Concentrations of trace elements in sea urchins and macroalgae commonly present in Sargassum beds: implications for trophic transfer
Autor: | John R. Harley, Elisa Serviere-Zaragoza, Tania Zenteno-Savín, Todd M. O'Hara, Pablo Hernández-Almaraz, Lía C. Méndez-Rodríguez |
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Rok vydání: | 2016 |
Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
biology Primary producers Ecology 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology 010501 environmental sciences biology.organism_classification Eucidaris thouarsii 01 natural sciences Phosphorite biology.animal Sargassum Omnivore Sea urchin Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Invertebrate Trophic level |
Zdroj: | Ecological Research. 31:785-798 |
ISSN: | 1440-1703 0912-3814 |
Popis: | The aim of the study was to evaluate the dynamic of cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, and iron among lower trophic levels, sea urchins and macroalgae. Diets and isotopic values were used in combination to explore trophic positions and potential transference of metals from primary producers to consumers. Concentrations of trace elements were measured in two species of sea urchin (Tripneustes depressus and Eucidaris thouarsii) and nine macroalgae that are usually used as food in four Sargassum beds, one of which is close to a phosphorite mine. Specimens were collected when Sargassum fronds were at their greatest (winter) and lowest (summer) abundance. Highest concentrations of Cd, and Cu in both urchin species were recorded in winter at the site near the phosphorite mine. Concentrations of Pb in T. depressus were below the detectable limit, whereas E. thouarsii, which in addition to a high concentration of Pb, had high amounts of Cu and Zn. Gut content analysis, indicates that the diet of both sea urchins at the four sites and two collection dates is mainly macroalgae. The δ 15N isotopic values in sea urchins in a typical Sargassum bed were in good agreement with a diet dominated by macroalgae, with T. depressus having herbivorous habits and E. thouarsii having omnivorous habits in this environment. We found macroalgae important in the dynamics of metals in food webs, potentially contributing to transferring Cd, Cu, and Zn to key invertebrate species, such as sea urchins, indicating connectivity of food webs and ecological structuring of marine environments. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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