Spain), a simplified food web of this community was reconstructed. For this purpose, some alternatives in different steps of the most used methodology of stable isotope dietary analysis were developed that cope with some of the limitations associated to the interpretation of isotopic signals for food web analysis, those of uncertainty on the fractionation value, mathematical model to use for the diet resolution and shortage of the isotope number for discriminating many food sources. The application of this protocol to the studied community reported similar results to those from other studies based on similar trophic webs, emphasizing the importance of local primary producers, especially microphytobenthos, which could be available for several primary consumers through resuspension forced by tidal hydrodynamic. The good agreement with previous results suggests that the proposed protocol is a feasible alternative to elucidate the most plausible trophic relationships in complex trophic webs using stable isotopes analysis.     

热带富营养化湖泊中浮游植物的脂肪酸组成与分布

星湖位于广东省．是一个热带地区的湖泊．本文测定和分析了该湖的两个子湖仙女湖和中心湖浮游植物群落的脂肪酸组成,探讨了浮游植物群落特征与脂肪酸组成之间的关系．两个子湖的富营养化程度较高,其中中心湖更严重．仙女湖的浮游植物群落以蓝藻为主导,而在中心湖则蓝藻或金藻占优势．浮游植物样品中检测到的脂肪酸碳链长为16碳到22碳．其中饱和脂肪酸和单不饱和脂肪酸种类较少,均有3种;而高不饱和脂肪酸的种类相对较多．两个子湖的脂肪酸均以饱和脂肪酸为主,高不饱和脂肪酸浓度相对较低．对于单一的脂肪酸种类来说,C16：0浓度最高,其浓度与蓝藻数量有很高的相关性(R^2=0．955,P=0．001),表明样品中的C16：0主要来源于蓝藻．而富含EPA(二十碳五烯酸)的硅藻和隐藻生物量高时其浮游植物的EPA浓度也较高;在中心湖中高浓度的DHA(二十二碳六烯酸)主要来源于金藻总之．两个子湖泊的脂肪酸组成与浮游植物群落结构特征基本一致．     

Pelagic trophic transfer efficiency in an oligotrophic, dimictic deep lake (Lake Stechlin, Germany) and its relation to fisheries yield

We investigated trophic transfer efficiency in the pelagic food chain of deep, oligotrophic Lake Stechlin (Germany) by analyses of the primary, secondary, and fish production. Primary production between April and November 2000 was estimated at 78 g C m⁻², pelagic secondary production at 14 g C m⁻², and production of the main planktivorous fish species [European cisco, Coregonus albula (L.)] at 0.77 g C m⁻². Thus, trophic transfer efficiency between primary and pelagic secondary production was around 18%, whereas between pelagic and fish production around 6%. The high efficiency at the first step of the chain is discussed to be due to the high food quality in oligotrophic lakes due to the dominance of Bacillariophyceae and Chlorophyceae rich in essential fatty acids. In turn, the relatively low trophic transfer efficiency between the secondary and the fish production is mainly explained by the avoidance of calanoid copepods as food source by the ciscoes. Concerning the trophic transfer efficiency, results from this study support the general assumption of a 10% transfer between neighbouring trophic levels within ecosystems.     

云贵高原湖泊夏季浮游植物组成及多样性

浮游植物是水生生态系统中重要的初级生产者,对维持水生态系统的平衡起着十分重要的作用.根据2008年云贵高原湖泊丰水期浮游植物调查数据,系统地分析了云贵高原13个湖泊中浮游植物的种群密度、生物量、组成及其多样性.云贵高原13个湖泊中共鉴定出浮游植物7门109种(绿藻52种、蓝藻23种、硅藻20种、其他14种).13个湖泊浮游植物Shannon-Wiener指数在0.5-2.2之间,其值大小与单个环境因子无显著相关.相关分析发现浮游植物总量与总氮、总磷、CODMn、硝态氮含量显著正相关,物种丰富度与总氮、总磷(0.1mg/L范围内)、CODMn含量亦显著正相关.另外,研究也发现各湖泊间浮游植物组成的相似性与各湖泊间营养状态差异显著负相关.由此可见,湖泊的营养状态不仅影响浮游植物的总量、组成以及物种丰富度,而且也影响各湖泊物种组成的相似性.     

Biosilicium (BSi) in Sedimenten Mecklenburger Seen (Deutschland) und das Calciumcarbonat-Biosilicium-Verhältnis als Trophie- und Wasserstandsindikator Biogenic Silica (BSi) in Sediments of the Mecklenburgian Lake District (Germany) and the Calcite-Silica-Relation as Indicator for Trophy and Water Level

The BSi content has been investigated in the surface sediments of lakes of different trophic state in the Mecklenburgian Lake District. The BSi content differs between 1 to 1000 mg BSi/g dry matter. High values were found in deep eutrophic lakes. Litoral sediments and shallow eutrophic lakes have lower contents. BSi content was found to be correlated with lake morphometry, depth, trophic level, sediment composition and especially with calcite. With the CaCO₃/BSi-value, 3 groups of lakes can be characterized:

• CaCO₃/BSi = 0 oligotrophic and dystrophic lakes
• CaCO₃/BSi ≤ 10 mesotrophic and eutrophic deep lakes
• CaCO₃/BSi ≤ 10 eutrophic shallow lakes

The results from the recent sediments have been compared with those from older sediments. Using the CaCO₃/BSi-value, climatic change, trophic state, and sea level can be detected.     

Distribution of microbial fatty acids and fatty alcohols in soils from an altitude transect of Mt. Jianfengling in Hainan,China: Implication for paleoaltimetry and paleotemperature reconstruction

The temperature gradient along the altitude transect of Mt.Jianfengling provides a good opportunity to establish and evaluate the microbial lipid-based environmental proxies.The soils collected from 14 different altitudes of Mt.Jianfengling contain abundant microbial fatty acids and fatty alcohols,including iso/anteiso fatty acids(i/aC12:0–i/aC19:0),10-Me-C16:0 fatty acid,iso/anteiso fatty alcohols(i/aC13–iC26),10-Me-C16:0 fatty alcohol and unsaturated fatty alcohols,which can indicate a strong microbial activity in the Jianfengling soils.The branched and unsaturated fatty alcohols can be only detected when saponification is performed,implying that these lipids are present as the constituents of bacterial wax esters in the soils.The ratio of aC15/iC15 fatty acids is positively correlated with altitude,suggesting that the decrease in temperature can induce the increase in the relative abundance of anteiso C15 fatty acid.In contrast,the ratio of aC15/iC15 fatty alcohols and of aC15/nC15 fatty alcohols both decrease with increased altitude or decreased temperature.Similarly,the ratio of nC18:1/nC18:0 fatty alcohols also decreases with decreased temperature,which is opposite to the previous observation that unsaturation of fatty acids in microorganism increases in response to decreased temperature.Besides,the average chain length(ACL)of long chain fatty alcohols(C22–C30)from leaf waxes and carbon preference index(CPI)of all n-fatty alcohols are also significantly correlated with altitude or mean annual temperature,demonstrating their potential for paleoclimate reconstruction.The correlation of microbial fatty acids and alcohols as well as ACL and CPI of plant wax-derived fatty alcohols with altitude may provide novel ways to reconstruct paleotemperature and paleoaltimetry.     

Stable isotope evidence for the environmental impact of a land-based fish farm in the western Mediterranean

Isotopic examination (delta(13)C and delta(15)N) of organic matter sources and consumers was used to assess the impact and trace the dispersal of wastewater from a land-based fish farm in western Mediterranean. The results provide evidence of the non-negligible effect of aquaculture facilities on the natural stable isotopic composition of organisms. Aquaculture waste entered the food web, altering the natural isotopic composition of organic matter sources at the base and the upper trophic levels. Nitrogen-rich fish waste mainly affected delta(15)N values, while delta(13)C showed less alteration. Waste seemed to disperse widely enough to affect the isotopic composition at the study site about 500 m from the outfall, while sites at 1 and 2 km from the outfall showed values that were similar to each other and different from those of the impacted site. The impact was detected at different ecosystem levels, although primary producers were more affected by fish farm waste taking up aquaculture-derived nutrients.     

Dependence of air pollution on meteorological conditions based on magnetic susceptibility measurements: a case study from Warsaw

This study reports systematic analysis of air pollution concentration by particulate matter (PM) in relation to annual changes of metrological conditions. The concentration of PM collected on filters was evaluated by magnetic properties. Long series of filters collected during 1977, 1980, 1981 and 1985 in Warsaw have been used for measurement. Such long time series allowed a better determination of correlation between seasonal susceptibility changes and meteorological conditions and to verify the repeatability of annual behavior. The magnetic susceptibility normalized by mass (??) has been used as a proxy of pollution. Monthly variations of ?? (??_m) demonstrated slow and small seasonal changes disturbed by quick, high peaks. The filters with high susceptibilities contain a mixture of magnetic single and multidomain grains which is characteristic for anthropogenic pollution, with the frequency-dependent susceptibility ??_fd being less than 4%. The low susceptibility samples are characterized by admixture of small amount of pseudo-single domain (PSD) and possible small amount of superparamagnetic (SP) grains. Detailed analysis of reduced mean monthly susceptibility ??_R revealed that temperature and absolute humidity correlate positively in cold period of year and negatively in warm months. The linear correlation coefficients range from 0.7 to 0.9 and from 0.3 to 0.4 for negative and positive linear correlation, respectively. The dispersion of pollutants in a city depends on the way of ventilation. The big cities like Warsaw are urban heat islands which act the most effective way for the warm period and for the cold time. The correlation of ??_R with absolute humidity is similar to that for temperature but for different reasons. The presence of big amount of water vapor particles in the atmosphere can favor the adhesion of smaller ferromagnetic grains to their surface which can accelerate the process of falling down of such agglomerates. Such a process can take place during wintertime. We do not observe clear correlation between ??_R and precipitation.     

Hemolytic activity and fatty acids composition in the ichthyotoxic dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides isolated from Bahía de La Paz, Gulf of California

The hemolytic activity of the dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides from Bahía de La Paz, Gulf of California was investigated as part of the ichthyotoxic mechanism of this microalga. Two different kinds of erythrocytes, fish and human, were tested for the hemolytic assay. Since fatty acids have been associated with hemolytic activity in C. polykrikoides, the composition of fatty acids of this dinoflagellate was also analyzed. The concentration of C. polykrikoides causing 50% hemolysis (HE₅₀) was 4.88 and 5.27 × 10⁶ cells L⁻¹, for fish and human erythrocytes, respectively. According to the standard curve of saponin, an equivalence between the hemolytic activity of saponin and the dinoflagellate concentration was found with 1 μg saponin mL⁻¹ equivalent to 1 × 10⁶ cells L⁻¹ of C. polykrikoides. The polyunsaturated fatty acids: hexadecaenoic (16:0), docosahexaenoic (22:6 n3) and octadecapentaenoic (18:5 n3) were found in an abundance of 62% of total fatty acids.